Lainie gave one short, hard tug on the hem of her jacket to straighten it. “Dropping the unconvincing impression of a Yard ‘tec, are you implying that I’m faking an affair with Richard Troy to get my name in the tabloids?”
“No,” Will said, surprising her, but he added, “I don’t think you would lie for publicity. You’ve never wanted cheap fame, and you’ve always had a high standing in the press. Particularly after what I did to you.” That last was stated candidly. “But Troy’s name has been mud this year. Suddenly, he’s looking a bit more like the blue-eyed boy, with his sweet, philanthropic girlfriend. If she’ll give him the time of day, he can’t be all that bad. Such an earnest little do-gooder as she is.” His scrutiny was now positively unsettling. “I’ve been thinking about it all week, and I realised there is one reason why you might agree to back up a harmless lie.”
Lainie had never deluded herself that Will was unintelligent, whatever his more carnal failings. Nor was he above using said intelligence in a morally questionable way if he thought it would benefit himself.
In other words, he would run squealing to the press at the drop of a hat.
She told him what was, in essence, the truth: “I don’t want to be hurtful, Will—” and she really didn’t, no matter how badly he’d knocked her own pride “—but there’s nothing fake about my feelings for Richard—” there wasn’t, not any longer “—and we are sleeping together.” Not that it was any of his business.
Will’s jaw worked. “What could you possibly see in him? He’s a self-serving, bad-tempered bastard who wouldn’t lift a finger to help you. Unless it was to push you onto his mattress.”
She damped down on the growing anger. “What I feel for Richard, and why I feel it, is my own business.”
And Richard’s business. The fact that they hadn’t had that particular conversation yet made this one even more inappropriate.
“You’re delusional.”
Some of the fury escaped. “Will, you gave up the right to even come here. How I choose to move on is nothing to do with you. Would you just go?”
He caught at her words like a mousetrap snapping down on an agitated, waving tail. “So it is because of what happened between us? Lainie, I’ve told you that I’m sorry—”
“You haven’t, actually, but it’s irrelevant. I’m sorry, but you’re not even a factor. You’re part of my past. A memory that reminds me how much better I have it now.” Brutal, but true, and she was too cross to continue shielding his ego.
“So you’d rather lower yourself to his level. A complete dickhead, who’s incapable of caring about anyone but himself.”
“Says the man who broke up with me by way of a gossip column and another woman’s bed. His level is so far above yours in so many ways, this whole argument is obsolete. Leave.”
“Is that right? You want to take a poll? See who agrees with you? There are reasons everybody hates him. How many people have gone home from the theatre feeling like shit because of Troy?”
She bit her lip, unable to refute that fact, and he pressed his advantage.
“He’s a user. A poor little rich boy,” Will said bitterly, unconsciously borrowing Lynette’s words, “who stood on old family money to get where he is, and who wouldn’t get out of bed in the morning if it wasn’t to his advantage. He’s using you, and you’re buying it.”
“Charming. While you, of course, were always the height of sincerity.”
“My feelings for you were genuine. I admit I made a mistake—”
“Yes, you did. And you made another one in coming here today and talking a load of bollocks.” She opened the front door again and pointedly held it ajar.
A flush crept into Will’s cheeks. “I’m worried about you. Whether you choose to believe that or not. He’s not right for you. He’s not right for anyone.”
“Oh, bullshit.”
“He’s a prick, Lainie. A spoilt, entitled brat.”
Oddly, that made her smile. “I know,” she agreed readily, almost fondly.
Her amusement seemed to further enrage him. “And look at his family. A mother who whored around Europe. Father a demented old bigot. Whose death, by the way, was supposedly brought on by Troy Junior.”
“Richard did not cause his father’s suicide!”
It was probably the stupidest, most careless thing she had ever done. The words just flew out of her mouth, propelled by sheer outrage and the instinct to defend. To protect.
And didn’t she make a right arse-up of that?
Will frowned. “Suicide? Didn’t he have a heart attack?”
Her heart was a thumping beat in her throat. Lainie drew on every ounce of acting experience she’d ever earned and kept her face blank.
Will jerked his head dismissively to one side. “Whatever. Just...think twice. That’s all I’m saying. As your friend.”
Feeling shaky, and not entirely convinced the danger could have passed that easily, Lainie nodded impatiently. She just wanted to be rid of him. “Fine. Whatever. Goodbye, Will.”
“Think about it.” Will reached out and gripped her arm.