Page 100 of The Game We Played

“Whatever. It doesn’t matter. I knew I couldn’t trust you.”

I march toward the door but she grasps my hand to stop me. “What are you talking about? You can trust me.”

“You’ve been in touch with Sam and didn’t tell me.”

“I was planning to tell you Sam reached out and sent me the video but I didn’t know how.”

I yank my hand away from hers. “You have the video.”

“Only because Sam sent it to me. I didn’t ask him to send it. In fact, I told him not to.”

I fist my hands on my hips. “You, the nosiest person on the planet, told my agent not to send you a video? I don’t believe you.”

Hurt flashes in her blue eyes but I ignore it. She doesn’t have a reason to be hurt. She’s the one who broke my trust. Not the other way around.

“It’s true. He contacted me and told me to break up with you. When I told him I wouldn’t, he said he knew our relationship was fake. I explained it wasn’t fake anymore. He told me you’re a playboy and would never change his ways. Then, he sent me the video.”

I shake my head. “Sam would never tell you to break up with me. He’s the one who hired Belinda to help repair the damage to my reputation. He’s the one who was all in on the idea of me dating someone.”

“Which is exactly what I told him.”

Sam would never go behind my back and contact my girlfriend. He’s been my agent for six years. He’s earned a shit ton of money because of me. Why would he risk losing me as a client?

He wouldn’t. Which means Alaia is lying.

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not lying. It’s me, Alaia. I care about you. You can trust me.”

Cares about me? Yeah, right. My parents use the ‘care about me’ excuse to try and control me all the time. I know better. It’s a trap.

“I don’t trust you. The second I walk out of this apartment, you’re going to share the video with the entire world. You probably have the entire article ready to go. Congratulations. You finally got your big break. I hope it was worth it.”

“What?” Her head rears back. “I’m not sharing the video with anyone.”

“Yeah, right. This is your big break.”

The pieces fall into place. “This is why you agreed to fake date me. To get the scoop.”

She flinches.

“I knew it.”

“Hold on. Let me explain. I might have originally thought I could find out what happened by fake dating you. But things changed. We changed. This isn’t fake anymore.”

I want to believe her, but how can I? She has the video. A video Sam would never have sent her. “How much did you pay Sam for the video?”

“Are you deaf? I didn’t pay Sam for the video. I didn’t ask Sam for the video. I wish Sam had never phoned me.”

“You’re going to stick to your story?”

“It’s not a story.” Her nostrils flare, and she fists her hands. “It’s the truth.”

Wow. I never realized how good an actress Alaia is. If I didn’t know she was lying, I’d believe she was angry.

But she is lying. There’s no way my agent would send her the video. He’s spent the entire summer trying to suppress it. Why would he contact her? Why would he tell her the truth?

“You disgust me. I can’t believe I actually thought I loved you.”