I scrambled up off the bed.

Had I? Did we?

I scrubbed my face, racking my brain to piece together what had happened last night. Left V’s house in a jealous rage—check. Drank most of a fifth of Jack—check. Stumbled off to bed—check.

So where did she come from?

She propped herself up on her elbows and the sheet fell down to her waist. Her huge tits spilled out, but my cock never even twitched.

“How did you get in here?” I said, whipping around the room. I dressed in jeans and a band shirt.

She threw a pillow at me. “Hey, jerk, you made the booty call, not me.”

I did?

My mouth felt like a cotton ball was stuffed in it. I scratched my head. “Hey, um, did we … have sex?”

She sighed and laid back down in the bed on her side, posing herself. She draped her hair over one of her melons. “You passed out, I’m sad to say.” She sent me a petulant look. “We’ve had some fun times together. Is it really just pretend for you?”

“Yes. We’ve had this conversation. This is business, Blair.”

“Well, I want more. Seeing you with that horrid girl made me realize something. I have feelings for you. Like serious. My heart actually ached when you took her in your arms and walked away from me.”

“Your pride was hurt. You don’t really care about me.” She was too vain and self-absorbed to care about anyone but herself.

She clutched her throat like I’d hurt her and her eyes watered. “How—how can you say that? I love you, Sebastian.”

My mouth gaped. She’d say anything—do anything for her career.

Was I much better?

“You have no idea what love is,” I said softly. Love is what Leo and Nora had. Love is what my parents had. Real and true love is what I wanted—someday.

I headed to the bathroom and swallowed down some Tylenol. I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I looked like shit, and my mind automatically went to the reason. What was V doing now? Was she waking up in Geoff’s arms this morning? Was he touching her in all the places I’d dreamed about?

Blair padded through the doorway. Nude. “Get dressed, Blair.”

She ignored me. “What’s for breakfast?”

I splashed cold water on my face. “Uh, we don’t really have anything. I suggest you go home to eat.”

“We can go to Java and Me?”

I sighed. Fuck.

“You know, maybe I don’t love you like I said,” she admitted as she peered at her reflection and checked the waddle under her neck.

“You don’t say.”

She shrugged. “But, we could take our relationship further—at least for the press.”

I tensed. “How?”

“Like an engagement. Wouldn’t it be fun to go ring shopping? Next thing you know everyone will be looking for my baby bump.”

She was batshit crazy. “Blair, that’s not a good idea right now.”

“Why? Because you got the hots for your neighbor?”

“No.”

“Can I at least borrow some clothes? Mine are wrinkled,” she snapped.

I sighed and tossed her some athletic shorts with a drawstring and a shirt. “Look, I have a massive headache, and all I want to do right now is get some coffee. Why don’t you come downstairs when you’re done up here and we’ll talk.”

She sighed. “You may have already ruined your chance for the movie last night. We need to get behind this and make an appearance so everyone sees we’re still together.”

I groaned. I didn’t want to pose for any more fake pictures.

“Don’t let your neighbor ruin what you’ve been working on for weeks,” she said as she eased up next to me and slipped her hands inside my jeans to cup me. “You need someone like me. Who wants the same things you do.”

“Yeah?” It was hard to think, especially when she fell to her knees, pushed my jeans down and took me in her mouth.

I got hard and closed my eyes, but it was V’s face that popped in my head. Fuck. I felt sick. I pulled away from Blair and tucked myself back in. I wasn’t going there with her. Not when V was the girl I wanted.

She wiped her mouth and stood, a calculating look in her eyes. “I don’t get on my knees for everyone, Sebastian.”

I gritted my teeth. “Not in the mood for your drama, so step back.”

She relented, pouting. “Fine. You told me last night we’d spend the day together. Are you changing your mind on that too?”

I began to have my doubts and made a note to check my phone to see if I’d even called her in the first place. She was a major manipulator, one of the main reasons I did my best to keep her at arm’s length—except for that one time.

But if I wanted that movie …

“No engagement rings,” I snarled.

She shrugged and gave me a peck on the cheek. “As long as we’re together.”

Great. This day was going to pass as slow as a kidney stone.

“Like a phoenix, I wanted to be reborn. Forged in fire. Strong.”

—from the journal of Violet St. Lyons

THE NEXT DAY, Geoff and I headed to a beauty salon situated near Hollywood and Vine. It was called The Black Swan, and it screamed modern hip. I dug the vibe right away as we walked in, taking in the graffiti-style art and eclectic clientele.

“Don’t you think you’d have better luck at a place in Beverly Hills?” Geoff said as we got an eyeful of the statuesque cross-dressing beauty at the sign-in desk.