Blitz (Blast Brothers #3) - Sabrina Stark Page 0,45

could see." I knew Chase's type all too well. He was the kind of guy who'd never settle down. Probably, he'd be playing the field forever, even if he were in a serious relationship.

On the phone, Natalie said, "And I know how you feel about that."

She was right.

I hated cheaters.

It wasn't only because Bryce had cheated on me with Emory. It was the whole concept. I was a loyal person, and I expected others to be loyal, too – even during a rough patch.

The truth was, Bryce and I had been having problems even before he'd cheated. That's why he'd come home for Spring break, so we could figure things out.

Instead, he'd spent most of his break figuring out how many ways he could bang Emory on the beach.

But I didn't want to think about Bryce. He was ancient history, even if he had taught me a serious lesson about pretty boys.

They were not to be trusted.

On the phone my sister said, "Just double-checking, have you told me the catch yet? Or are you still getting to it?"

"I'm getting to it now," I said. "In the meeting, he tells me that the book is going to hit in a few months – right in the middle of festival season – and he wants to know if I've got the stomach for it."

"The stomach for what?"

"To stick it out when things get rough."

"But wait, why would they get rough for you?"

"Because," I said, "he wants me to serve as the campaign's goodwill ambassador."

"Really? And what's that?"

"That's what I asked."

"And…?"

"And he tells me that if I want the commission, I'll need to play a public role in the campaign."

"How public?"

"Very public," I said. "Apparently, I'd be the official spokesperson, you know, for media interviews and whatever else comes up."

"Wow. "

"Wow is right," I said. "But there's got to be a catch. Don't you think?"

"Yeah, but you already know it."

"The book thing?" I sighed. "I dunno…I can't shake the feeling there's something else."

"Why?"

"Just some stuff he said this morning. Like get this. He told me that he expects my loyalty up-front – and all the way to the end."

"What kind of loyalty?"

"Well, for starters, I had to agree not to badmouth him to the press. From now on, I can only say positive things – not just about Blast Tools, but also about him personally. He even put it in the contract."

"You mean the nondisclosure?"

"No," I said. "The actual contract – meaning the agreement between me and Blast Tools." I bit my lip. "I already signed it."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah." I gave a nervous laugh. "I signed it so fast, it was actually kind of embarrassing. But the deal was so good, I was worried he'd change his mind."

"But…you don't think it's good anymore?"

"Yeah, but it's too good. And that's the problem."

"Why?"

"Because it feels like a trap. Or a trick. Or something."

Natalie laughed. "You wanna know what I think?"

"What?"

"I think you're nuts."

"You mean for accepting it?"

"No, for second-guessing it. It sounds like a terrific opportunity. And the money – it's seriously huge."

"I know. And don't you think that's a red flag?"

"No. I think you're worth every penny."

At this, I couldn’t help but smile. "You're just saying that because you're my sister."

"I am not," she said. "And forget the money. This job – or gig, or whatever you want to call it – it's in your field, too."

She was right. My degree was in public relations, after all.

On the phone, Natalie continued. "And it'll be a great springboard for your job search."

I winced. "I know."

"So why aren't you happy?"

"Because," I said, "he's up to something. I just know it."

"Or maybe you're just too suspicious for your own good."

I shook my head. "I don't think so."

"Look," she said. "He told you in advance about the book thing, right?"

"Yeah?"

"So it seems to me, he's being pretty darn honest."

Chase Blastoviak? Honest?

I couldn’t help but scoff. "Yeah, right.

"And you wanna know why you're suspicious?"

"Why?"

"Because you haven't trusted any guy since Bryce."

"That's not true," I protested.

"Alright, fine," she said. "You haven't trusted any hot guy since Bryce."

Well, there was that. Still, I felt compelled to say, "Yeah, but this is different. This is a business thing, not a romance thing."

"But it's still a relationship thing," she said. "Now, as your 'therapist,' can I give you some advice?"

"Yeah, definitely."

"Just enjoy it," she said. "If you already signed, there's no going back now."

Chapter 32

Chase

Mason gave me a look. "Are you fucking crazy?"

The three of us – him, me, and Brody – were sitting