It was noon on Saturday, and Paige had been home for three days now. She’d planned on staying in Vegas until Friday, but seeing as Pierce had left so abruptly on Wednesday morning, she’d changed her ticket and flown out that evening herself. She’d wanted to stay longer, but since she’d been there all alone, she hadn’t seen a reason for it. The only problem was, she hadn’t heard a peep from Pierce yet, or from Camille for that matter, and she was starting to get worried. She’d even gone as far as calling his office yesterday, but to her surprise, his executive assistant had told her he wouldn’t be in until Monday. Paige had just assumed that since he’d left the conference early, he’d go back to work business as usual. But he hadn’t, and that could only mean one thing. He was spending as much time as he could with that sister of hers and maybe the idea that Camille had messed around on him no longer mattered. Paige had been sure that once he saw Camille again, he wouldn’t be able to get past what she’d done to him, but apparently he had, and they were working things out the way Pierce had anticipated.
But Paige wondered how great things would continue being for them if Camille were to find out about Vegas and what had evolved between her husband and sister. She wondered just how smoothly things would continue then.
She pulled out a photo album, opened it, and ran her hand slowly across one of Camille and Pierce’s wedding photos. She did the same with a photo of Camille and Pierce that had been taken one year at their parents’ during Christmas dinner, and with a professional family photo of Pierce, Camille, PJ, and Crystal, and she also admired at least thirty other pictures Camille had given her over the years. They were all unique in one way or another, but they did have one thing in common: Camille’s face was completely blacked out on all of them. It was as if she no longer existed, and Paige wished this was actually the case. She wished she could erase Camille from all their lives, so that she would never have to think about her again. She wanted Camille gone, and if she didn’t hear from Pierce soon, she’d have to figure out how to make that happen. She didn’t want to harm her sister physically, not if she didn’t have to, but she wanted her to leave Pierce alone and find herself a new husband. That was all. And Paige didn’t see where that was asking for too much.
She flipped through the album a second time but closed it when her phone rang. She rolled her eyes when Owen’s number displayed.
“What?” she said, answering.
“Now, is that any way to greet the man who has the goods on you?”
“You’ve got nothing,” she said.
“I know about that photo,” he sang.
“My sister will never believe you.”
“But it’ll get her thinking and wondering why I would tell her something like that if it isn’t true. Especially since I don’t have a thing to gain from lying.”
“She’ll just think you’re some disgruntled ex-boyfriend of mine who’s looking to get back at me.”
“Maybe. But I wonder how Pierce will feel about it. You know, he and I always clicked pretty well whenever you and I got together with them.”
Paige smiled at that one, because even if Pierce did believe Owen, she knew Pierce would never pursue it or mention anything to Camille, not when he and Paige had slept together. He wouldn’t want to bring up anything that might lead Camille to think anything about him and her sister. Still, Paige didn’t want Owen telling anyone anything and said, “How much do I owe you?”
“At least seven thousand. Maybe more. But seven will certainly make me forget I ever saw that picture of yours.”
Paige hated this and regretted ever dating Owen. Worse, he didn’t even have tangible proof, yet he was demanding the kind of money she didn’t have. At the most, she had fifteen hundred dollars in a money market account and maybe another two thousand dollars she could scrape together through credit card cash advances, but that was it.
“So, can I pick up my hush money this afternoon?” he asked, once he realized she hadn’t responded.
“All I have right now is thirty-five hundred, so you’ll have to wait another month or so for the other half.”
“Not good enough.”
“What do you mean?”
“I want it all.”
“But I don’t have it, Owen.”
“Then you leave me no choice.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because you’re no good, Paige. You used me, and when you were finished you tossed me aside like some stray animal. And I’m not letting you get away with it. So, again, I want my seven thousand dollars or else.”
“Owen, I’m really sorry for the way I treated you, and you’re right,” she said, trying a different approach. “I never should have taken advantage of your generosity, and I was very wrong for that. But right now I don’t have the total amount you’re asking for.”
“That’s really too bad. But for the last time, I want all or nothing.”
Paige didn’t know what else to say, and since she couldn’t magically produce thousands of dollars, she would just have to deal with the consequences. It would be his word against hers, anyway, so how much damage could he really do?
“I’m sorry you feel the need to blackmail me, but hey, you do what you have to do. Although I must say, Owen, I really thought you were better than this. I thought you were a good man.”
“See, but that’s just it. I am a good man. A good man who’s tired of women like you who think they can treat people any way they want and then move on to their next victim. This isn’t the first time a woman has done this kind of thing to me, but with you, I finally decided to do something about it.”
“Like I said, I’m really sorry.”
“I’m sure you are, but as my friends and I used to say when we were kids, ‘Sorry didn’t do it, you did.’”
Paige closed her eyes, praying Owen was only bluffing, but somehow she knew he wasn’t. She could tell he was dead serious and realized maybe this new idea that had just popped into her head might buy her some time.
“Can you give me until the middle of next week?”
“Why?”
“I’m going to apply for a bank loan.”
“From who?” Owen said, cracking up. “Your brother-in-law?”
“No, but can you wait just a few more days?”
“I’ll think about it.”
“I hope you will.”
“Okay, fine. I’ll give you until Wednesday and not a day longer.”
Paige breathed easier and hoped that when Wednesday arrived she’d have figured out another way to secure even more time, since there was no way anyone, not even Pierce, would give her a no-collateral personal loan. Her credit was shot, and it wouldn’t even behoove her to fill out an application, let alone expect anyone to approve it. So the best she could do was hold Owen off for as long as possible, or at least until her relationship with Pierce was solid. She would say or do whatever she had to for the time being, because she didn’t have a choice.