But he didn’t react. Staring at the floor, he hesitated, his jaw tightening. I sensed his internal struggle, the burden of truth weighing heavily on his shoulders. Finally, he looked up, meeting my gaze with a mixture of regret and resignation.
“I’m sorry, Tavi,” he confessed, his voice filled with remorse.
Those three words made my heart sink with dread that my childhood friend had betrayed me.
“Sorry for what?” I asked.
“I didn’t wantto … I never evenmeantto …” he said, shaking his head, “but Sal has his ways …”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” I held up my hands. “What did you do?”
“But just so you know, I hadnothingto do with that article.”
“What did youdo, Leo?”
“I told him, Tavi,” he said plainly. “I told him about you and Dakota.”
My mind reeled, trying to comprehend the extent of this betrayal. “Whatexactly did you tell him?”
“Well—everything,” he murmured.
“What do you mean, everything?”
“I meaneverything, Tavi. Since before you and Dakota were even a thing, the situation was on your dad’s radar.” My mind raced a million miles a minute, trying to figure out how that was even possible, when Leo added, “You really shouldn’t try to trick your dad, you know. He’s brilliant. He’s always one step ahead of everybody. And I mean everybody.”
I didn’t understand. It was like he was speaking in riddles or something.
“Leo,” I began, my voice stern but measured. “I need you to explain exactly what and when you told my dad. Start at the very beginning.”
“The beginning it is, then.” He drew a reluctant breath. “Remember that day in the suite, when I was in the shower and you asked me if I’d put an ad on Craigslist?”
“Yeah, what about it?”
“Well, I thought it sounded strange. Now, you had no way of knowing this at the time—but remember, I spent a lot of time with Sal during that fundraiser for my dad at the Grand Royale. Sal took a phone call at one point, and he seemed all pissed afterward. I asked him what was wrong, and he told me all about the situation with Dakota and the video, and how Dakota was playing ‘the girlfriend card’ to get out of trouble. Salhatesbeing lied to more than anything—so that’s when he hatched his plan to call Dakota’s bluff at a dinner. Which brings us to the very next day, when you told me about the Craigslist ad. You can see how that might have sounded to me, right?”
“Oh my God …” I murmured.
“Alarm bells started going off in my head, because I thought the two might be related. So after I left the hotel that night, I went on Craigslist to see if I could find the ad. I found it, alright, so I sent it Sal, just in case it was his hockey player.” Leo snickered. “Your dad saw right through Dakota’s plan from the very beginning, Tavi. He even knew you were coming to the dinner as Dakota’s date.”
I gasped. “What?How?”
“C’mon, really? You weren’t exactly stealthy about any of it. First, you met Dakota in public at that cafe. Then you had him pick you up from your dad’s flagship hotel, of all places. It’s basically an open secret that nothing happens at the Grand Royale without Sal knowing about it.”
“Open secret?! That’s the first time I’ve heard it,” I muttered.
“Well, now you know.”
“But how would Dad have known about the meeting at the cafe?”
“Oh, that’s easy. Your driver.”
“Florin,” I grumbled. To think my driver, who served as my literal escape from home for years and years, wasactuallykeeping tabs on me? I felt violated.
“Yep. Good ol’ Flo. Always nearby, and always keeping an eye on you. He’s your dad’s favorite driver, which is why he was assigned to Princess.” Leo chuckled and said, “Boy, was Sal ever furious when Dakota taught you how to drive.”
“So you and Florin werebothspying on me,” I said. “Whatelsedid you tell him? I suppose you immediately reported back to him when you walked in on us at the hotel?”
Leo nodded guiltily.
