But Ira, always game to capitalize on a scandal, wasted no time escorting Aster and Ryan back to the Riad, ignoring Ryan when he told him they should probably call it a night. “Don’t be ridiculous.” His tone was nonnegotiable. “Until things cool down, you’re better off here than out there. When you’re ready to leave, you can use the side door. I’ll tell James to look after you. Trust me, no one will bother you with James around.” Aster remained silent, more than happy to let them work out the logistics. She needed to sort through her feelings. In light of what had happened, she figured she should be steeped in deep shame, or at the very least feel bad about all the upset she’d caused. She’d done the unthinkable, traumatized an A-list celebrity by stealing her boyfriend. Or at least that was how the press would play it, despite the fact that it was nowhere close to the truth. Was she the only one who noticed how the whole scene seemed staged? When Madison had just appeared out of nowhere and started screaming, Aster had the distinct impression she’d spent the last week rehearsing the moment in front of her mirror.
