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“Ryan” Joe’s voice was a warning rumble

Ryan was unaffected He was far too excited by his revelations “Do you knoho your girlfriend is?”

At any other tiirlfriend Not this time This time, she couldn’t speak at all Her throat was solid There was a reason she kept her past hidden And she couldn’t open her mouth to tell Ryan not to reveal her secrets She couldn’t do anything but stand there and wait

“You’re dating acting royalty, dude,” Ryan told Joe “Julia’s mum is Libby Collins, as in three-time Oscar winner Libby Collins Her sister is Belinda Collins I can’t remember how many Oscars she’s been up for, but I’ hot Daniel Collins, her young brother, does those superhero movies” Ryan looked at Julia “If he needs a coach to help with the action scenes, I’m available Then there’s her dad; he’s a director He has an Oscar as well, or is it two?”

“Two” Patricia looked about ready to rip Ryan’s head off

Ryan didn’t care He was bea widely now “And Julia Our Julia was a child star She had her own TV show and everything People were always going on about her voice She was so” He frowned at Julia “And then you disappeared People thought you were dead, and all your family ever said was that show business wasn’t for you and you’re happy doing other stuff”

Julia waited, prepared for soer It didn’t come

“You about done?” Joe’s voice was pure menace

“No,” the densefro secret, Julia?”

Julia looked around at the astonished faces of the people ere closest to her She didn’t need to be aShe’d heard it all before You were fa? What’s wrong with you? Why couldn’t you cope with fame when everyone else in your family can?

“This is why,” Julia whispered to the silent room

Joe tugged her hand “I need medical attention”

“Five minutes,” Callum called after the to have a private ith my dumb-as-dirt employee”

“What’d I do?” Ryan said

But the dae had already been done Everyone would think Julia was an even bigger freak than they’d thought she was before Ryan had outed her and her family