Carly gave Lauren’s arm a gentle tug to rein her in. The worst thing you could do was engage with these guys when their cameras were rolling. It was exactly what they were hoping for. Then you were raking in the views on the TMZ homepage having a meltdown, and no one ever saw what came just before to provoke you.

“What do you know about anything?” Lauren asked, refusing to back down. To her credit, she spoke with an impressive calm. “You’re a slug with a video camera videotaping strangers in an airport.” He didn’t say anything, probably hoping she’d go on. Lauren sent Carly an apologetic look and went quiet.

“Oh, I get it. You’re into washed-up women?” the same guy said. “Sad.”

“Just stop,” Lauren told him.

He didn’t. “Cause I know a few folks who could show you what a real good time is.” He grabbed himself provocatively with his free hand and laughed. “Wanna have steak and lobster with me instead? I’ll make it worth your while.”

That did it. Carly saw red. “You sad little asshole. Get the fuck out of our way, you sexually repressed piece of human waste. Do you hear me?” They stopped at the baggage carousel, and thank God, Lauren’s bag was already circulating.

“No. Can you say it louder? Or are you scared now. I think I see you trembling.” He walked in a circle around Carly, all the while filming. People looked on, clearly disapproving of his actions, but no one stepped in. Typical.

Lauren grabbed her suitcase, and Carly took the handle, pulling it behind them as they made their way out of the airport. The pap stepped into Carly’s space, filming her from the side as they walked. “You’re upset that your girlfriend knows you’re a dumb loser, huh, Carly?” He stepped in even closer—and now his jibes felt threatening.

She let go of Lauren’s hand, grabbed the lens of the camera, and gave it a shove. “Stay away from me.” She wasn’t happy with herself, but he’d gotten the best of her.

“Thanks, Carly,” he said with a smug grin and took off. She’d just bankrolled the lowlife.

She sighed as self-recrimination swarmed. She knew full well they’d edit her words to go with that shove, making it look like a volatile, unprovoked outburst.

“I’m so sorry, Carly. You okay?” Lauren asked, once they’d made it to the parking garage alone.

Carly shook her head. “I wish I hadn’t done that. It’s going to be online the second he sells it.”

Lauren looked back at the building. “I’ve never seen anything like that. That guy, he was so mean.”

“They’re like a pack of vultures. The second they sense a sliver of vulnerability, they attack. And I know better, dammit.” Carly shook her head. “Guess I’m just out of practice.”