Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 61851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
“What the hell is going on?” he asked, his voice low and gruff. He didn’t bother asking if she was okay. Clearly, she wasn’t fine after being annihilated on social media.
She blinked up at him in surprise. “How did you know to come by?”
“Nikki called and told me. As soon as I found out, I came right over. How did this happen?” And the bigger question, why would someone do this to her?
She crossed her arms over her chest and her cheeks turned red, her despair turning to fury. “My best guess? Claire leaked the unfinished photos.”
He opened his mouth, then snapped it shut again. Jesus Christ. Of course this linked back to Claire. “How?”
Jessica exhaled a deep breath. “She came by here last week, after my weekend with you. Her friends were at the nightclub, and they sent her photos of us together. We were dancing and close, and Claire informed me I should end things with you before things ended badly for me. I didn’t take her seriously but I guess this is what she meant.”
Fury lanced through him. “Why didn’t you tell me she was here?”
He growled the question out of pure frustration, causing Jessica to stubbornly raise her chin. “Because I handled it and her,” she replied.
He jammed his fingers through his hair, wishing she would have confided in him rather than kept that unpleasant visit to herself. But his strong-willed, beautiful Jessica didn’t want to rely on him, and it was both admirable and exasperating.
“And how did she get the photos?” he asked, trying to piece it all together.
“They were out on the drafting table when she was here,” Jessica said, indicating the work area. “Not knowing our history, Maddie let her wait for me back here, and when I walked in, Claire was going through the photos. At the time, I didn’t know she’d slipped a few of them into her purse, but Avery and I just pulled up the security feed for this back room on the day that Claire was here. You can clearly see she took them before I arrived.”
She showed him her laptop, a grainy but unmistakable image of Claire in this back room pulled up on the screen. She clicked a button, and the video played, showing Claire taking the photos and putting them in her purse one by one, obviously not realizing her actions were being recorded.
“Un-fucking-believable,” he muttered through clenched teeth.
Jessica picked up her cell and opened an app. “And about half an hour ago, Avery saw this picture on Claire’s Instagram page. That’s one of her friends who’s a fashion influencer.”
She turned the screen toward him, revealing a snapshot of Claire taking a selfie of them at a bar in downtown Manhattan, smirking and holding up drinks in a toast with the caption “Success!” The post had been uploaded within the past hour, including the name and location of the establishment since Claire was one of those women who wanted everyone to know she was at the swankiest place in the city.
Rage bubbled up inside him that Claire would go to such lengths to tear Jessica down so completely, then fucking brag about it and celebrate another woman’s ruin.
“Fuck,” he growled, feeling feral. “I’m going to make sure she regrets leaking those photos.”
He turned to go do just that since he knew where she was, but Jessica grabbed his arm, stopping him.
“Derek, don’t,” she said, her tone firm, despite everything she’d just been through. “This is not your battle to fight.”
“You’re my battle to fight!” He’d burn down the fucking city for her if that’s what it took to take away this pain and hurt Claire had inflicted.
“No, I’m not.” Her eyes were soft with gratitude, but there was no mistaking the determination in her tone. “As much as I appreciate you wanting to defend me, I need to handle this my own way. But not now. Not tonight. I’m too upset and I don’t want to say or do anything that will make this entire situation worse.”
She was being smart and reasonable, while he wanted to strangle his ex for hurting Jessica. “You’re coming home with me.”
She straightened her shoulders, that damned pride back again. “I don’t need—”
“Yes, you do need me,” he argued, trying to find a balance to allow her to maintain her dignity yet know she wasn’t alone. Not ever again. “I won’t fight your battles, but I will be there for you. You’re just too fucking stubborn to admit you want me here.”
Her eyes widened in shock, and he softened his words by brushing his knuckles gently down the soft curve of her cheek. “I’m not letting you go home alone to torture yourself all night long over something you can’t change.” He sighed and put his forehead to hers, taking the frustration out of his voice. “I’m not giving you a choice, because I need you, too. I need to know that you’re okay. So, gather whatever you need, and let’s go.”