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“Holy shit.” Adriana’s mouth drops open.
“I know.” I gulp my wine. “So when he saw the photos on my site, he lost his mind. I can’t blame him.”
“I sure as hell can. He should have known you’d never do that.”
I knot my fingers together in my lap. “The thing is, I told him I’d do it.”
“What?” Luz asks.
“We got into a fight on Friday. He compared me to Annalise and I told him I’d sooner publish photos than sell them to Dylan.”
“Oh my god,” Luz whispers.
“Still. He should have given you a chance to explain.” Adriana shakes her head, but Luz make an expression that tells me she understands.
“I feel bad for him,” Luz says. “I think he really fell for you, Cal. He must have lost his mind when the photos were posted. Even though what he did was awful. And he did apologize.”
“It doesn’t matter, Luz. Those are words. He’s showed me who he is with actions.”
Adriana is poking at her phone. “So if he proved to you with his actions that he was a good man, you’d take him back?”
I bite my lip. “If he could show me with actions that he changed, I’d think about it,” I say slowly. If I could be certain that he would trust me and stick by me, maybe.
“Well, you might regret saying that.” Adriana slides her phone toward me. “Look at the alert I just got.”
Shock makes my face go slack. “Billionaire Jonah Crown arrested for assault.” Jonah’s mugshot is terrible. One eye is purple and swollen, but his other stares defiantly at the camera. His collar is rumpled, his hair mussed. I press a hand against my mouth as I read.
“Eric. He assaulted Eric. He found him in a bar and beat the shit out of him.” My stomach does somersaults that make the wine go sour. For me. And a sick part of me is glad that Jonah did what I could never do.
“Barbaric,” Luz mutters, but her eyes are shining.
“Knock it off, Luz. You’re practically panting.”
“Sorry.” She winces. “I just think it’s hot. And much needed.” She scowls. “Eric deserved to have his bones broken.”
It is hot. The thought of Jonah avenging me makes my insides fluttery. God, I’m so weak.
“This just proves that he has some anger issues to work out.” I shake my head and drain my wine. “This isn’t change.”
Adriana and Luz are looking at me with sympathy. “I want to move on.” I press my palms to my eyes, and Luz puts a hand on my shoulder. “I need to figure out my next move. I just have no energy. I’m so tired, you guys.” I grimace. “I laid in bed all day yesterday. But we need rent money.”
“Danny needs someone for a few shifts a week at the coffee shop,” Adriana volunteers. Her friend owns a coffee shop a few blocks from my apartment. “You could do it to take your mind off things. Just until you find something else.”
“There’s no shame in needing a break,” Luz interjects. “We’re here for you.”
My eyes fill with tears at my wonderful friends. I’ll be okay, and I’ll get over Jonah eventually.
57
Jonah
Miles bails me out of jail. He’s pissed, his jaw working as he signs me out and stalks back to the waiting car. Luckily, the press haven’t gotten wind of my arrest—there are no reporters waiting outside the jail. No Callie. Miles’s driver gives me a brief nod, clearly shocked at my antics.
“What the fuck were you thinking?” Miles asks when we’re settled in the car’s interior.
“I wasn’t.” I shut my eyes and lean against the cold window. The glass feels good against my swollen face. Eric landed one good punch before I broke his arm. I clench my teeth. I should have broken all his fingers too. I started with the hand he touched Callie with at the event, but he could stand to break a few more bones.
“This is not like you,” Miles says quietly. “You’re scaring me. I think you should take a break from work.”
