My arms crossed instinctively over my chest.“There’s nothing to clear.”
“Oh, I think there is.”
Her tone softened—but not kindly.
Delicately.
Strategically.
“I was actually outraged at the situation, and Chase was fuming once his dad had to call the Chief, by the way.Such a big mess, all because of your boyfriend.”Her eyes twinkled, a complete contrast to the anger she claimed she had.
My brow raised.
“Chase brought it on himself.He—”
“Don't blame Chase for screwing the bad boy, Savvy.I bet he was good in bed, too.Some men you can just tell.”
“What my boyfriend and I do is none of your business.”
She smiled widely.“But he's not yourboyfriend,is he?”
There it was.
I felt my spine straighten.
“I'll admit, Savvy, the boyfriend angle was pretty clever.I mean, of course the one and only, thebrilliantSavannah Bristow would think of something clever.But this,” she tsked.“No, this was a little bit cunning and manipulative, and let's be honest, Savvy, that's way aboveyou.”
My jaw tightened.
“Are you—”
“I just keep thinking, all of this,” she gestured vaguely, “the public displays, the sudden relationship, the tension—it doesn’t feel very you.”
Her gaze sharpened.
“You'd be surprised at how much a relationship can change you,” I said pointedly.
“Oh, I bet.But faking a date to my wedding so you don't feel humiliated?Oh honey, that's just sad.”
Something cold slid down my spine, but my expression remained neutral.
“I have no idea what you're talking about.”
“Oh yeah?”Lori dug through her bag and my breath hitched when she pulled out my phone.And the triumphant look in her eyes was one I thought I'd never see again.“Because this says otherwise.”
She took a step toward me, tilting her head and waving the phone in the air.
“Did you honestly think you could make Chase jealous with this little act?Did you think you could win him back from me?”
I let out a short laugh.
“If I wanted to make a point, Lori, I wouldn’t need Jaxon to do it for me.”
Something flickered in her eyes for a fleeting moment, but she just kept forcing that cunning smile.
“Sure, go ahead and laugh, but all it would take is one call to the press—you know, the dozens of reporters coveringmywedding—and the news of your faux beau would go viral.Any thought of your‘promising’career would be haunted by the fact that you lied to some of the wealthiest people in the city.You think anyone would take you seriously after that?”
My pulse ticked up, but my expression didn’t change.
