“Everyone is mad. Emotions are high. Just breathe,” Vic’s soft voice rushed out into my ear. “Everyone needs time to make their threats. To get their anger out. Even you. Let it happen so we can move forward.”
I swallowed and turned to stare up at him.
“Cas really does have a lot of sex tapes out there,” he murmured. “And people still like him. They even made a dildo modeled after his dick.”
“I don’t want to be a dildo,” I whispered, my voice shaking.
“Well, I mean, you wouldn’t be…”
“Vic, you’re really not helping.” Ryder grabbed my arm and tugged me away from my band. He led me to the back room to Anson and gave me a pointed look.
“Talk to him,” he said softly as Anson continued his conversation on the phone, but he did glance at me. Ryder nodded to Anson before leaving the room, the door clicking closed behind him.
“Ani?” I called out as he hung up the phone.
“Come here,” he said softly, opening his arms for me.
I fell into them, sobbing into his chest as he held me.
“It’s going to be OK. We’ll get it all sorted. It wasn’t even that bad of a video. No one could see anything.”
“But what if he releases the rest?”
“Then he does, and we work through it,” he said fiercely. “Fuck this guy, LeeLee. I love you. I’m right here at your side. Always.”
I hugged him tighter, my stomach in knots.
“Are you here with me too, baby?” he asked, raking his fingers through my hair.
“Always, Ani.”
“That’s my songbird.” He kissed the top of my head. “Now, it’s a PR nightmare, but let’s use it to our advantage. I have some ideas.”
He wiped my tears, and that was it.
Crying time was over. Now, it was time to figure it all out.
And of course, he already had a plan.
Thank God.
26
ENZO
“Lorenzo?” Jade, my assistant, popped her head into my office and batted her lashes at me.
“What?” I grumbled, not looking up from my work on the computer. I’d been spending more time at the office lately because it beat the fuck out of being at home and dealing with Cole’s continuous meltdowns. Jade had been trying to irritate the fuck out of me today by constantly coming in to interrupt me. Cole thought she had a thing for me, but I had no interest in entertaining her, despite the odd moment I’d had with her a few weeks ago in my office. She was hot, but I had more important things to deal with, like keeping Cole sane.
“You have a phone call from Mr. Scott. He says it’s urgent.”
I sighed and nodded. She hesitated like she wanted to say more, but I waved her off, and she left. I hadn’t taken his calls today because I knew what he’d be screaming at me.
He wasn’t taking Rosalie’s marriage well, and whenever a new story would drop, he’d lose it a little bit more.
E seemed to be doing the best, which I found surprising but figured it had to do with this Emily chick he kept talking about.
I grabbed my phone and looked at all the missed calls.Fucking seventeen.Sighing, I called him back. He answered on the first ring.
