The driver was surprised to see us coming so soon, but he started the car and pulled back into traffic to pick us up. When he saw my face, he stepped forward. “Ms. Aarons? Is something wrong?”
I nodded. “I need to get home right away. I have to speak to Griff.”
In the car, the kids were silent as they watched me. I knew I was probably scaring them, but I couldn’t get my wits about me. The pictures had shaken me. Stacy having them made my body flood with anxiety. My heart raced, and I was sweating all over,despite the air conditioning in the car. She was going to ruin me. More than I thought possible. Those photos would be the end of my career. They’d be the end of everything.
The driver got us to the house fast and helped me get the kids inside. I passed Helen and Greta on the way in, and they both looked stricken by my appearance.
“Autumn?”
I shook my head and raced through the house. “Griff!”
Jones stood with Caroline and Grace, watching me as I panicked. They looked freaked out, and I realized I was probably traumatizing them.
“I’m so sorry, kids. I just need to talk to Griff. I’m not feeling well and he’ll know how to help. Why don’t you three go upstairs and put a movie on? Can you do that for me?”
Jones nodded. “Come on.”
Griff rushed out of his office, his eyes wild. “What? What’s wrong?”
I rushed towards him, the need to throw myself in his arms and sob strong. “Um. Can we speak in your office?”
“What’s going on? Tom said something’s wrong. You had him race back here.” He looked over at the kids and took a deep breath. “Okay, let’s go to my office.”
I hurried ahead of him and sank onto his couch, dropping the photos at my feet. “Griff, how did she get these? These... She had these and she’s going to publish them.”
Griff grabbed a few and uncrumpled them. Swearing viciously, he pulled out his phone and dialed. “Get the fuck in here. Now!”
I buried my face in my hands and sobbed through them. “Stacy is going to show everyone. She said I have to leave. I have to go and stay away. If I don’t, these are going to get out. How did this happen?”
Griff knelt in front of me, crushing the photos under his knees, and pulled me into his chest hard. Holding me, he pressed his mouth into my hair and swore. “I am so fucking sorry, sweetheart. I don’t know how it happened. I’m going to fix it, okay? I’m going to take care of you.”
The door to his office opened and his driver, Tom, rushed in. “Sir?”
“Photos from the house security system got out. How?”
“Photos? Sir, what—”
Growling, Griff crumpled the photos in his hand. “Photos. Stills from the security footage of the house, footage from last night, were taken somehow and given to someone outside of the house. Tell me how the fuck that happened, Tom.”
I clung to Griff, not wanting to have to face Tom or anyone else. I didn’t care how they got leaked. I just cared that they were.
“I don’t know how that could’ve happened, sir. No one looks at the footage. No one is supposed to, anyway. It’s never been accessed before.”
“I don’t fucking care about before! Someone fucking stole images from that footage and are using them against us. Find out who the fuck did it and bring them to me. You have thirty minutes. Call my brothers home, too.” Griff’s voice shook the room, it was so loud and powerful. “This is your second fuck-up, Tom. You’re only as good as the men you employ.”
Tom didn’t reply as he left the office, the sound of the door closing the only response from him.
“Fuck. Autumn, sweetheart, I’m going to take care of it. I’ll figure it out.”
I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter how the photos got out. Stacy has them. I have to leave. I have to go home.”
“No.” Griff’s loud denial was only softened by the way he gently rocked me in his arms. “No, Autumn. You’re here, whereyou’re supposed to be. I’ll figure this out and fix it. You can’t leave, though.”
“How can I stay?”
Looking me in the eye, feelings clear on his face, he shook his head. “How could you leave?”
Chapter 32
