Page 300 of The Heart You Kept

Her eyes widen. “You think it was him?”

“He doesn’t know anything, but if he did, it would definitely be him.”

“How do you know he doesn’t know?”

“Because he was asking me what the scandal about Hermione is and threatening that if I’m involved he’s going to kill me. If he knew, he wouldn’t be asking questions, would he?”

“Oh, god.”

“So stop threatening people,” I snap, annoyed. “You have no one to blame but yourself.”

“You have to protect me. I beg of you.”

“You need to go to the police.”

“I can’t go to the police.”

“Why not?”

“I’m going through a lot right now, okay?” she fires back.

“What does you going through a lot have anything to do with the police?”

“I know it’s Hermione.”

“I’ll bet my life on it that it’s not Hermione.”

Her eyes widen as she stares up at me. “It was you?”

“Trust me, if I wanted you dead, you would be dead. There would be no missed attempts.”

“You need to help me, I want protection,” she stammers.

“No.” I get up and open the door. “Call your father, get some of his men.”

“He’s cut me off.”

“Why?”

“Long story.”

I frown as I contemplate the question, what the hell could she have done for her own father to cut her off?

“What about me and you?” she whispers. “We have something, Edward, I know you love me.”

My eyes hold hers but I remain silent, there’s nothing I can say that won’t cut her to the bone.

Her pleading gaze turns to one of anger. “So I meant nothing to you?” she spits.

“We were friends.” I gesture to the door, knowing this is about to turn ugly.

“So you used me and now you’re done?”

“Isadora.” I roll my lips as my temper rises, how many times do I have to repeat myself to her? “Never once have I contacted you privately, never once have I called or texted you, or had any kind of sexual relations with you where we were alone. We never once had a conversation about emotional attachment or anything of such nature. I knew you through Hermione. I liked you as Hermione’s friend, and it was great at the time, I’m not going to lie. I enjoyed your company immensely. We had a lot of fun together, but the fact is you turned on her when she trusted you. For you to then go on and threaten to expose our private matters to the public knowing her role in Switzerland and the carnage it would cause is unforgiveable.”

“I could end your reputation,” she spits.

“Ha,” I huff. “That’s laughable, my reputation is built on exactly this. This is on brand for me, and I don’t give a flying fuck who knows it. I’ll gangbang whoever I fucking want, whenever I want. But what I won’t tolerate is Hermione or Theodore being blackmailed. Now get out.”