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Even Jake laughed at that comment. “You can try, baby. But I’ve got money on you getting in my car with me within the next five minutes.”
Tiffany didn’t say it, but she was worried Jake might be right. Brianna was a smart woman in literally every aspect of her life except when Jake Davenport was involved.
Brianna started walking toward the exit, glancing over her shoulder at Tiffany as she left. She saw the same helplessness she felt to her core shining back at her from Bri’s glance.
Tiffany stood frozen until they were almost out the door. “Don’t do this to me!” she yelled as they walked out. Then, under her breath, she added, “Don’t do this to Markus.”
Tiffany ran to the door, keeping watch as Jake led Brianna toward the sports car parked in the handicap spot.
Figures the asshole would park there.
Tiff reached into the pocket of her smock to touch her cell phone, subconsciously making sure she was ready to call 911 if needed. She took up watch out the glass front door with dread.Good, Brianna yanked free of him.She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but they were arguing. Brianna was a good foot shorter than Jake, but Tiffany almost cheered when her best friend shoved Jake hard enough that he fell back against his precious car and started heading back toward the shop.
“Thank God. I was so worried he’d haul you off once he got you outside,” Tiffany gushed, relieved when Bri came back in. It wasn’t until Bri went behind the counter and picked up her purse and unplugged her phone from the charger that Tiffany realized what was really happening.
Bri wouldn’t look at her, but Tiffany reached out to grab her wrist, ready to tie her up to keep her at The Beauty Box. “No. I’m not letting you go. You don’t have to do this. Let him try and take those tapes to the police. He talks big but he won’t do it.”
Bri’s shoulders slumped as a tear fell down her cheek.
Tiffany pulled her closer. “What did he say? You know you can’t believe anything he says…”
It was only then that Brianna held out something she’d had in her hand. Tiff reached for it and her world fell apart. She scrambled to make sense of it, to come up with a way out of the mess that was Jake Davenport — but the picture was damning.
“This proves nothing. It could have been taken years ago,” she offered up hopefully.
“He has over a dozen others, Tiff. I’m the stupidest person ever. You warned me. You can tell me I told you so now.”
“Dammit, Bri, I’d never do that. This doesn’t change anything. You can’t go with him.”
“He’s gonna send them to Markus, Tiff. If I don’t go with him and see what he wants, I’m going to lose Markus.”
“You already know what he wants, and you could lose Markus anyway. Hell, you could lose yourlife. Do I need to remind you about—”
“Stop! I don’t need a reminder. It’s not like I could ever forget.”
“Then how can you even consider going anywhere with him?”
Bri took a deep breath before answering. “Because I love you and your brothers. And I love Markus. This is the only way to keep from hurting all of you.”
“Bullshit. We need to call 911.”
“Oh yeah, and say what? What has he done that the cops will care about?”
“Are you kidding me? He’s—”
“I have no proof, Tiff. Nothing,” Bri said, swiping at the tears on her cheeks. “The time to call 911 came and went four years ago.”
“Fine. Then let’s call Markus. He’ll protect you.”
Brianna hesitated. For a moment Tiffany thought she might have gotten through to her, but with a sigh, Bri said, “I refuse to drive anywhere with him. I’ll have my own car. I’ll keep him in public. I have my phone with me, and I’ll be back as soon as I can. He said he’ll give me the photos on a hard drive if I go with him. I have to do this, for both of us, okay?”
“You know damn well he has copies. Going with him is only going to give him the chance to get more dirt on you.”
“Please, Tiff… I just have to try. If I piss him off, you know he’ll come after both of us. He’ll go after your brothers. I can’t let my shit mess with you or your family.”
Tiffany knew Bri better than any other person on the planet. She recognized the stubborn glare staring back at her. Brianna had made up her mind, and she was doing it because she wanted to keep her and her brothers safe. “You’re making a mistake.”
“Yeah, and unfortunately, he has proof that it isn’t my first time.”
