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Beside me, Shepherd’s icy gaze locks on Adriana like a sniper.
She doesn’t seem to notice the danger she’s in as she turns her attention to me.
“Look, I know what it’s like, sweetheart. When you’re young and gorgeous, men make you think you need to give your body away to get ahead. But I can still save your reputation, little lady. If I tell the world heforcedyou into this to get ahead, your name is cleared, and maybe you can even get him to cough up some damages.”
I stare at her, my mind stalled.
Screw this.
“You’re sick,” I grind out. “He never forced anything. I’d rather hang up my whole career than make a penny your way.”
“So self-righteous. Sad.” Adriana tsks, shaking her head. “One little word. That’s all it takes to make this go away and turn you back into Little Miss Perfect again. I’m sure your father would appreciate it, wouldn’t he? What does he think of this sordid business?” Her lip curls as she says the words.
She’s doing it.
She’s actually using my freaking family against me.
It takes a special kind of fire-breathing bitch to harness my worst fears so effortlessly and without shame.
I’m already halfway out of my seat, about to tell this woman where she can shove her blackmail and her head, when Shepherd moves again, grabbing my wrist.
“I have a very low tolerance for bullshit, Miss Cerva,” he says, his words falling like icicles. “Not with me, and especially not with a smart young woman with a bright future ahead of her.”
I fully straighten, but I hold my fire just long enough to fix them both with a steely stare rather than the torrent of abuse that’s trying to claw out of me.
Don’t do it.
Don’t give her ammunition.
“As for your ‘proof’?” Sarcasm drenches Shepherd’s words. “I fail to see how these photos correspond to meorMiss Lancaster. Your habit of spying on strangers isn’t my business, aside from the corporate espionage that must’ve been necessary to facilitate this. Now, I’m used to ugly rumors. I’ve only dealt with them my entire life. Miss Lancaster, though, there’s no good reason she should have to suffer the same frustrations—and shewon’t.I will only say this once. Leave us the fuck alone before you wind up in court, selling your damned purse collection for legal fees.”
That “fuck” gives him away.
He’s still got his professional voice on, but he’s spitting nails.
Who can blame him?
“Don’t even try to deny it. It’s you and Destiny, clear as day,” Adriana insists, her voice jumping an octave.
People in the restaurant are looking at us now.
Shepherd cocks a brow, staring at the crazy woman until that smarmy look on her face melts. I’ve never wanted to kiss him more than right now.
“Prove it,” he growls. “That burden is on you.”
Adriana levels a slow look and sighs.
“I was worried you’d react this way. So blustery and unreasonable. So stupid. Since you want to be a tightwad, there’s one more way we can both walk away with our dignity intact. You restart Young Influencers, and this time you choose Meghan. Do it, and I’ll come down with a bad case of amnesia. I’ll forget all about your love life and Meghan here will happily take some videos down.”
Speechless.
I’m flipping speechless.
My eyes flick to Meghan. She’s hunched in her chair, looking like she wants to be anywhere but here, and that small germ of pity sprouts into real concern.
Something isn’t right.
It’s like she’s a puppet, helplessly chained to her psycho mom.
