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He shrugged his big shoulders. “We knew it was coming.”
“What happens next? Is the trial going to start soon?”
“I talked to his lawyers this morning—they expect it to start in a month,” Bryce answered. “They said he’s going to have to stay in prison, no bail because he’s a flight risk.”
“So he has to stay for a whole month before the trial evenstarts?” I had no idea how any of this worked.
He nodded.
“I can’t picture your father in prison.” Gene Windsor had more money than God. I’d never seen him without his Gucci loafers on. He insisted his staff wear old-school tuxedos and maid’s uniforms. He
“You know how nasty my old man is—he’ll be all right in prison. Not sure how he’s going to adjust to a twin bed and the dining hall at first, but then again, hedidcommit a federal crime. So it’s a little late to feel sorry for him.”
“Do you?” I was genuinely curious. “Feel sorry for him?”
Bryce shrugged again.
“Listen… I’m sorry about what they said—about the ‘recent scandal.’ I’msosorry.” I cringed like I did every time I saw or heard something about it on the news.
“Chloe.” He turned to me. “You’ve already apologized. I just want to know why you did it.”
I nervously twisted my fingers together. “I don’t know how to answer that.”
“Is that because you don’t want to answer? Or because you can’t?” His gaze was steady, searching.
“You’ve already heard what I have to say. I got drunk because I was feeling insecure, and then I got into a fight. It’s really not anything deeper than that. It’s as immature as it sounds,” I said miserably.
Gene Windsor had known precisely what he was doing. The internet was forever, and so was my shame.Chloe Shows Her True Colors.You could take the girl out of grimy East Boston, but perhaps you couldn’t take the griminess out of the girl. I’d never live down that fight with Felicia; by proxy, neither would Bryce.
“It’s not that big of a deal.” Bryce shrugged.
I blinked at him. “You’re kidding, right? They just mentioned it on national news!”
“I’m not kidding.” He got up and poured another drink, then resumed his spot on the couch. “It’s not a big enough deal for you to walk out on me in the middle of the night and drag Noah with you. I want to know the truth. I want to know why you left.”
I longed to tell him, but his father’s words came back to me again.“You have a lot to lose. When I say that, I’m not just thinking of your marriage. I’m thinking of your brother.”
Bryce’s phone buzzed. He cursed as he glanced at it. “I have to take this. It’s the board.”
As he stalked outside, I headed into the kitchen for a glass of water. My phone buzzed, too, and I considered throwing it in the ocean. What would it be like, I mused, to be free from the outside world? No one could threaten me, track me, and if they wrote headlines about me? I would never see them—it would be bliss. But I had my brother to think about, so I opened my messages.
There were more than I cared to count. Three from Akira, two from Olivia Jensen, and a couple from Dale. There was also one from a number I didn’t recognize.
I checked Dale’s first.Back on the island, all is well,he wrote.
The second text was a picture of Noah with Boss, his puppy.Together again.
Thank you, Dale,I texted back.Even though you set me up.
He didn’t respond, but the message became marked as “read,” so at least I knew he’d gotten it. I stared at the picture of Noah and Boss. My brother would be thrilled to be back on the island with the puppy, able to sleep in his own room and enjoy being spoiled by the staff. Chef would probably bake him cookies and make all of his favorite meals. Noah would officially never speak to me again when I came back from the Bahamas and made him leave.
Sighing, I opened the messages from Akira.
Jim Wright said you went to Exuma with Bryce,she wrote.
WTH?
I thought you were breaking the contract.
