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“Greyson, Ghost,” I acknowledged them both, struggling to maintain my composure. “I … I needed to talk to you both. About the article.”
“Which part, Remi?” Ghost raised an eyebrow, his voice tinged with bitterness. “The part where you ripped to shreds the talent of my band or all the lies you printed about my friends?”
Tears burned like acid in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. The contempt from those around me was unbearable. “I didn’t write the article. Or publish it.”
Greyson grimaced, clearly frustrated. “You admitted it, Rems! I read the apology statement.”
I threw up my hands in despair. “I didn’t write that either. But, I agreed to it. As part of the settlement.”
Ghost remained silent, the intensity of his gaze pinning me in place. Finally, he spoke. “For the defamation lawsuit with Black Vault?”
“Yes,” I answered. “Look, I’m not allowed to talk about the settlement. I had to sign an NDA. But that settlement had nothing to do with the truth. It was a product of all the corporate lawyers — BVR’s and Hollywood Exposé‘s. The settlement shielded Hollywood Exposé’s culpability while protecting BVR’s assets, which is the band. I get that, but both sides of lawyers were working together to pin it all on me and earn their big payouts.”
Ghost fixed me with an icy cold glare, his expression giving away nothing. “So, you’re not really sorry? You only apologized because of the settlement?”
“I’m sorry for everything you all went through because of that article. All of you. The band, Talia, Trudy, everyone that article hurt.” My chest was heaving with emotion. “I’m sorry that a lot of it came from my research. If I hadn’t been given that assignment or been in that stupid competition for the promotion, it wouldn’t have happened. But, I didn’t write it, I swear.”
Just then, Talia and Ryder descended the staircase, joining us in the large room.
“I’m sorry for interrupting, but Remi asked us to join because she wanted us to hear, too.” Talia looked tentatively at Greyson and Ghost.
“Fine,” Greyson nodded. “Let’s get on with it, then.”
I struggled not to squirm under the weight of their scrutiny. I owed them this explanation, even if they never wanted to speak to me or see my face again.
“Let me start with a little background so you understand all this.” I looked around the room. Talia was listening intently. Ghost had leaned back on the couch and folded his arms over his chest. Greyson’s thigh was pressed up against Ghost’s leg and when he glanced over at Ghost almost possessively, my heart skipped a beat.
“Mindy Blakedale is retiring from Hollywood Exposé. The company was having trouble deciding on a replacement for her. My boss, Caroline, was gunning for me and Jack Hoffman wanted Dawn Chambers.”
I tucked a hair behind my ear and continued, “They decided to run a competition. Whoever came up with the better story would become the new face of Hollywood Exposé. We were each assigned a topic from Jack’s rejected story pitch file and obviously, I got the story about a ghost that was haunting a rock band.”
“And you said Dawn was a real conniving bitch,” Talia interjected, obviously trying to help me out. At least, I had one person on my side and she still didn’t even know the full story.
“Yes, Dawn warned me that she’d do anything to win the anchor spot. I knew she was a pit bull of a reporter, but I thought she’d stick to the lanes of her own assignment; I didn’t think she’d interfere in mine.”
Greyson leaned forward. “You’re saying Dawn did this? That she wrote the story and claimed it was you?”
I nodded. “She did. Somehow, she got ahold of my notebook.” I reached into the satchel purse hanging on my shoulder and pulled out my slightly battered notebook with the teal leather cover with gold embossed vines that my mother had bought for me. My mom had bought it as a reminder for me to reach for my dreams and as a good luck gesture for my potential promotion. Instead, the notebook had led to my downfall, both professionally and personally.
I tapped the cover of the notebook with my fingers. “This notebook contained all my research on Ghost Parker. All the research I did before I even joined the tour, all the interviews I conducted with the band and crew members, research about your past tours — anything I could dig up.”
Greyson arched a brow at me, completely nonplussed by my words. “Does that notebook have information about my affair with Ryder? About how Ryder and Talia’s marriage is a sham?”
“No!” I groaned in frustration. “There’s nothing in here about you. Dawn just made up that stuff to hurt me. I think she saw the photo of you and Ryder in Boston on one of the fan sites and ran with it. She made up a lot of stuff, as you all know.”
Ghost was playing with a ring on his finger and Ryder’s leg was bouncing up and down. I was losing them. I needed to get to the point before I lost them for good.
Nervously, I bit my lip and continued. “I don’t know how she got it. I always locked it in my drawer at work when I went to the restroom or got a cup of coffee in the breakroom. Maybe she had a key to my desk somehow.”
Greyson was staring at me. “Rems, that sounds a little far-fetched.”
“I believe her,” Ghost blurted out.
Wow. Only seconds ago, I’d felt his hostility as he challenged me.
My heart swelled with gratitude for his support. He had no reason to trust me or take my side, yet here he was — giving me strength when I thought that all hope was lost. We locked eyes, and I felt that intense connection. It was his faith in me that bolstered my courage and gave me the strength to press on.
“Thank you.” I took a deep breath, not missing the surprised looks the others were giving Ghost.
