Page 16 of Delicate Storm

Paige: Who? And why the hell does a photo like that still exist?

The A-hole: Relax. It’s harmless and they’re not going to release it. I just thought you should know that they’ve seen it

Paige: Who the fuck is THEY?

The A-hole: My family. I thought you knew they were behind the leaks

What the hell?

His family.Jesus.

Does that mean the leaks have been for me? Are they threats? A way to ensure my silence.Who does that?

And if it was them, are they willing to sacrifice their son? I mean, they practically gave him a loaded weapon for his own demise without him even realizing it. That photo will ruin his business reputation just as much as it will ruin mine. You’d thinkthey’d want to keep their son’s life private. Although it’s safe to say, in the media, Christian’s been painted as a hero in our breakup, so he’d probably come out of it unscathed. While I’d be called a whore. The tramp that tried to deprave the innocent young businessman.

Which, coincidently, is actually what his parents already think of me. It’s been their opinion of me from the get-go. Never mind that it was the other way around. I was the innocent and naive one when we met.

I can’t win.

I want to scream.

I want to post Christian’s tiny dick pic all over the Internet and tell the world he gets his size from his dad. But I can’t do that. I have to be the bigger person and take it like the proper young woman I was raised to be—with poise and grace.

But that doesn’t mean I have to be nice to Christian. It’s time he learned what his parents are really like.

My fingers run wild as I type a response, pointing out exactly what he and his family can do with their photos and their stories. As I’m halfway through, my phone buzzes again and I pause, second-guessing myself.

Dammit.

The A-hole: Should we meet up to talk about it all? I’ll be in LA next week

Is he kidding me?Meeting up is the last thing we should do.

Paige:Oryou could tell your parents to drop it and then we agree to never see each other again

The A-hole: I’m going to ask you again… Do you know anything?

Jesus. The short answer is yes, but the long answer is so much more complicated than that. I have information on them. That’s what the threats are about. But I have no idea what to do with that information or if I even want to doanythingat all.

I’m not blackmailing them. I’m not holding it over their heads. I left and I took the information with me. They should have let it go.

Paige: I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just want a fresh start

The A-hole: Good enough for me

Great. But will it be good enough for your parents?

I throw my phone onto the carpet and drop my head against the bed, blowing out a slow breath. I barely get a second of reprise when there’s a soft knock on my door, and my dad calls out, not waiting for a response before he pops his head in.

“Only me.”

I snort out a laugh as he enters. “I know, Dad. Who else would it be?”

He smiles until he spots me on the floor. “What are you doing down there?”

“Yoga?” I lie, putting on my most innocent smile so I don’t have to explain why I fell off the bed.

Dad chuckles as he nods. “Makes sense. Are you ready to pick up your keys?”

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