Page 136 of A Dangerous Proposal

“You’ll drop us,” Madison finished for her.

“We have to protect our brand,” Julia said. “I’m sure you understand.”

“This is ridiculous,” Cami snapped. “Alex has never been arrested or convicted of a crime. This is libel.”

Gratitude welled inside her for her best friend. Cami had her reservations about Alex, and this would affect her dreams too, but she was putting on a united front. Reaching out, she squeezed Cami’s hand and mouthed “Thank you.”

“The facts don’t matter,” Julia continued. “The article doesn’t claim he’s been to jail. It’s the implication that he’s never been caught that matters.”

“You know my husband is a lawyer right,” Cami snapped, her color rising.

“We’re well aware. Hopefully, this will die on the vine, and we can all move forward. But for now… Take some time off.”

The call ended with a click, and Cami folded her arms tightly over her belly. “They can’t do that, can they? Terminate our contract because of some bullshit article?”

“They can,” Madison said flatly, rubbing her temple. “It’s written in the contract, ‘personal controversies damaging to the brand.’”

“This is unbelievable.”

“This is my fault.”

“Do you really think anyone is going to care? Other thanmaybeour more conservative fans?” Cami asked dubiously. “We aren’t that famous, and no one knows who Alex is.”

The words were barely out of her friend’s mouth when a horrifying realization hit Madison.

There was one person who would very much care.

Mikhail.

“Cami, I need to go.”

“Of course. Are you okay? You look really pale all of the a sudden. Don’t worry about this. James will straighten it out.”

Madison barely registered Cami’s reassurance as she grabbed her purse from her office. She planted her hands on the reception desk. “Gerry, find out who the ‘source’ was in that article. Call everyone you know, every media contact we have.”

He nodded, reaching for his phone. “On it.”

Madison knew the source had to be someone connected to Armstrong. But Mikhail wouldn’t believe it without proof. She hoped it would be enough for him to decide that Felix and the Senator were no longer worth protecting.

Madison

Call me.

It’s Urgent.

Why isn’t he answering his phone?

Alex always picked up when she called. Her heart hammered as her anxiety spiked.

You are making too much of this. No one has probably even seen the articles yet. Besides, how upset could Alex’s brother be? It’s not like there haven’t been rumors before…

‘Bloom only knows about me because of his brother.’Alex’s words about James came back to her.

“Move!” Madison moaned, banging on her steering wheel as she accelerated through the yellow light, following far too close to the bumper of the car in front of her.

Alex had said he was working from home today. Jax was at baby gymnastics with Angela, so they should be able to talk uninterrupted.

Everything’s going to be fine. Just breathe.

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