Page 88 of You Spin Me Round

‘And I bet you worked hard for her, didn’t you?’ Alex pressed.

She was making some real progress with Steven, but she didn’t want to push him too hard. He was likely to bolt.

‘You havenoidea.’

Alex nodded. ‘I’m betting she doesn’t want you to leave because you know where all the bodies are buried.’

‘I’ve had that thought myself,’ he agreed. He slumped in his seat dejectedly. ‘She was horrible to Amanda,’ he said. ‘They both were. But I think with Erin it was kind of worse because she hates Isabelle, but she couldn’t say anything directly to her. So she’d take it out on Amanda. And Amanda, god, she’s such a sweetie, she wouldn’t fight it.’

‘If Erin hated her wife, why wouldn’t she leave?’ Alex asked.

‘Because Isabelle has the money, and Erin likes money.’ Steven shrugged.

‘But she had her own, right?’ Alex asked.

‘She spends more than she makes. She was always getting red letters from credit card companies, even with Isabelle’s support. She likes pretty things. Extravagant holidays, expensive clothes, sports cars, all that crap.’

‘I knew it,’ Alex said, triumphant. ‘Gold digger.’ She loved it when her spin lined up with the truth.

‘I guess. Well, she’s not actually that good at the whole acting thing, and I think she’s always known it on some level. Marrying rich was the only way she was ever going to get that kind of life. Although I suspect she’ll be doing better off the back of the scandal.’ He sighed. ‘Even now, Erin’s still making Isabelle pay the bill for what she wants.’

‘That’s very poetic, Steven,’ Alex complimented him.

Steven abruptly seemed to find a bit more panic in his system. ‘What the hell am I doing? I signed an NDA, and I’m sitting here acting like I’m not ruining my own life with every word.’ He gave Alex an examining look. ‘You’re too easy to talk to.’

Alex’s eyebrows shot up. ‘Me?’

‘Yeah.’ Steven looked embarrassed. ‘I just get this feeling you’re alright.’

That was the second time she’d heard that of late. And Alex wondered,Can I be this? Is it this easy?

An idea popped into Alex’s head, fully formed and ready to go. But could she really do it?Shouldshe? Was it stupid? Or was it the best idea she’d ever had?

It would change everything. And it might cause Alex to lose everything, too. That alone should have made it easy to dismiss the thought and go back to plan A: Kiss Isabelle’s arse and pray it was enough to save her own.

But the trouble was, Leigh was right, goddamn her. Alex did care about this. She couldn’t help it.

She took a deep breath and started talking. ‘I think it’s wrong she got away with the way she treated Amanda. And Erin, too. They’re a pair of creeps who abuse anyone they can keep quiet.’

‘Well, sure, but what the hell can you do about it?’ Steven said.

‘I do have one idea. I could use your help, though. We could get some enemy of my enemy stuff going together?’

Steven looked scared but interested. ‘I don’t know. You want me to ruin my boss? Doesn’t sound like the best idea.’

‘It is if she’s not your boss anymore. I need a good PA. Are you interested?’ Alex asked.

Steven looked astonished and then delighted. ‘Yes, please,’ he said eagerly.

‘Great.’

‘I mean, if you promise you can protect me from her. She’s very vengeful. I can’t afford to get sued.’

‘I know a good lawyer if that happens. And we’ll countersue together.’

‘If she compels me to testify that I saw you slap her, I’ll have to do it. I’m a terrible liar,’ he warned her.

‘Like I said, it’s cool. I did it, and I’ll take the consequences.’

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