Page 125 of Living on the Edge

“It’s all right,” I say. “He’s not going to hurt me.”

“You sure?” Toby asks dubiously.

“I promise. I’m fine.” I wave to them and then stalk over to my car. “Okay, you have five minutes. Say what you want to say and then leave.”

“I know it wasn’t you,” he says quickly. “Remember Ben? Our bus driver? Apparently, Rich paid him to spy on us. He was recording everything we said on the bus.”

For a moment I’m dumbfounded—I never expected that. “Wow. I wouldn’t have suspected him at all.”

“Me either. I’m suing him, actually. He signed an NDA when Sasha hired him, so I hope whatever Rich paid him was worth it.”

“Oh. Uh, well, good.”

“I’m also in the process of staging a hostile takeover.”

I frown.

Now I’m really confused.

“A what?”

“Actually, my father—well, Uncle Alex—is. He’s buyingRock Harder Magazine.”

I stare at him for a minute, pieces of the puzzle starting to fall into place.

Now I understand what’s happening.

Or at least part of it.

He found out I didn’t do what he thought I did, so he’s using his money and connections to buy my forgiveness. I mean, suing Ben has nothing to do with me, but I can see the writing on the wall: He’ll buy the magazine and fire Rich. He might even offer me a job.

I shudder at the thought.

It’s way too late for that.

I appreciate it, but nothing he does can repair the damage to our relationship.

He hurt me deeply, and using his money to hurt someone else—albeit someone who deserves it—doesn’t fix what’s at the core of our problems.

“Look, I appreciate what you’re trying to do,” I say softly. “Really. But here’s the thing—do you remember what you said before you ended our last phone call?”

He frowns slightly. “Which thing?”

“When you told me you’d never be able to trust me again?”

He nods stiffly.

“That’s where I’m at. Nothing you say or do will make me trust you with my heart, ever again, so while I truly appreciate that you’re going to make Rich pay for what he did—it doesn’t change anything. Not really. I don’t hate you, and I don’t want to end things on a bad note. But I can’t be with you because I don’t know that you’ll take my side the next time something goes wrong in life. Which it will.” I reach out and gently stroke the back of my hand across his cheek.

“Ryleigh…” He tries to talk but I put my fingers on his lips.

“Take care of yourself, Angus.”

Then I get in my car, turn on the ignition, and drive away, leaving my heart and my soul behind.

Chapter39

Ryleigh

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