Page 56 of Bad Boy in Her Bed

Almost every single one except the pictures of a much younger Jocelyn on the arm of some slicked-back-hair.trust-fund asshole wearing suits that probably cost more than Birch made in a year.

With his masochistic tendencies in peak form, he scanned through the images of her with this Cameron Durante shithead.Most of the photos looked to be from different fancy-ass parties, Jocelyn dressed to kill in every one and that Cameron dick’s arm wrapped possessively around her waist like he was angling her toward the camera.In those images, he couldalmosterase the guy at her side and appreciate how stunning she looked, her steel eyes happy and that sexy smirk of hers making promises he knew from experience would rock any man’s world.

And then he scrolled further, the hit to his gut as hard as if River had thrown the punch.

“Sleeping With the Enemy: Top Prosecution Forensic Expert in McGillroy Case Photographed in Compromising Position with Defense Witness”

His mouth was dry, his chest feeling like it was caught in a vise as he tried unsuccessfully to look away from the photos accompanying the article.Despite the pixelation used to ensure the pictures could be printed, there was no mistaking what she and that Cameron fuckup were doing on what looked to be the deck of a yacht.

With a deep breath he read through the article, the words blurring together into a confusing jumble while his mind remained locked on the photos.Words like ‘conspiring,’ ‘coercion,’ and ‘solicitation’ stood out and he pressed his palm to his forehead, squeezing his eyes shut to block the barrage as her voice cut through the steady thumping of his blood pounding in his veins.

“I didn’t know,” she said softly.“I didn’t know Cameron was Jerry McGillroy’s nephew.Or that Cam was overseeing the eastern shipments.All I knew was that this handsome, sophisticated man was completely enamored with me and doing his damnedest to be my escape when the rest of my world was going haywire.I was fresh out of school, tasked with unearthing the finances of the biggest court case of the year, and choking on the fear of failing.And then I met Cam.”

Cam.

Hating the familiarity of his name, he closed out the article and stared at the floor.

“I was head over heels in puppy love with him.I would’ve done anything for him,” she continued, like the knife wasn’t already deep enough in his chest.“Except the one thing he wanted from me.”

Her sharp inhale sliced at him and he squeezed his eyes shut, the adrenaline in his veins doing little to stop the chill in his bones.

“I would find him going through my phone, through my papers, trying to unlock my computer.But I was too lovestruck to piece it together, too starry-eyed to think about the weak excuses he gave.The night I uncovered his name in a stack of documents, he was on his knees begging for forgiveness, promising he’d changed.”She chuckled wryly and he could picture the look of disgust on her face.“When that didn’t work, he turned to bartering.For a little data manipulation here and a few accidental oversights there, he offered me the opportunity to become Mrs.Cameron Durante, complete with a prenup guaranteeing affair discretion and two penthouse suites to keep me tucked away safe and sound.”Her voice cracked and he winced.“I ended it then and there, but he was already a step ahead.By morning I was front-page news as a money-chasing sellout.My boss, Angelo, was the only reason I didn’t crawl into the gutters and let the rats do their thing.He essentially wrapped the team around me, dragged me in front of the cameras at his side for the rest of the case, and gave me the best advice he could summon: keep your wits about you.”

Taking her off the speaker, he held his phone to his ear.“You should have told me.”

There was the rustling of a blanket, and he could picture her crawling into her bed, wondering somewhere in the back of his head if it was a twin or a king.“I know.And I wanted to.But I was so afraid it would scare you off, knowing you were with the woman who shut down Jerry McGillroy and his weapons deals.Or Gator Steele’s drug ring.Then add in the whole ‘sleeping with the enemy’ rumors.And the guys who tried to pull off a more successful repeat when I was assigned to their cases.”Her phone crackled, a reminder of how far away she was.“It sends most men running.”

Most men.

Frustration and rage bubbled back to the surface, his grip on his phone threatening to shatter the glass as he snarled low into it.“I’m not most men.”

“I know you aren’t most men,” she replied quietly, her softness taking him down a notch.“But I couldn’t afford to be wrong.Not again.It’s the reason I freaked out about the deposits into your bank account.I saw myself reliving the hell I’d barely survived the first time around.”

Her words drained every violent urge and ounce of fight out of him, a new resolve pulsing through him as his swirling thoughts narrowed into a singular focus, a plan of attack forming.“I’m not one of them.And I don’t run.”

“No, you definitely don’t.”

He could hear the smile in her voice, and he pushed himself to his feet, scanning the kitchen for his wallet and keys.“Is there any chance Ryder or Trevor could find you there?”

“Not a chance.My apartment is under a pseudonym run through my firm, along with all my bills.We only used my real name in Epson because doing otherwise was pointless.”

Scribbling a quick note to Grey to remember his lunch in the morning, he slipped outside into the warm evening breeze.“Promise me you’re safe there.”

“Promise me that isn’t your engine I hear gunning up at midnight.”When he didn’t reply, she growled his name.“Birch.I’ll be in Epson again in three days.Don’t do anything reckless tonight that you’ll regret tomorrow.”

Backing his truck out of the driveway, he eased onto the street, his next move crystal clear.“The only reckless thing I’ve ever done is fall in love with you, and I don’t regret a single fucking second of it.Call me when you land.”

With that, he powered off his phone and turned his car toward Ryder Drayson’s house.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Jocelyn sat acrossfrom her boss, her knee bouncing impatiently while Angelo wrapped up a call.

Nineteen hours.

It had been nineteen hours since Birch went dark, his phone going straight to voicemail moments after he hung up on her.

Told her he had fallen in love with her and hung up.

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