Page 81 of Strut

“Oh, fucking hell. Come here.” I pulled him into my arms and Hunter stood alongside with a hand on both of us until Tim finally pulled free and dragged his palms across his eyes.

“This is pretty fucking embarrassing.” Tim’s gaze flicked to Hunter.

“No, it’s not,” Hunter said evenly. “It’s brave.”

I could’ve kissed him.

Tim hesitated, like it was the last thing he’d expected to hear. Then he flashed Hunter a quick smile of gratitude. “Well, I’m not going anywhere until I get a plan together in my head, but I just wanted you to know.” He sighed. “I’m done.”

I held him by the shoulders and looked him in the eye. “It’s a good decision, Tim. It’s not quitting and it’s not about how you look. It’s about knowing what’s right for you, in here.” I patted my hand over his heart. “And I’m here for you any time. We’re friends. We all need people in our corner.”

Tim rolled his eyes but there was a vulnerability in their depths, and I knew Tim hadn’t had anyone on his side for most of his life. “You’re such a fucking dad.”

I wasn’t buying his dismissal. “And that’s a bad thing?”

Tim’s gaze stilled on mine. “No, it’s pretty fucking epic.” He swallowed hard. “Thanks.”

I tipped my head. “You’re welcome. Now let’s see what the gruesome twosome have to say.” I looked Tim in the eye. “Prepare yourself. Rhys and Kip aren’t exactly subtle.” I blew a huge sigh. “And then I really need to call Tui.” Butterflies roared in my stomach. Telling Tui would be the first step in telling my family. This was about to get real in a whole new scary way.

Hunter’s gaze lingered on mine and there was understanding there. I gave him a weak smile.

It took a few minutes to set the video call up and introduce Tim. His mouth might’ve dropped open at his first sight of Rhys and Kip, and I had to smile. When it came to fashion, those two were something special, and it didn’t hurt that they were drop-dead gorgeous as well.

Rhys oozed casual Italian designer chic, in a black-and-lemon-floral fitted shirt with a black leather choker buckled at the front, his thick black hair slicked back at the sides. In stunning contrast, Kip looked effortlessly gorgeous in a cream silk shirt under a tan vest with a million pearl buttons down the front and sexy as fuck smoky eyes framed by auburn locks. Kip’s DNA leaked style with a capital S, and I swore the man could wear a trash bag down the street and sell a dozen of them before he hit the end of the block.

I glanced at Tim who returned a wide-eyed stare that clearly said,who the hell are these people?I shook my head and smiled. “Get used to feeling like a lump of wet cardboard standing next to this lot.”

Tim snorted while Rhys looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “Says the man who kills it on a catwalk better than anyone I know.” He raised a brow as if daring me to disagree.

I ignored his flattery and caught them up on what had happened since I last talked to Rhys, including my visit to the cops, losing the Berlini deal, the Men-tion turnabout, and then I skimmed over the incident at the lake while Hunter squirmed a little in his seat.

Kip was red-faced and close to apoplectic the minute he realised it was me who’d been the subject of the assault. His startling green eyes glittered with fury, and by the time I actually finished, he looked ready to rain hellfire and brimstone on the man responsible.

“Who the fuck is this dick?” Kip fumed. “Some of the models he comes into contact with are still teenagers, right?”

I nodded.

Kip narrowed his gaze and drew a slow breath, obviously trying to calm himself. “And he’s trying to make out like it wasyouwhocame ontohim?”

I shrugged. “There are plenty who’ll be willing to believe him. You know what this industry is like.” I heaved a broken sigh. “He’s a big deal, Kip. None of the agencies would risk getting in his bad books without proof. I may as well spit into the wind.”

“You can’t be the first or only one he’s done this to,” Kip railed. “This guy has to have a history, he has to—”

“Kip,” Rhys interrupted, putting a hand on his assistant’s. “Take a breath.”

“But—”

“Kip.” Rhys sent his store manager a pointed look and the younger man snapped his mouth shut. Rhys stared at him for a long second, then turned back to me. “So, you’ve already lost two potential contracts because of this guy and he’s lied to Cage.”

I nodded.

“Andhe threatened you with more. Holy shit, Alec.” Rhys fell back in his chair and his gaze darted to Hunter. “And what the fuck did I say about not approaching him?”

Hunter winced and reached for my hand. “The cops aren’t hopeful about pressing charges, so there was nothing to lose. I thought maybe if Darcy knewIwas involved with Alec, he might back off. And we made sure it wasn’t us who started anything physical.” He snorted. “Darcy did that nicely for us, which we caught on video, by the way. Besides, it was worth it just to watch Jack Reacher here bust the man’s face.”

Hunter pressed a light kiss to my cheek, and I was pretty sure I turned fifty shades of embarrassed by the smirk on Kip’s face.

Hunter continued. “And Darcy stuck to his story all the way, so the threat he made could simply be put down to him being angry about whathe saidhappened. The cops have nothing more than they did. In fact, we should probably erase the recording. What he said looks worse for us than for him.”

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