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The car lurched forward as I pulled up my texts.

Salt’s messages were gone.

I closed my eyes, forcing myself to breathe. Jeff had gotten into my phone when I left it at the table tonight. My cheeks burned as I pulled up my phone book, scrolling to look for his name.

It was gone.

Fuck.Fuck.

Panic settled in and I called the only person who could get me the info ASAP.

Tommy picked up. “Pepper? Everything okay?”

“No,” I said. “No. I need you to text Salt right now.”

“What? Why?—”

“Tommy,” I growled. “I’m asking you as a friend to do this for me without any questions asked. Do you understand me? Please. If you can’t, then hand the phone to Dan.”

Dan’s voice was a soft grumble in the background. “I heard my name.”

“It’s Pepper,” Tommy said. “Okay. What do I need to text him?”

“Text him that Pepper called you. Jeff got into my phone and deleted his information. I don’t know what else he sent, but it was something bad.”

“What?” Tommy hissed. “What the fuck? Why would he do that?”

“Because Salt and I are together.” I was met with silence. “You can be mad at me later,” I said.

“I asked you. Iaskedyou if you were, Pepper,” Tommy hissed. “I knew it. Damn it?—”

“You do not have the right to lecture me right now,” I snapped. “Put Dan on the phone.”

Dan must have snatched the phone away. “What’s going on?”

“I need you to text Salt and tell him that whatever I said to him wasn’t from me, it was from Jeff. Jeff got my phone. Also, I’m not as vanilla as both of you assholes think, and I’m in love with him. So please do this for me.”

“God damn,” Dan mumbled. “Okay, hold on.”

A sense of relief washed over me as I heard his thumbs going.

“Message sent. Darling, you have some explaining to do. I think Tommy is having a heart attack or something.”

“Well, he needs to put his business hat on, because I need to fire Jeff. I’m done with this. For too long, I’ve let him get away with his bullshit. I’m flying home early tomorrow and will be on your doorstep as soon as I figure out what Jeff said to Salt.”

“Finally,” Dan breathed out. “Okay. Have you checked your blocked phone contacts?”

“No,” I said. “Walk me through how to do it.”

Dan’s voice was calm and soothing. I could hear Tommy ranting in the background, but chose to ignore him as he walked me through how to unblock a number.

The moment the car pulled up to the hotel, I hopped out, paid the driver quickly and rushed into the building.

“We’re getting rid of the son of a bitch,” I told Dan as I stepped onto the elevator. “I’m not playing nice anymore.”

“Love to hear it,” he said. “It’s going to be good. And Pepper?”

“Yeah?”

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