Page 9 of The Pursuit of Happiness

Selene pinches the bridge of her nose with her index finger and thumb. “So that would mean that she was dancing with him thirty minutes before you left. But she doesn’t remember you leaving.” Selene looks up at me, annoyance clear in her brown eyes, “How much did you drink?” She asks suspiciously and I hear Brody shift uncomfortably in her seat. Talking about alcohol makes her slightly uncomfortable considering it nearlyruined her life.

I watch as Harvey immediately notices her discomfort and places a large hand on her thigh to comfort her. She relaxes against his touch and I feel a twinge of jealousy in my gut at what they have. It makes me feel like shit to be envious of my best friend but I want what she has. She’s happy and I want that.

I focus back on Selene, “I didn’t drink that much,” I admit honestly.

Selene looks at Ivory for confirmation, “Is that true?”

Ivory nods, “We really didn’t drink much. Unless she drank three bottles of liquor on her own after I left, she’s telling the truth.”

Selene bites her bottom lip as she goes over possible explanations in her head. Harvey clears his throat and we all look at him as this is the first noise he’s made the entire time we’ve been here. Harvey gives me a hard look, which is usual for him, before his eyes soften in pity, “Have you considered the possibility that you could’ve been drugged?” He asks me.

My eyes widen in fear and my stomach drops. Ivory and Brody gasp. None of us considered this possibility before he just suggested it. Selene’s face pales. Slater wouldn’t have drugged me, right? Even that would’ve been too far for him. But he himself didn’t seem to remember much, was that just an act so that I wouldn’t suspect he drugged me? My mind starts spinning and Selene insists, “Aria, is that possible?”

I panic, “I don’t know! I-” I search for some kind of explanation. “I woke up and I didn’t remember anything at all after one thirty. I didn’t drink much at all so maybe it’s a possibility but I…he-” I trail off.

“Would he do something like that?” Ivory whispers.

Selene’s features harden, “To win the award maybe. But we don’t know him and making an allegation like that with no evidence is grounds for a defamation suit so let’s not go thereuntil we get you a blood test,” she demands.

I nod, totally okay with not condemning him until there’s solid proof. I feel enough betrayal over the possibility that he could’ve set the whole thing up, I don’t want to wander into uncharted territory that he could’ve further betrayed me by drugging me.

“What happened when you woke up?” Selene asks.

I explain everything that happened after I woke up to when I got home and they all listen to me carefully. I watch as the wheels start turning in the terrifying minds of Selene Stone and Harvey Taylor. When I finish, Harvey asks, “What do you think?”

“What do you mean?” I ask, confused. I’m not sure what he’s asking.

Harvey presses, “Doyouthink that he did this intentionally? That he could’ve drugged you?”

“It makes the most sense,” I admit, my voice low.

He shakes his head, “No, I didn’t ask what makes sense. I asked if you think he could’ve done this to you.”

I think about it carefully for a moment before I exhale, “I don’t know. Last night I would’ve said no, but now I’m not so sure.”

Harvey promises, “If he did this intentionally, he’s not getting away with it.”

I nod appreciatively and I’m about to thank him when there’s a knock on my door. Selene rises as if she were expecting someone and rushes to answer the door. Brody and Ivory look confused and the three of us look at each other for some kind of explanation of who that could be, but it seems we’re all thoroughly oblivious. Harvey however, looks as though he knows who’s about to walk into the room.

When the sound of Selene’s heeled feet get closer to the room, I hold my breath in anticipation of who could be with her. I’m completely thrown off when a man I’ve never seen before enters.He has the same dark aura around him that Harvey seems to have, but he has more intimidating features, something I never thought possible until seconds ago. His eyes look haunted in a way that sends chills up my spine and there’s no denying that he’s devastatingly handsome.

The man looks like he’s never smiled in his entire life and his eyes are shadowed. He reminds me of Harvey in the sense that his suit is perfectly tailored, but where Harvey wears white button downs and slacks, this man wears a full three piece suit that looks like it was made with his body in mind. He’s tall, terrifyingly so, probably a couple of inches taller than Harvey if I had to guess and as he enters the room, his eyes immediately find Ivory.

The look he gives her as his eyes take in every inch of her is so intense that it sends chills upmyspine. I can only imagine how Ivory feels right now. Her cheeks are bright red under the scrutiny of his hazel green eyes and his intense stare is broken when Harvey rises from his seat and strides over to the new figure in the room. He reaches out his hand as if familiar with this man, “Dallas,” he greets.

Dallas? As in Dallas Carter? Brody mentioned that when Harvey took up partnership of his old security company it was with Dallas Carter, an old friend of Harvey’s from his days in the military. The two run the security company together and I know they’re quite close.

Brody gets up to greet him as well and Kiko finally makes her way over to my lap, rubbing her head on my arm and making biscuits on my lap.

“Harvey,” Dallas greets, the intensity in his eyes never wavering. I think the intensity is just part of his permanent appearance because I’ve never seen anything like it. After shaking Harvey’s hand, Dallas’ eyes turn to Brody and he offers her a similar greeting which she reciprocates before standing byHarvey’s side. I watch as Harvey’s hand slides into Brody’s and try not to feel the bitter taste of envy in my mouth. Ever taste envy? It tastes like shit.

Selene turns her attention on me after the greetings have been made and explains, “Aria, this is Dallas Carter, Harvey’s business partner.”

Dallas raises his chin at me and I give him a polite smile even though the idea of smiling at this man scares me. “Why exactly is he here?” I ask Selene, genuine curiosity in my voice. As far as I’m concerned, Dallas’ expertise lies with security, not leaked sex tapes, ruined careers, and mentally defeated women.

Selene announces, “I asked him to come here because the minute your sex tape got leaked,” she does not spare my feelings with her word choice, “I called him and asked him to find out who leaked it.” She turns to face Dallas, asking only him, “Did you find out who leaked it?”

Dallas’ lips curve slightly on the end as if he’s impressed by Selene’s ruthless and very business driven personality. I have the feeling that it takes a lot to impress a man like Dallas Carter when it comes to business. Dallas answers, his jaw firm, “I had our tech investigators go over it. They’re the best of the best and nothing gets past them. I’ve had them focused completely on this since you called.” He pauses and glances at Harvey and the silent communication that passes between them makes me anxious. I’m practically hanging off the edge of the couch in anticipation. Am I about to hear him say that Slater was responsible? “As of now, they were unable to find out where the video originated. They’re not sure who recorded it and who leaked it, but what we do know from the obvious is that Slater Nicks did not record the video considering he was in the video as well as Aria.”

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