Page 84 of Fumbled Beginning

I spun in a circle, trying to slow my heart rate down. My vision was blurry as my eyes landed on the familiar pink phone case with Oakley’s face covering the back.

I snatched it off the ground and shoved the phone into my pocket.

“If you even think about running that story to the press, I will make you regret the day you were born.”

I was fiercely protective of Caroline and her privacy. Her family had been through enough. That’s why I spent the last twelve years keeping the story buried in the past where it belonged. I wouldn’t let this piece of shit use her to get what he wanted.

“Let Rylee go and I will. Otherwise, I’ll sell that sob story to the highest bidder with zero fucks to give.”

“You’re delusional if you think you can blackmail me. I think you underestimate how powerful my name and popularity are in Atlanta, not to mention the entire damn country. You leak this to the press and you will become one of the most despised men on the planet. By the time my media team gets done, you’ll be lucky to get a job sweeping up elephant shit at the zoo.” I turned and strode to my truck. And because I was pretty damned peeved, I kicked a decent size rock toward his shiny white Tesla—smirking at the new dent right above the front right tire.

“You’re going to pay for that, asshole.”

“Good,” I shouted back. “It was worth it.”

Before I reached my truck, I spun around. “One more thing, I don’t know what happened in Nashville, but I guarantee you, it will be the last time you ever lay a fucking hand on her.” My knuckles were white, and I was itching to pound his smug face into the ground. “You’re going to learn what happens when you touch things that don’t belong to you.”

And with that, I hopped in my truck, punched the start button, and flew out of the parking lot.

CHAPTER27

RYLEE

The poundingon my door had me shooting straight up in my bed. I blew the hair out of my face and looked at the time on my alarm clock. When my flight landed in Atlanta this morning, the first thing I did was open my laptop and log into my work email so I could let my boss know that I wouldn’t be going into the office.

Dom sent me a notification, letting me know that he had my phone and would have it delivered today. I hadn’t realized I left it in the Uber last night until I arrived at the airport this morning to check in for my flight.

I threw on a robe and trudged through my apartment with Oakley hot on my heels. I swung the door open, hoping it was a delivery person with my phone.

Only it wasn’t a delivery person.

“JP?” I blinked, allowing my eyes to adjust to the sunlight behind his back.

“Surprised to see me?”

Normally, I was happy to see him, but after these past few days and with the way he was glaring at me, I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to feel.

“Is everything okay?” I blinked as he leaned against the doorframe. His arms were folded over his chest, and his feet were crossed at the ankles.

“I’ve had an eventful morning.”

Oakley trotted over, dropping a tennis ball at his feet. JP glanced down, his features softening slightly. He gave his furry friend a scratch behind the ear but made no attempt to pick up the ball and play with him. Sensing the tension, Oakley hung his head and moped his way over to the dog bed in the corner.

“Do you want a cup of coffee?” I asked, walking into the kitchen to turn my Keurig on.

“What I want is some answers,” he said, slamming the door and stalking across the room.

I turned and arched an eyebrow. “Pardon me?”

“Rylee, I know I hurt you, and things were strained before you left for Nashville, but I never expected you to betray me so easily.”

My eyebrows shot up to my hairline. “What are you talking about?”

He shoved his hands in his front pockets and stepped forward. “I really thought we could work this out, but after what you did, I don’t even see that as an option on the table anymore.”

“You want to tell me what the hell it is that you think I did?” I closed the cabinet, my coffee cup forgotten.

“I planned on talking to you. I wanted to fix things. And instead of talking to me, you went and ran your mouth to your ex, and God knows what else you did with him.”

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