Page 90 of Loved Out Loud
I’m willing to throw money at him, too, if it comes to it, but I’m not going to offer unless I have to. He seems like the type to happily accept a payout.
“You’re her boyfriend?” he asks, steepling his fingers against his face. “Would she take a payout? Most publishing deals aren’t that big.”
“She doesn’t want or need your money.”
“Everyone wants more money than they have.”
I shake my head in disgust. “Not when their integrity means more than the number of zeros in their bank account.”
“What did you say your name was?”
“Tyler Stone.”
“Well, Tyler, it’s time for you to leave. You’d be wise to remember I don’t respond well to threats.”
“Likewise.”
He sneers at me as I walk out into the hall and rejoin Adam.
“Done?” Adam asks.
“Yep. He’s exactly what I expected.”
“A dickhead?”
“Yes.”
“Are you going to tell Hazel?”
“Eventually. I don’t want to bring it up right now, though.” She’s been off. We’ve talked about our mental health struggles, and I can tell she’s fighting through hers. Her dad has already caused her to spiral once, I won’t risk a second time.
“Hopefully the girls' night will give her something else to focus on.”
“They should be back from her signing by the time we’re at the hotel. Who’s going with them tonight?”
“Dan.”
“Just Dan? You should go, too.”
“I don’t know if they want that many guys crashing their night.”
“Their safety is more important than their girls' night.”
He lifts his eyebrows as step onto the elevator. “You want to tell them that?”
“I’m not scared.”
I probably should be.
Jade stands in front of me, arms crossed over her chest and scowl on her face. “Absolutely not.”
Xander grins at me from over her shoulder. I tried to get a read on her mood from him on the way home, but when I asked him, he just told me she was in her usual hellcat mood. Which means he did something to piss her off, as usual.
“I’m not saying you should take the entire security team, just more than DanandAdam.”
“Who’s going to keep an eye on you, then?”
“Me,” Xan says, deliberately stoking the fire.
