Page 82 of Rich Girl
“Who is this guy? Did you check his credentials?” I snap at James.
I must’ve sounded a bit too much because he raises his eyebrow at me, challenging me to say more. Under different circumstances, I would’ve backed off, apologized even. But my nerves are fried.
James calmly explains that their friend Alex sent this attorney to help Ray. Apparently, Cal was also in there with them.
I pace the floor back and forth until I am pretty sure I know every single irregularity in the tile. It’s an ugly tile at that.
“It’s been forty-five minutes since we got here,” I tell the police officer manning the front desk when I get in front of it. She just stares at me without blinking. “Can I please see my boyfriend?”
She sighs for what must be the millionth time.
“No, miss, you can’t seeyour boyfriend. He is being detained for havingassaulted and kidnappedyou. You will need to discuss this with the detective in charge.”
“I already talked to him!” I slap my hand against the counter. “I explained this is not real. My friends made it all up.”
Tears threaten to run down my face. I am so frustrated, I can’t even think anymore. Evie’s gentle hand on my back calms me somewhat.
“Hayden, come sit with us.”
She turns me around and walks me to the very uncomfortable bench where James and Carrie are sitting. She is holding their little boy. He’s been fussy on and off, but mostly good. I am impressed with how well she’s been able to keep him under control. Not that I have experience with babies, but I always hear them crying and screaming at certain events.
“It’ll be okay,” Carrie pats me on the leg, trying to offer me reassurance.
“You don’t know that,” James tells her, taking us all by surprise. “Besides, sheshouldfeel bad. After all, she is the reason Ray is in jail right now.”
“James!” Carrie sounds appalled.
He is right though. I did this without thinking. I was reckless, and now, an innocent man is in jail because of me. Because I thought it would be fun to spend some time with him without telling him who I was. I played games, and we both got burned.
“I’m really sorry,” I now apologize to Ray’s friends. “I never meant for any of this to happen. I care about him so much. I can’t even imagine what he must think of me.”
None of them comment to what I just said, which makes me feel even worse. They are mad at me, and with good reason. I am becoming the stereotype the press has always made me out to be.Just a spoiled rich girl. I never realized until this moment how true that was.
James getting up from the bench grabs my attention. I notice he walks to the side where two guys are approaching. One of them is Cal Prentice.
I jump up from my seat and rush toward them, not caring that they don’t want me there. The guy with Cal is wearing a suit and gives off a weird vibe, especially when his eyes lock with mine.
“Miss Benedict,” he addresses me. “You and I need to have a chat.”
I pull my shoulders back, then relax them, forcing myself to act like I have my shit together, as Ray would say.
It’s funny how I have adopted his way of speaking. I find it endearing and more relatable. I sure hope to hear more of it once this is over.
“Let’s all go to our house,” Evie suggests from behind me.
Cal eyeballs her funny but doesn’t protest.
“That way there’s more privacy,” she explains to him.
He smiles and nods at her, then puts his arm up for her to come and stand next to him. The move is so simple yet intimate, and it makes me think of Ray. He was like that with me when we attended the party. How did I think I could just walk away from him and not miss him?
“I can’t leave,” I now tell the group in front of me. “I have to see him, explain that it’s all one big misunderstanding.”
“He knows,” his alleged attorney informs me. “And you can’t see him. He is not allowed any more visitors today.”
“What?”
I stomp my foot on the floor. They all stare at me with the same expression of incredulity on their faces.
