Page 65 of Crashed
Alex followed her friend’s finger, stabbing at a collection of pictures on the society pages. She blinked down at them, hoping she was having some screwed-up hallucination. No.
But she wasn’t and there in black and white was Deacon—and Emily. Her stomach dropped to her feet.
The first couple photos were of the two of them walking into a restaurant, his hand resting on her lower back. The next showed them climbing into a cab together, and the last was the pair of them out in front of his building. But this had been taken in the morning. Emily was wearing the same dress she’d had on in the dinner shots. Deke’s hair was wet, slicked back like he’d just gotten out of the shower, and Emily was wrapped around him, head pressed to his chest.
They’d spent the night together.
I’m going to throw up.
“That’s who I heard in the background when he phoned.”
She hadn’t realized she’d said it out loud until Rusty grabbed her arm.
“When? How long has that bitch had her claws back in my brother?”
Alex shook her head, still stunned by the images in front of her. “I don’t know. I just heard a female voice…I have no idea how long it’s been going on.”
“Why’d he call?” Piper asked behind her. “Did he say anything about Emily?”
She shook her head. “No. He called to see if we could fit his car in for a service.” What else could she say? “We didn’t talk about anything else.”
Rusty screwed up the paper and fired it in the trash. “If he’s going to keep shit-tastic secrets like this, then the lazy prick can service his own damn car.”
The pair talked for a while longer, but Alex barely heard a word they said.
How could she have been so blind? The scratches, the lipstick on the shirt. The female voice on the other end of the phone when he’d canceled their plans. All the signs had been there. She just hadn’t wanted to believe them.
Did he still love Emily? Had he ever stopped? And why had he asked her to give him a couple days? Kissing her like he had when he was obviously getting back with his ex-wife—did he think he could keep her his dirty little secret?
Have the best of both worlds?
Anger, hot and sharp, sliced through her, helping to dull the ache in her chest.
A hand landed on her shoulder. “Alex. What’s wrong?”
Piper slid down beside her, concern on her face. “Why are you crying?”
Was she?
“Ah, Christ.” Rusty slumped down, taking her other side, and looked at her sister. “You were right. They’re sleeping together.”
“What?” Alex shook her head, breaking out in a cold sweat.
“Save it, girl.” Rusty slung her arm around Alex’s shoulders. “We’ve seen his car here. You two are as subtle as a pair of humping wildebeests.” Rusty gave her an encouraging squeeze. “Start talking.”
Piper patted her hand, but her expression was pure determination. “Now.”
Chapter Nineteen
Deacon was surprised and—he’d never thought he’d say this—pleased to see Steve when he’d entered the charity gala earlier that night. The sooner he got this mess with Emily sorted out, the sooner he could tell Alex everything. Until he told her the truth, all of it, they couldn’t move forward.
She loved him. He had to believe that. He just hoped she’d give him a chance to explain—that she’d believe him when he did.
He didn’t waste time and took up the vacant space beside the man in question, who was currently propping up the bar and nursing what looked like a glass of whiskey.
The main part of the evening was over. Deacon had played his part, schmoozed the main players and listened to the never-ending speeches. The cause was extremely important to him, and something he intended to contribute to for the foreseeable future, but after what had happened with Alex the day before, the way she’d looked at him, like he’d cut her heart out and ground it into the asphalt, this wasn’t where he wanted to be. He was anxious to get this over with, to go to her, to finally come clean.
He turned to Steve. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here tonight.”
