Page 14 of East (The Moral Compass 3)

The team doesn’t have anything else to go on. To be honest, they are crap. I need my own guys on this, and if nothing changes in the next twenty-four hours, I will be making that call.

At two o’clock sharp, East walks into the suite looking like every guy’s wet fucking dream. Blonde flowing hair, dark-rimmed glasses, a crisp white blouse opened just above her cleavage, a short black skirt, sheer stockings, and red ‘fuck me’ heels. Is she trying to fucking kill me?

“Zed, your first appointment is with Rolling Stones Magazine. They want to discuss your breakup with Alicia. I personally think you should give them what they want, but make sure they know it was her fault and that she is the conniving bitch that she is.” She smiles and tilts her head.

“Your second appointment is with Drake’s manager. This, I am concerned about. If she knows Drake well, then she will probably spot the difference. You are much broader than your brother. If I could see there was a difference, she will,” she says directly. No emotion, just facts.

“She’s never met me in person. It’s always been over a video call. Our calendars have not matched well since we signed the arrangement,” Drake interrupts.

“So, how long has she been your manager?” East asks.

“About six months. Alicia didn’t like my old manager and made me sack her. I know it was because we had a friends with benefits thing going, but I promised Alicia that I hadn’t been anywhere near her since we’d gotten together. I was telling the truth, too.”

“And when was I going to hear about this? This is a fucking lead, you moron. How many times have I asked you if anyone has a grudge? You have never mentioned her at all. Give East all her details.” I stand up from the chair, and I just can’t help myself. I slam the fucking idiot across the back of his head.

“Hey, what was that for?”

“I could fucking kill you sometimes. I’ve been here for well over a week wiping your arse, pretending to be you, and all the time we could have had this sewn up days ago. Just text East the details!” I bark.

“East, do what you’re here for and find out everything about this woman and where the hell she’s been for the last six months. I want every fucking detail.”

“Yes, sir, right away, sir,” she replies with a wicked smile.

Why the fuck did that snarky comment make my dick twitch?

“Less of the fucking ‘sir’ and get your job done,” I bite back. If she wants to play games, then we will play by my fucking rules. And with that, I walk to the door, open it, and yell, “Are you fucking coming? You’re supposed to be my PA.”

“Yes, sir, sorry… Yes, Zed. I’m coming.” She smirks as she passes me in the doorway. Little bitch.

The interview with Rolling Stone is as expected. Their questions all relate to the breakup between my brother and Alicia. The press thinks it was him playing away but the truth is, she left him on his ass as they all do. She wanted him to buy a place in London, a place for both of them when he wasn’t touring. He simply couldn’t.

We both struggle with putting roots down. We grew up in the foster system and only found our parents when we were nineteen. It’s not a bad story. Our mum got pregnant at fifteen, and she was shipped off to a young mother’s home. When she had us, we were taken away at six weeks old. As she wasn’t old enough to fight the system, a young couple adopted us. Unfortunately, when we were two, they died in a car crash, and their family didn’t want to bring us up, so we were put back in the foster care system. Being twins meant we were hard to place, so we moved from home to home until we turned sixteen. I went into the Army where I met West, and Drake joined a band. The same band he’s in now.

Mum and Dad stayed together and got married at eighteen. They tried to find us and get us back, but the law wouldn’t allow it. We have two more siblings. We’re not close to my other brother, Bailey, by any means, but we send cards at Christmas. My sister, Jasmin, pops in and out of our lives whenever she feels like it. I don’t mind. Her life is completely normal, and she’s happy. I’m happy she’s settled down and is living her own life.

I don’t tell them all that though. I do what East wanted and make Alicia out to be the bitch we all know she can be.

I know it will make Kara and Sutton happy when they read it.

East has been working away, getting the information on Drake’s old manager, Laney DeVere. I need East in the meeting with his new manager, Margarite. I don’t want to get stuck on any of the details. East can play the ‘I’m the new girl’ act if we get stuck on any questions I should know the answers to.

Margarite is not what I was expecting, but I can see why Alicia insisted on her as his manager. The woman is nearly seventy, and she’s a fucking battle-axe. I actually think she will be good for Drake.

I get a really good bollocking for fucking around with all the women and get told to clean up my act. I also get told that I need to do more personal appearances and visit some children’s hospitals. She knows about our background—which shocks the fuck out of me—and tells our story in great detail right in front of East. It’s not a secret, but it’s not in any open records either, so I need to check with Drake about how she knows all this stuff about our childhood.

She also thinks it would be a good idea to use our upbringing and do some charity work with some shelters and children’s homes. That, I’m not so sure of. I don’t think it would be in anyone’s interest to know about our history and least of all make money off it. Even if he gives to charity, it will come back in record sales, and that makes my skin crawl.

We both thank Margarite for her time and give her some chips to spend at the casino. She seems okay, but her knowledge of our history freaks me the fuck out.

My eyes flash to East who is still the picture of a perfect PA. All sexy and sassy. My boiling anger from before is starting to simmer. The fucking glasses aren’t helping. Every time I look at her, my dick twitches at the thought of her on her knees, those beautiful eyes looking up at me through those glasses with her lips around my dick.

Shit, Zed, fucking stop. She’s made it perfectly clear. She used you.

Chapter 9

East

Hisreactionthismorningto finding out I was a virgin was as I expected. I know I should have told him before. I know I should have told him the truth when he asked me outright, but admitting it was just too hard.

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