Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 147415 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 737(@200wpm)___ 590(@250wpm)___ 491(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147415 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 737(@200wpm)___ 590(@250wpm)___ 491(@300wpm)
It’s a level of badass indifference I can only aspire to.
Of course, Adriana doesn’t like it.
The less he acknowledges her bragging, the louder and more obnoxious she becomes.
Meghan dips her head further with every outlandish claim, still freakishly quiet, barely picking at her food.
“I remember when I was friends with Hank Hodges. You know, the actor?” she says, waving a hand. “Very attractive man. Very attractive. This was before he was married, of course.” The implication hangs heavy in the air. “We still call each other every now and then on our birthdays.”
I take another sip of my coffee, desperately waiting for someone to get to the point.
What I can’t stop looking at is Meghan, wondering how she can be so silent when she’s the whole reason we’re here.
Her videos were cruel, mocking and nasty, loaded with horrible implications.
But right now, I actually feel a tad sorry for her.
Adriana doesn’t seem to notice her daughter’s silence.
When she’s not talking, she’s gorging herself on the spread in front of her like a starving squirrel, bruschetta and stuffed olives and fresh mozzarella.
“How about we get down to business and free up our appetites,” Shepherd offers when they’re finally about to move on to the dessert menu.
Thank God.
“Ha, I was waiting for this.” Adriana wags a finger. “I’ve heard about you, Mr. Foster. A ruthless corporate shark. And I guess you know a thing or two about negotiating like the Italians do with your past and all.” She waves a hand.
Oh my God.
I try hard not to choke on my coffee.
“I’m Irish,” Shepherd clips. “No doubt you’ve had your own experience with negotiations, though, considering your role in your daughter’s business,” he says smoothly. “However, we’re not here to discuss my past, business or otherwise.”
Adriana cocks her head sharply. Her bleached hair flops.
“No? Oh, okay. So we’re here to talk about the present, then. Your relationship with her, right?” She points at me.
“I have a name,” I throw back.
“Destiny, Destiny. Of course. Such a pretty name for a gorgeous girl.” Adriana practically sneers. Meghan slumps lower in her chair, that neon-red hair falling across her face like she wants to disappear behind it. “My bad. How could anyone forget?”
Holy hell.
I’ve never wanted to rip at anyone’s hair and find out if it’s a wig so badly.
“Meghan said she might consider retracting the very personal claims made on her channel recently,” I continue, refusing to let her get to me.
Adriana’s sneer disappears as she cranes her head at Meghan like a snake.
“Is that what you said, sweetie?”
Meghan jerks up in her chair.
“You’d know, Mom,” she whispers. “You wrote the message...”
“Oh, yes, that’s right.” Adriana’s pink nails tap the tablecloth. “Well, as it happens, I would like to discuss this a bit more. There’s been an interesting development.” She reaches into her oversized bag and pulls out a set of glossy photos, then slides them across the table to us.
At first, I wonder why I’m looking at X-rated photos in a fine restaurant.
Then I recognize Shepherd’s ass mid-thrust, and a spill of blonde hair beneath him.
Oh, no.
Oh, shit.
These photos weren’t anywhere online. I didn’t know they’d been taken.
The canopy of leaves is too thick and dense to capture everything, but there’s just enough skin to know what’s going on.
No plausible deniability.
And that’s not even the worst part.
Anger vibrates through me.
It’s like I’ve been defiled, having something so personal stolen and laid out here like we’re discussing a flipping movie script.
Except no one should ever be subjected to this.
I try to find the words to even process this, but I never get the chance.
Shepherd’s knee knocks against mine as he flicks through the photos, his expression deathly blank and unimpressed.
When he moves, I jump.
He throws them back at Adriana so hard they go spinning.
“Why the fuck are you doing this?”
“Like you don’t know,” Adriana snarls. “You’re not a stupid man, Foster—even if you’re inclined to make bad decisions with your dick.”
“Obviously, I don’t know, or I wouldn’t have asked.” He leans back in his chair, arms folded, still observing them both with arctic disdain. “I find it odd that you’d show a complete stranger pornographic material in public.”
Adriana’s face flushes, blotchy through her makeup. “So, that’s how you want to play it? Fine. Whatever, Mr. Man. If you aren’t willing to discuss a little settlement that could keep this nice and quiet and private, well, maybe I’ll just have these pictures blasted out to everyone who wants a copy. I’ll ruin you for screwing a subordinate.”
I tense and go numb.
Beside me, Shepherd’s icy gaze locks on Adriana like a sniper.
She doesn’t seem to notice the danger she’s in as she turns her attention to me.
“Look, I know what it’s like, sweetheart. When you’re young and gorgeous, men make you think you need to give your body away to get ahead. But I can still save your reputation, little lady. If I tell the world he forced you into this to get ahead, your name is cleared, and maybe you can even get him to cough up some damages.”