Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 96752 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96752 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Patrick’s head came up the second he heard Jeremiah’s name. Those two have spent the last couple of days circling each other like wary sharks. I’m waiting to see if they pounce and what pouncing will mean for them. I happen to believe in a good pouncing. Just take my advice and cover up the cameras. I notice that Patrick stays close even though the director has moved on to another part of the room.
He’s still interested, but I worry once filming is done, he and Jeremiah won’t see each other again.
“Well, I’ve talked to him about redoing a couple of rooms at the palace,” Anika admits. “It might do him some good to get out of the States for a while.”
“Oh, I assure you the European press will be interested in the story,” Reid replies. “But we have some plans in place. I want to keep the focus on me. I’m the bad guy.”
“Hey,” I say, reminding him.
He chuckles. “We’re the evil couple. She says being a Disney villain is a life goal of hers. The point is, Harper and I feel like we can handle the heat, but I worry Britta’s going to push this further when she realizes we won’t break.”
Luca considers him for a moment. “I know we haven’t talked about the situation, but from what I’ve gathered she’s been holding something over your head for a long time. This should be your worst nightmare.”
Reid stills for a moment. “If it goes to hell and the world hates me, are you going to stop being my friend? I’ll understand, you know. You have a reputation and a country to hold up.”
Luca waves the idea away. “Of course not. You’re with the woman who is basically my sister-in-law. I assure you there is only one point of view my family will consider. Even if you weren’t, I would believe you. Especially since I’ve met Britta. She talks openly about never settling down. She doesn’t believe in monogamy. I don’t understand why she’s doing this.”
“I do.” Ivy walks in with Heath, and she’s got the biggest grin on her face.
Oh, that is her gotcha grin.
Anika rushes to my side and we welcome Ivy. “Tell us.”
Heath joins the guys, and they look so comfortable together, this family of mine. “Before she does, you should all know that I put her on the right track. She kept looking for a lover Britta was hiding or a shit ton of cocaine. I figured it was something way more ordinary and way worse.”
“So money?” Luca asks. “That’s where I would look. It’s all she’s concerned about.”
“Bingo,” Ivy announces. “Turns out there’s some reporters sniffing around a manufacturing plant in Cambodia where Britta’s fashion line is made. She’s been working hard to cover up the fact that she signed off on paying far below normal wages and has seen reports on the safety situations in the workshops, but I got the receipts. I think she decided if it comes out, she can do an ‘I had no idea’ tour while announcing her engagement or terrible treatment by a powerful man, and guess which one would get the most airtime?”
“I do not like this woman.” Anika looks down at the tablet Ivy’s holding. It’s got a ton of information about the working conditions, and none of it is good. Including the child labor going into Britta’s two-hundred-dollar pairs of jeans. “I consider myself a girl’s girl, but sometimes girls are awful, too.”
“We can take her down like we used to take down the mean girls in high school,” Ivy says with a grin.
I stare at the information and realize something sad. We can’t use it. “Guys, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We have to think.”
“Or we could upload it all to the Internet and let the world decide,” Heath counters. “This could get her in serious trouble, especially in Europe.”
I look to Reid, who seems to be thinking the same thing I am. “And then she won’t have any reason not to release what she knows. I talked to Jeremiah and we’re going to see a lawyer, but I still worry about what it’s going to do to his mental health.”
Ivy’s jaw tightens, and I know she’s biting back all her questions. I asked her not to look into Jeremiah. It’s killing her to not know, but she’s been a good sister.
“So we need to sit down and figure out how to leverage what we’ve found,” Reid says with a nod. “We could use this to get her to keep her mouth shut about what she knows. I think we’ll still have to deal with the interview. We have to give her something.”
“Or I can do what I should have done all those years ago,” a familiar voice says. “I can tell the truth and shame the devil.” Jeremiah looks tired as he walks in wearing stylish clothes and a weary smile. “The sad thing is I figured out I’ve been the real devil all along.”