Wyatt and Anthony walk in, and I gesture to the seats beside me.
They sit and both look at me like I just killed a man. “Don’t.” I sigh as I sip my drink.
“Where’s Charlotte?” Anthony asks.
“In bed.”
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I dig it out to see a private number flashing up on the screen.
“I’m going to the bathroom,” Anthony says before standing and disappearing around the corner.
“Hello,” I answer.
“You hurt her, and I’ll fucking kill you,” Edward snarls. I listen for a moment and then the phone goes dead.
Adrenaline surges through my body.
Fuck me, what next?
I exhale heavily and stare straight ahead.
“Can I ask you something?” Wyatt says.
“Yeah.” I sip my scotch.
“Have you ever fucked a guy?”
I turn to him and wince. “What?”
19
Spencer
He looks me dead in the eye. “I mean… have you ever had sex with a man?”
My eyes widen. “Why are you asking me this?”
He shrugs and sips his beer.
I stare at him for a moment, my mind a clusterfuck of emotions. What the hell is he asking me this for? “No,” I say. “I’ve never fucked a man.”
“Ever been fucked?”
“No.” I frown. “Mate, I like vaginas.” He stares at me.
“Vagina.” I shake my head in disgust that I’m discussing Charlotte’s body parts with him. This day is way too much. I feel like my head’s about to explode. Why the hell would he ask me that now?
“I’m going back upstairs.” I stand in a rush.
Anthony comes back to the bar. “What did I miss?” he asks, looking between us. “Also, can we talk about our new terms of employment?”
Wyatt stares straight ahead and sips his beer, clearly uninterested in the terms of employment.
“Tomorrow. I’m going upstairs.”
“Okay.”
I walk to the elevator and hit the button with force. The doors open, and I text Masters and Seb.
Breakfast at seven. I need to debrief.
Day from fucking hell.
*
My eyes drift over the beautiful woman sleeping in my bed. Her blonde hair is splayed across her pillow, and her eyes flutter while she sleeps. I reach down and slowly bring the blanket up to cover her, and I gently kiss her face.
She tossed and turned all night.
We both did.
Her mind was on her family, my mind was on Wyatt.
Why did he ask me if I’ve ever fucked a man? It was so random… and the timing was weird. Has he heard something about me that’s about to be released to the magazines?
Another fucking lie.
I wouldn’t put it past these fuckers, they’ll do anything for a story—anything that causes shock value and will make people buy their trash. I feel sick to my stomach and totally out of control of the situation.
Charlotte deserves better than this. So much better.
I pick up her phone and set her alarm to go off in an hour. She was so upset last night, she forgot to do it. I lean down and brush the hair away from her face.
“I’m going, angel,” I whisper. “I love you.”
She smiles sleepily with her eyes closed. “I love you, too.” She wraps her arms around me.
I hold her tight, and with one last look at my love, I kiss her cheek and leave her in peace.
I’ve got a mountain of shit to sort out today.
First on my hit list: Alexander fucking York.
*
I walk into the restaurant right at seven and take a seat at our table. The boys aren’t here yet so I order our coffees and regular meals. I’m on high alert, as if on a drug that makes me super aware of everything and everyone around me. The adrenaline in my system is at an all-time high, making my leg bounce under the table uncontrollably.
Have you ever fucked a guy?
I get a vision of Charlotte’s face if a story ever came out saying I fucked a man. Her family…
“Hey,” Masters says, falling into his seat beside me.
“Hi.” I force a smile. “How’s Bree?”
“Good, good. I saw you all over the tabloids. Dirty bastards.”
I roll my eyes. “Don’t remind me.”
Seb comes into view and waves merrily.
“What’s he so fucking chirpy about?” I sigh.
Masters chuckles as he watches our friend bounce in.
Seb falls into the seat. “Hello.”
“What are you so happy about?” I ask him.
He grins and places his napkin on my lap. “Oh, I don’t know.” He raises his brow.
“Maybe because I spent the weekend in bed with Angela.”
I look at him, deadpan. “Tell me you’re joking…”
“Nope.”
Masters pinches the bridge of his nose. “Jesus Fucking Christ.”
“You fucked your ex-wife’s sister?” I frown.
Seb winks. “Every which way I could.”
I drag my hand down my face. “Are you fucking crazy? You know she’s going to go postal and take you to the cleaners.” I put my hand up for more coffee. “You can say goodbye to Bentley. Should I make this a scotch breakfast again?”
“She’s already taken me to the cleaners, and besides,“ Seb smirks, “it was well worth it. I’ve always had a thing for Angela. Felt good to finally fuck it out.”
I roll my eyes. “Oh God, do not fall for Angela.” I point at him. “I’m warning you.”
“I’m not falling for her, just having some fun. But I can confirm that my suspicions were right and she’s a lot better in bed than her witch of a sister.” He smiles, obviously very happy with himself. “Anyway, what happened with you yesterday?” His eyes widen. “That’s right, your weekend in Santorini. How was it?”
“Perfect.” I sigh. “Should have stayed there.”
“Why?” Masters asks. “Is she pregnant?”
God, I haven’t even thought of that. “She says not. We were at the airport coming home yesterday and she gets a phone call from her brother demanding she get her fucking arse back to Nottingham. So, we went there last night… together. The brother is a total cockhead. He and I end up fighting, and her father is completely gutless. He didn’t say a fucking thing. We leave, Charlotte and I get into a fight, and she won’t speak. She was crying the whole two-hour car ride home. Then she goes to bed alone. I nip down to the bar at her hotel to get some scotch, and Edward, her brother, calls me to tell me that if I hurt her he is going to kill me.”
They both wince.
“Then.” I widen my eyes.
“God, so many thens.” Masters smirks.
“Get this, her bodyguard asks me if I’ve ever fucked a guy.”
They both frown and then exchange looks and then look back to me.
“What do you mean?” Seb asks.
“He asked me if I fucked a guy!” I snap. “Why the fuck would he ask me that?”
“Have you ever fucked a guy?” Masters frowns.
“No.”
“Head?”
“Fuck, no! You know that.”
“Anything dick related?” Seb frowns.
“No! But I laid awake all night worrying that he’d heard something through the grapevine, and now the tabloids are going to make up even more fake news about me and splash it everywhere.”
Their faces both fall as they connect the dots.
“Once you’re reported as ever being with a guy, the whole fucking world believes you’re gay and acting straight.”
“And you think this story is going to come out, and then Edward will officially kill you?” Masters sighs.
“Or worse… I’ll lose Charlotte.” I put my head into my hands. “This whole thing is a disaster.”
“I don’t think it’s that,” Seb says. “I reckon he just wants you to fuck him.”
“What?” I frown. “He’s not gay, Sebastian.”
“How do you know?”
“He’s all buff and big. This is the guy that I thought liked Charlotte in the beginning. He’s not a bad bloke, actually. He’s definitely not gay.”
“Well, my guess is that he’s thinking about sucking your cock,” Seb mutters into his coffee.
“He’s fucking not. Eww.” I scrunch up my face in disgust at the mental visual. “Don’t even say that out loud.”
Our breakfasts arrive, and we begin to eat in silence.
“So, what are you going to do?” Masters asks.
My email pings on my phone, and I pick it up to read it. “First thing this morning, I’m going to cave in Alexander York’s skull.” I open my email.
“Oh, great.” Masters rolls his eyes. “That will fix everything, you have a great chance of keeping her from jail.”
*