“He wrote to my mother, during their — I’m not sure you can call it a relationship. During their affair, I suppose. Love letters, full of pretty words and promises. Or, they were… until he found out she was pregnant. ”
Knox’s eyes narrow and Chase’s jaw clenches as they wait for me to finish.
“He sent her $800 and told her to get rid of it. Of me.” I swallow, trying to keep my cool. “He said he couldn’t jeopardize his family with…”
“With what?” Chase’s voice vibrates with barely-leashed fury.
I swallow again. “With a mistake.”
“Fucking asshole.” Chase curses so loud I flinch at the sound of it. “If I ever cross paths with him…”
“Chase.” I lay a hand on his arm and wait until his livid gaze lifts to mine. When it does, I make my voice as calm as possible. “He’s not worth it.”
The muscle ticks in his cheek on steady intervals as he fights to control his temper. I have a distinct feeling if he ever runs into Milo West in a dark alley… only one of them will come out alive.
“Ralph has them,” Knox says, calling my attention back to him. “The letters.”
I nod. “And I’m sure he’s already delivered them to every news outlet he can think of. I’m actually surprised he had the patience to wait until tomorrow’s broadcast to ruin my life.”
“This isn’t going to ruin your life.” Chase’s voice is resolute.
“Maybe not,” I agree softly. “But it will destroy my mother’s.”
His eyes cut to Knox. “See if you can find him before he gets to the networks. I’ll call my lawyers, see if they can work up an injunction before whatever they have airs. It may not stop them forever, but it might give us a few hours. I’ve got some favors I can call in, if I need to.”
Knox nods to Chase, glances briefly at me, then turns and heads for the elevator.
“Bye!” I call to his retreating back.
He doesn’t answer as he enters the elevator and pushes a button, but just before the doors slide shut, I notice the skin around his eyes is doing the crinkly thing again and I know, despite his badass-exterior, he’s smiling on the inside.
“Go back to bed, sunshine.” Chase’s voice is gentle. “I’ll call the lawyers. See what they can do.”
“How can they possibly do anything this quickly? And at this time of night?” I ask, incredulous. “It’s past one.”
I see amusement flash in his eyes. “Gemma, my family has had their fair share of indiscretions and interactions with the press. Things like this are the exact reason I pay my lawyers such a shitload of money. You could buy a private island with the amount the Crofts have spent on retainer fees over the past decade to cover up scandals and keep things out of the public eye.”
I wouldn’t touch that statement with a ten-foot pole.
“But they won’t be able to stop the story forever, right?” I ask instead.
“We’ll stop it.”
I wish I felt as sure as he sounds.
I sigh. “All my life, I’ve been hiding from this. And now… the press is going to have a field day. They’ll be like dogs with a juicy bone, sucking every drop of marrow they can get from this story. And if it were just me, that’d be one thing. But it’s going to affect my mother, too. They’ll drag her into it, upend the life she’s built without him…”
“I’ll have a man from my security team watch her. If the story breaks, the press won’t even get close enough for photos.”
“Thanks,” I whisper, meaning it. “But it’s not just that. Milo West…” My tongue feels awkward even saying his name, after a lifetime of resolutely refusing to acknowledge his existence. “He broke her heart. She fell in love with him, had a child for him… and he picked his perfect family over her. She never moved on, afterward. So, having all this ancient history dredged up and thrown in her face… I’m worried it’ll break her heart all over again.”
“And yours?” Chase asks, his tone soft as he takes a step closer to me. “What about your heart, Gemma?”
“You can’t get hurt if you don’t care,” I say automatically, the line well rehearsed after years of telling it to myself. “And I don’t give a shit about Milo West.”
I feel Chase’s fingers lace through mine and squeeze lightly. With a gentle tug, he pulls me close. His free arm wraps around my back and his cheek comes down to rest on the crown of my head, so I’m pressed hard against his bare chest, the steady thumping of his heartbeat strong beneath my ear.
“Sunshine,” he whispers against my hair.