Chapter 27 #2
Alicia Hunter is flying to London to visit “a friend.” Is she gearing up for a showdown with Isabella at that swanky bar she’s always hanging out in? Find out. $$$
Libby didn’t know which bar Juliana was referring to, but if details like these were already circulating, it was only a matter of time before the truth—however it would be painted—hit the headlines.
“Morning.” Dan’s voice made her jump, and Karim let out his happy little cheer. He ran up to Dan and showed him the mess he’d made with the cards.
“Hey,” Libby said against the crack in her throat. “Did you sleep okay?”
“I slept alone.” The fact that he noticed both warmed her heart and made her wince.
He’s gonna hate me.
“I hope you didn’t work too late,” he said.
“No. I had stuff on my mind.”
Like how you’ll never want to talk to me again.
Dan gave her a little frown, but Karim was babbling on, so he patiently turned back to listen to him, then lowered himself awkwardly to the floor to make patterns with the cards like Karim had been doing. Libby’s heart melted, and her gut winced again.
“What kind of stuff was on your mind?” he asked, the frown between his eyes deepening as he shuffled cards. “Is everything all right? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
She had. A ghost from her past that was now going to wreck her future.
How could he trust me again once he knows?
“Dan…” Unable to watch the crash, she covered her face with her hands.
“There’s something I need to tell you, and you’re not going to like it.
” She took a deep breath and ripped off the Band-Aid.
“You know how you hate reporters who hunt people down for stories? You know how you thought I’d do that to you too?
Well… Oh, god. I’m sorry, but…” She took a deep breath.
“I used to be one of those reporters. I’m not anymore, you’ve got to believe me, but I did things…
” Then all the details of her work with Hot Gossip bled out of her, pooling on the floor between them.
“I’m not proud of it,” she said quickly.
“And I didn’t tell you sooner because I don’t want you to hate me for it. ”
She turned away, not strong enough to see the rage flash across his face.
The disgust. Nor the painful, disappointing fact that if he blew up at her like he’d done that night on Atiu, she’d have to throw him out and never see him again.
Game over. Everything they’d done together.
The fun times. The companionship. The sex. Their work…
And what about Karim? Her baby loved to play with Dan, and that too would end.
Tears burned her eyes as she waited for him to storm out. And good riddance if he did. She’d be mad as hell too, because if that’s what he’d be like, he could go to—
“Libby? Hey.” A hand pressed on her shoulder, and her softly spoken name reached her brain. “Come here.” He pulled her against his chest. “I… I don’t know what to say. Wow. That’s the last job I’d ever imagine you doing, but…but there’s no need to cry.”
Oh, god, she was actually crying now. She hadn’t realized. Embarrassed, she sniffed and wiped her eyes. “You don’t hate me?”
“Of course, I don’t.” He cocooned her in his arms again. “I’m surprised someone like you did that, but don’t be upset.”
Engulfed in his solid warmth, the ache in her chest increased, gripping her. Reviving her. Making her heart beat faster, deeper. Louder. The roller coaster soared. Wind whistled in her hair.
Dammit.
She loved him. He’d captured her heart. He’d become so much a part of her life in such a short time. He was the missing piece she hadn’t known she’d needed to feel complete.
“I’ve searched your name a few times,” he said. “Why is it that no Hot Gossip articles have ever come up?”
“Everyone is kept anonymous, for obvious reasons.”
“And all your content since has been sunshine and rainbows?”
She choked out a little laugh. “Give or take a few about cloth diapers and teething.” She buried her face in his chest, inhaling his sweet and spicy scent.
“Everything you’ve seen of me has been genuine.
Everything I’ve told you, all my beliefs, my aspirations.
They’re all true. If for nothing else, I want to be, I need to be, a person my son looks up to.
I need to be a person I can look at in the mirror. ”
“Yeah, I get that about you.” With another kiss on her head, Dan released her but kept hold of her hands. “Thank you for telling me.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”
“So why now?”
“Well…” Her stomach clenched at having to mention Isabella. “My old boss, Juliana, emailed me. We’ve had no contact for over three years. And now…she’s reached out because she’s seen I’m working with you.”
“She wants a piece of our collab?”
Libby shook her head. “Through you, she wants intel on Isabella. There are rumors in Hollywood that she’s sleeping with Xavier Hunter. Apparently, his wife Alicia is headed for London to confront her tomorrow.”
Dan’s lips flatlined. “What did you reply?”
“Nothing. I’ve deleted her emails and blocked her.” Libby looked at her feet. “Do you know anything about these rumors?” When he didn’t answer, she raised her head. “Dan?”
“No,” he said firmly. His jaw flickered, and his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat. “I don’t know anything.” He squeezed her hands and stepped away. “You mind if I head out for a swim?”
“Um…sure, yeah, go ahead.”
“I’ll be back in an hour,” he said.
Libby watched him go.
That’s it?
She’d been completely honest with him, and he…he hadn’t. He’d outright lied. Effortlessly. If she hadn’t known the truth, she would have believed him.
And that was a scary thing to comprehend.
Shit, Isabella, you bloody, bloody fool.
Expelling another breath, Dan burst to the surface of the lagoon.
It was happening. Isabella was top of the charts, and now, scum like that boss Libby used to work for were going to cut her down.
And as for Libby… He simply couldn’t believe that she used to work for a gossip rag.
His Libby? Sunshine and rainbows. Seriously?
When he’d thought he hadn’t heard her right, the fact that she was so upset about it, so ashamed even, had gripped him.
He hadn’t liked seeing her cry like that.
Of course he’d hugged her—she’d needed comfort, needed to be told it was okay.
Which it absolutely was, no matter how hard he found it to imagine her doing all those things she’d said she’d done.
But as soon as she mentioned Isabella, all his instincts had screamed at him to walk away before he said something he’d regret. Something that would result in Libby getting caught up in the shitstorm that was heading Isabella’s way.
Damn it, Issy, you’re playing with fire…
Dan dove under the water again, bubbles bursting around his ears.
Ignoring the pain in his shoulder and the frustration of his unflexing left leg, he went deeper. Swam harder.
He came up for air.
The roar of the ocean slammed into him like a brick wall. Waves crashed, foamed, and hissed over the reef. The currents tugged him toward the crags and spikes.
Fuck. He’d swum too close!
Adrenaline pumping, he darted back toward the shore, his arms slicing through the water.
His bad shoulder screamed, and the tightness in his left leg was like a shackle.
Shit. He’d let himself get distracted. He’d lost all sense of discipline and control.
Grabbing another breath, he dove under the surface and pushed through the pain until he reached the middle of the lagoon.
When his feet grazed the sandy bottom, he flipped to float on his back and gasped for breath.
Nice work, Lightning Strike. You nearly got yourself killed again.
And all because he’d been too swept up thinking about Isabella.
Just like the day he’d got on that horse.
Why couldn’t he let her go?
Why couldn’t he simply forget? Simply not care?
He’d once shoved Isabella into his past, but she had a way of leaking back into his present. If he let her, would she flood his heart and soul again? Because right now, just the thought of paps hounding her like they’d hounded him churned his stomach.
And if the rumors about Hunter’s wife being on her way to London were true, the media would go to town. Did Hunter know people were onto them? Was he doing anything about it? He must be!
But just in case, Dan had to warn Isabella.
Because obviously he still cared about the woman he’d once loved enough to marry.
And there was nothing wrong with that.