Chapter 65
AUSTIN
Ipulled up in front of a modest apartment building in the East Village, the engine idling as Cash and I sat in tense silence. The street was quiet except for the occasional pedestrian hurrying home.
I was nervous. I couldn’t remember the last time I had been nervous.
Actually, I could. It was when I was going to Melody’s place for coffee after we’d been apart for a few weeks.
In fact, the only time I could really remember being nervous was when it came to Melody.
She was the most important person in my life.
I got nervous because I couldn’t imagine my life without her.
“You sure she’s coming?” Cash asked, checking his watch for the third time in as many minutes.
“She said she would.” I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, nervous energy coursing through me. “Cleo doesn’t back down from a fight.”
“Neither does Melody, apparently,” Cash said. “That post she made today? Brutal.”
I had seen it. Everyone had seen it. Melody in that leather jacket, looking like she could chew nails and spit them out. The caption about knowing your worth. The hashtags that made it crystal clear she was done with me.
The woman looked like she was ready to kick some serious ass. I was digging the leather. It was hot. Sexy as sin. And made me think about the many leather outfits I hoped to see her in someday.
My phone had been blowing up all day with texts from friends, acquaintances, even a few reporters asking for comments.
The narrative was already forming. It was exactly what we had expected.
Austin Bancroft, the reckless playboy, had finally pushed away a good woman.
Melody was the hero of the story, walking away with her head held high.
It was perfect. And it was killing me to see the comments calling me every name in the book when all I wanted to do was tell the world how much I loved her.
But at least Melody wasn’t getting dragged. That was my main concern. She had come out on top. If anything, she was getting a huge boost in popularity. I was more than happy to take the hit in the eyes of the public if it worked out well for Melody.
“There,” Cash said, pointing. “Is that her?”
The building’s front door opened, and Cleo emerged.
She wore all black like she was a cat burglar.
Black jeans, black leather jacket, black boots.
Her purple hair was pulled back in a high ponytail.
I was pretty sure she was enjoying her little mission.
She spotted us immediately and strode over, pulling open the back door and sliding into the seat behind Cash.
“Alright, boys,” she said, buckling her seatbelt with a decisive click. “Let’s do this.”
I pulled away from the curb, heading toward the restaurant Summer had chosen.
It was an upscale place that was a hotspot for the young elite.
It was a place to be seen, like showing up at the Grammy awards or some big movie premiere.
She knew people would see them together.
It was only going to fan the flames of her story.
Cash pulled out his phone, scrolling through social media. He let out a low whistle.
“What?” I asked, keeping my eyes on the road.
“The comments on Melody’s post. They are not kind to you, little brother.”
“Let me guess. I’m a bastard who never deserved her?”
“That’s the gentle version.” Cash scrolled some more. “There’s a whole thread analyzing every photo you two ever posted together, claiming they can see now that you never really cared about her.”
My hands tightened on the steering wheel. “People see what they want to see.”
“True. But for what it’s worth, she looks incredible. That leather jacket is badass.” He paused, glancing at me. “I mean, it’s a good photo. Very empowering.”
“Watch yourself,” I warned.
Cleo leaned forward between the seats, grinning. “You know what? Maybe you’re not so bad, Austin. I like how you come to the rescue of my best friend. Very knight-in-shining-armor of you.”
“I knew you’d come around to me eventually. People can’t help but love me.”
“Don’t get too cocky. My bestie is in this mess because of you.” Her expression turned more serious. “The jury’s still out on whether you’re worth all this trouble.”
Cash chuckled. I glanced at him. He seemed relaxed. More at ease than I had ever seen him. I supposed he was glad I was getting scorched on the internet. He had gotten our father’s wrath and now I was getting it from the keyboard warriors. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing. I just like Cleo’s honesty.” He turned in his seat to look at her. “You don’t pull any punches, do you?”
“Life’s too short for bullshit,” Cleo said. “Speaking of which.” She pulled out her phone and started scrolling. “Austin, have you seen your dedicated hate account lately?”
“His what?” Cash asked, frowning.
“The paparazzi Instagram account. The one with all his worst photos.” She held up her phone, showing Cash. “It’s comedy gold.”
Cash took her phone, his eyebrows shooting up as he scrolled through the posts. Then he laughed. “Oh my god. Is this really you?”
“Which one?” I asked, trying to see the screen without crashing into another car.
“The one where you’re coming out of a club at four a.m. with your shirt inside out and your shoes in your hand.”
“That was one time and I had a drink spilled on me. I took off my shirt to rinse it and then dry it under the hairdryer. I put it on inside out.”
“And this one,” Cash continued, scrolling. “You’re photobombing someone’s engagement photo in Central Park. You look completely unhinged.”
Cleo was giggling now, leaning over to point at the screen. “That’s one of my favorites. And look at this one. He’s trying to get into the wrong car. The driver looks terrified.”
“I was drunk,” I protested. “And it was a black SUV. They all look the same.”
Cash was damn near cackling now as he scrolled through more photos.
I had never seen my oldest brother look so completely unguarded, laughing at something genuinely funny instead of maintaining his usual controlled demeanor.
I would have expected a long lecture for those pictures. Maybe he would scold me later.
“This account is incredible,” Cash said, wiping his eyes. “Who runs it?”
Cleo and I exchanged a look in the rearview mirror.
“That’s classified information,” she said primly.
“Cleo runs it,” I said.
“Snitch!” She smacked the back of my seat.
Cash turned to look at her with something like admiration. “You made this? The captions, the commentary, all of it?”
“Someone had to document his crimes against fashion and common sense,” Cleo said, but she was smiling. “It started as a way to blow off steam when I was mad at him for hurting Melody. Then it kind of took off.”
“It has eight hundred thousand followers,” Cash said, still scrolling.
“Eight hundred and twelve thousand, actually. We gained two thousand just today after Melody’s post went viral.”
They spent the rest of the drive trading the phone back and forth, finding the worst photos and laughing at my expense.
I should have been annoyed, but honestly, it was nice to see Cash loosening up.
And Cleo seemed to be warming to him, her usual sharp edges softening as they bonded over humiliating me.
We pulled up a block away from the restaurant. The mood in the car shifted immediately. The laughter died away, replaced by the tension of what we were about to do. I hated that it had to happen like this, but it was the best plan we could come up with.
“Okay,” Cash said, his professional demeanor sliding back into place. “Let’s review the plan one more time.”
“Melody goes in, meets with Summer,” Cleo recited. “She stays on the call so we can hear everything. She gets Summer to admit on record that she’s fabricating parts of her story and trying to manipulate Melody into joining her takedown of the Bancrofts.”
“Right,” Cash continued. “Austin and I have the legal team on standby. Once we have the recording, we submit it as evidence for the injunction. If Summer tries to go forward with her expose tomorrow, we can prove she’s acting in bad faith and potentially have her charged with extortion.”
“And Melody stays safe,” I added. “That’s the most important part.”
“Obviously,” Cleo said, rolling her eyes. “You think I’d let my bestie walk into danger without backup? I’m still pissed I can’t sit there with her. I’d really like to look this Summer chick in the eyes. I don’t like her fucking with Melody. She’s trying to use her and that is not cool.”
I nodded. I felt the same way, but I trusted Melody. She was strong and she wanted to do this for me. She wanted to protect me, which I thought was very cool. It made me love her even more.
My phone rang. I glanced down and saw Melody’s face. I answered immediately, the call connecting through the car’s Bluetooth.
“Hey,” her voice came through the speakers. “I’m here. Just got seated.”
I could hear ambient noise in the background.
“How are you feeling?” I asked.
“Nervous. But ready.” She paused. “Summer’s not here yet. I’m at the table she reserved. Very dramatic of her.”
“That’s Summer,” Cash muttered. “Always about the dramatics.”
“I’m going to leave the call connected but put my phone face down on the table,” Melody said. “That way you can hear everything but it won’t be obvious.”
“Good,” I said. “We’re right outside. If anything feels wrong you let us know.”
“Pineapple!” Cleo shouted from the back seat.
“Pineapple?” Cash and I asked at the same time.
“I know. I’ll get out of here.”
“What the hell is pineapple?” Cash asked again.
“It’s our secret code word,” Cleo said. “When Austin stole her away, we had a code word just in case.”
“You thought I was actually going to do something?” I asked incredulously.
Cleo shrugged. “One can never know.”
Cash snorted. “Smart girl.”
“Melody?” Cleo leaned toward the phone. “You’ve got this, babe. Show that bitch what you’re made of.”
Melody’s laugh came through the speakers, warm and slightly shaky. “Thanks, Cleo. Wish me luck.”
“You don’t need luck,” I said. “You’ve got us.”
Through the windshield, I saw a familiar figure approaching the restaurant entrance. It was Summer in a designer dress and heels that could double as weapons.
“She’s here,” I said. “Summer just walked up.”
“I see her,” Melody confirmed. “Okay. I’m putting the phone down now. Don’t hang up.”
“We won’t,” I promised. “We’re right here, baby girl. You’re safe.”
There was a rustling sound as Melody placed her phone down, and then the audio became slightly muffled but still clear enough to hear.
“The only one who isn’t safe is Summer,” Cleo said, her voice hard. “Bitch better watch her six for messing with my bestie.”
I watched Summer enter the restaurant, and my whole body tensed. This was it. Everything we’d planned came down to the next hour.
Cash had his phone out, already recording the audio feed as backup. Cleo was leaning forward between the seats, her eyes fixed on the restaurant entrance like she might will herself inside through sheer determination.
I sat there listening to the ambient sounds coming through the speakers as Summer made her way through the restaurant to the reserved table.
“Melody! Oh my god, you look amazing. I love the outfit.”
“Thanks,” Melody replied, her voice calm.
More rustling. The sound of chairs being pulled out.
A server’s voice offering drinks. I held my breath, waiting.
This was going to work. It had to work. Because if it didn’t, Summer was going to destroy not just me and my family, but the woman I loved.
And that wasn’t an option I was willing to accept.
“So,” Summer said once the server left. “Tomorrow is the big day. Are you ready for this?”
Come on, Summer, I thought. Keep talking. Give us what we need.
“I’m ready,” Melody said. “But I want to make sure we’re on the same page about everything. Tell me again how this is going to go down.”
Perfect. Melody was perfect.
In the back seat, Cleo whispered, “That’s my girl.”