Chapter 33
The tears in Pippa’s eyes are like death by a thousand paper cuts.
I know they’re not the first she’s shed over me, and even though I never want to make her cry again, I doubt they’ll be the last while we work through this.
Adeline?
Anger burns through me. I told her what would happen if she hurt Pippa. How the hell do I make Pippa believe nothing happened?
I pull out my phone and stalk back toward my rental house. Dialling Garrett, I fume while the other end rings out.
“Hi, this is Garrett. I’m sorry I can’t take your call …”
“Hey, it’s me. I need your help. Call me back.”
I pace the expansive living room while I wait. Pippa looked how I feel. She’s lost weight, enough that those curves of hers that I love have started to fade.
I’m guilty of doing that to her.
That haunted look in her eyes is all my fault.
Anger ripples through me. It wasn’t enough that I broke my girl’s heart—I trampled on it. And unbeknownst to me, Adeline of all people helped.
Now to deliver on my promise.
By the time my phone buzzes, I am full of rage.
“What?” I snap without looking to see who it is.
“Hey. You asked me to call you back.”
“Garrett.”
He pauses. “Are you okay?”
“No. Do you know anything about Adeline getting in touch with Pippa?”
The silence isn’t welcome.
“She posted a photo on Instagram and tagged Pippa into it. I wanted to talk to you about it, but you weren’t exactly in the mood for talking last time I saw you.”
Holy shit. I warned her—I warned her what would happen, and now I’ll move heaven and earth to do it.
“Mallory wants to kill her. Seriously. She’s that angry. And I almost wish she still had a contract with us that we could cancel. What the hell were you thinking?”
For some reason, it’s reassuring when Garrett reacts that way. He made his feelings clear the night he dumped Adeline as the face of Infinity Drinks, but the anger in his voice just confirms how angry he is too.
“I was in Paris having a drink when she took a selfie before I realised. I warned her not to hurt Pippa with it—I know how that woman’s mind works, but she did it anyway.”
He lets out an exasperated sigh. “How is Pippa?”
“Hurting. We didn’t talk for long today, but she knows I’m here. I broke her, Garrett. It’s up to me to work out how to put her back together again.”
“I’m guessing payback is in order?”
“You could say that.”
He chuckles. “Well, you’ll never guess who Adeline’s been buttering up to work with?”
“Who?”
“Jacob Preston.”
I grin. “You’re kidding.”
Garrett chuckles. “I got a call from him yesterday. After we dumped her, she got in touch with him. She thought it’d make us look bad if she jumped from us to them.”
Shaking my head, I puff out a breath. “We might be in similar markets, but it’s not really comparable.”
“She clearly thinks it is. Anyway, Jacob was considering it because of her profile, and I told him what I thought without telling him about Pippa. But if you call him …”
“I can cut her off at the knees.” I play with my bottom lip between my teeth. “He met Pippa. They got on quite well.”
Garrett hums in agreement. “Give him a call.”
“Thanks, Garrett.”
“No problem. And Deacon?”
“Yes?”
“For what it’s worth, I hope you get your girl back. I don’t know what happened, but you two were great together. She’s good for you.”
“Thanks.”
I blow out a long sigh when the call disconnects. I’ve got a long road ahead of me—one that might just end in not getting Pippa back.
But I have to try.
I pull up Jacob’s contact on my phone and dial. He answers almost immediately.
“Hey, Jacob. It’s Deacon Miller.”
“Deacon? Holy shit.” He lets out a nervous laugh. “I’m surprised to hear from you. Is everything okay?”
I open my mouth before closing it again. Of course he doesn’t know the story behind me leaving, but he will know I left Pippa behind.
“Not really, but I plan on making everything right. And I need your help.”
“Anything. Just name it.”
I suck in a sharp breath. “Have you offered Adeline Walsh a contract?”
He pauses. “Not yet. We’re still talking. Do you have an objection to me working with her?”
“She hurt Pippa.” I close my eyes. “I mean, I know I hurt Pippa, but I’m doing what I can to make amends and get her back. But Adeline purposefully sent Pippa a photo that she knew would hurt her while Pippa was already down over what I did … Hell, I’m not explaining this well.”
“I get the gist. What was this photo?”
“Nothing terrible. I was messed up, ran off to Europe, and ended up in a nightclub. Adeline found me. She sat next to me. She took a selfie of us together before I even realised it was her. I told her to fuck off, and what would happen if she used that photo to hurt Pippa …”
He sighs. “Nasty. I’ve been told she’s a bit of a diva, but I thought that wouldn’t matter. She’s been a part of some really successful campaigns for you. But I won’t sign her if she’s okay with hurting Pippa.”
I let out a sigh of relief.
“I’m not doing this as a favour to you, Deacon. I like Pippa. She deserves better than what you did to her too.”
Scrubbing my face with my free hand, I nod to myself. “I know. I’ll be doing everything I can to make it up to her.”
“That’s a pretty big ask.”
“I’ll tell you the whole story some time.”
He snorts. “You do that. In the meantime, give Pippa my regards. Garrett told me she quit. But if she ever wants a job, there’s one for her with me.”
“Over my dead body,” I growl.
Jacob chuckles. “That’s more like the Deacon I know and love.”
“Thanks, Jacob.”
“No problem. Now, go get your girl.”
When I end the call, I smile to myself. Adeline won’t know what hit her. I don’t care what it takes.
And this is just the start.
There’s one more call to make—one to the lady herself. I want her to know I’m behind this. I want her to know I’m happy to inflict pain on her for hurting my girl.
My phone buzzes with an incoming text. Garrett. A smile crosses my lips when Adeline’s contact pops up.
She’s going to wish she never crossed me.
After dialling her number, I tap my finger on my thigh as I wait for her to answer.
“Adeline Walsh.” She answers the phone so bright and breezy, and I smirk thinking about the message I’m about to deliver.
“Adeline, it’s Deacon Miller.”
“Deacon, it’s so good to hear from you,” she practically purrs down the phone.
Is she for real?“Really? I thought given our last conversation you wouldn’t be so happy to hear from me.”
There’s silence for a moment. “Deacon, I …”
“I told you that if you hurt Pippa with that photo, you were done.”
She pauses again. “I didn’t … I mean, you were out partying and I thought?—”
“You sent it to her?”
Adeline laughs, and it’s like a red rag to a bull.
“I realised you can’t hurt my career. I’ve already been dumped by your company. What’s the worst you can do?”
I smirk. She’s about to lose the plot.
“Well, for starters, you won’t be doing any advertising for Jacob Preston.”
She gasps. “You can’t?—”
“I already did. Jacob likes Pippa. And he doesn’t like anyone who deliberately hurts her. Am I continuing down this path, Adeline? Should I be digging into who else might be interested in employing you?”
“I’m sorry,” she whispers.
“I’m not the one you should be apologising to. If you don’t apologise to Pippa, then I’ll just keep on going.”
“I … I … I’ll call her.”
“See that you do. Goodbye, Adeline.” I disconnect the call and throw my mobile on the table.
To win Pippa back, I have to show her how important she is to me. No matter how long it takes, I’ll do the hard work to prove that to her.
There’s a long road ahead of me, but she’s worth it.