Page 81 of Love Thief

Unable to keep her trap shut, Lauren pipes up with, “We recorded the whole thing. A bit of clever editing and you’ll look just like the slut you are. I’ll post it on my blog, watch it go viral.”

I stand and stare at them. “Don’t you know slut shaming doesn’t play well these days? We’re all empowered women, but if you want to turn it into something sordid, just remember, if I’m in the recording, so are you. And who did you have actually recording it? You were all in on it, taking their clothes off, wanting your own shot.”

“Your brother's girlfriend,” Grace says smugly. “She’s with us, and she’s the best director any of us could have ever wished for,” she hisses.

“Who, Amelie?” I play dumb, knowing exactly who they’re talking about, but needing to hear them admit it. “How has she recorded it? Did she and Jackson pop by while I was otherwise occupied?”

“Hardly,” Grace scoffs. “Try Jude’s Isobel. “She hates you more than we do, and she knows an awful lot about you and your family.” Grace finishes with a flourish.

I shrug. “Don’t care.”

“You will when this comes out. Isobel,” Becky shouts over to her.

To her credit, Isobel looks absolutely terrified. She throws a scared glance towards the vans where Jude is standing.

“Show her the recording,” Becky demands.

“I-I can’t,” she stammers out.

“Of course you can. And you’d better, you’ve agreed. You know our terms.”

Blackmail. By Grace. What a woman she’s turned into.

I start to laugh. “I don’t care what you’ve all done. Go ahead and post away. You lot will be old news. Not even a comment on their lives.”

“If anyone is old news, it’s you, Evie,” Lauren snipes at me. “Everyone knows he’ll be bored of you quickly. Get tired of you being tired and fucking old.”

“Yeah, right,” I counter. ”You couldn’t even get in on your own merit. You needed Becky. Age is but a number. You never even registered on his radar, Lauren,” I hit back. But I am so over these women, I can’t even be bothered to trade insults.

But they’re obviously not done. “We’ll be waiting for him to move on,” Grace sneers. “Levi told us he’s getting bored with you already.”

I smile at them all. “Get on with your lives. I know I am.”

“Show her or we’ll tell Jude,” Becky persists, pointing at Isobel. Trying desperately to keep me engaged and worried.

I laugh. “If Jude brought her, he knows how bad she is and doesn’t care. So I wouldn’t hold your breath on the blackmail attempts.” I pause and look around at them all, expecting more theatrics.

“It didn’t work, I couldn’t get it to record,” Isobel finally gets out.

“Looks like your dirty work has backfired.” I smirk at them, shaking my head in utter contempt at their pathetic excuse to hijack an event. “Stay away from me, all of you. Otherwise you might not like how we fight back.” I spin on my heel and strut away laughing. No way am I backing down again. Everyone better start to realise that.

I spy two Greystone men staring at me, and it seems as good a time as any to get some things straight with them, too. “Jonno, stop asking me why, and do as you're told.” I kiss him. “Good to see you, little bro.”

They both look at each other, Jude jumping in first. “Evie.” I stop and look at them. “We love you, Sis. Isobel, she?—”

I hold my hands up to stop him. “None of my business, but don’t involve me again.”

I turn to Jonno. “I might need Fort Knox on the internet after tonight's antics. They’re going to try and spin a tale that makes me look like god knows what. Not that I’m that bothered. But it’s just annoying.” I sigh, looking up to the stars. “Why me?”

“They may be crazy, but you’re insane, baby sis,” Jonno says, looking proudly at me.

I grin at him. “Taught by the master, Obi-wan.”

Chapter

Twenty-Three

KELLEN

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