Page 63 of Her Filthy Mistake

There’s no question who the liar is. Who manipulated who. Who’s responsible for destroying people.

Tears stream down my cheeks as my father’s betrayal plays out before my eyes. It’s evil. Manipulative. Disgusting. I swallow hard. It’s not just those things; it’s downright criminal.

I dry heave into the trashcan while trying to wrap my head around what happened and how to respond to the destruction my father has wielded.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Two Days Later

Jace

“Be sure to monitor the VIP room closely. There’s been word underage girls are getting into the club.” Everleigh stands up from the boardroom table as her husband, Victor, winks and places his hand on her back.

“Not so long ago, I remember a young girl who did the same thing.”

“Shut it.” Her eyes narrow as she glares at him. “I’m sure the girls have very good reasons for being here. There’s probably some sexy older guy who’s playing hard to get. But sadly, she’s going to need to get his attention somewhere else.”

He kisses the top of her head. “I’m sure she already has his attention. He’s probably just making sure he doesn’t go to prison or get his ass beat by her dad.”

When they reach the door, Victor turns on his heel. “Hey, man, I forgot to mention I heard your latest track last night. It was amazing.”

“Thank you.” When my feed glitched the other night when Zoe was watching, my heart stopped beating. I went right back live as soon as the internet was solid again, but she wasn’t there. And she wasn’t there last night either. Maybe that’s the sign I need. The sign that it’s time to let go and move on.

Everleigh tilts her head sideways. “Have you thought about my offer to sing at the club?”

“No. I haven’t.” She’d brought it up months ago when I wasn’t singing and assumed it was a placating statement.

“You should. You know we have casinos, clubs, and resorts all around the world. We’d be willing to talk about shows in different locations if you were interested.”

“Absolutely. We’re always up for adding talent to our schedules.”

“Without an agent setting it up?” I don’t even have an agent at this point, and not sure my old one is the direction I want to go.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Victor rolls his eyes. “I don’t care if your agent contacts us or not. That’s not how the world works anymore. If you’re popular enough online, you can skip all the gatekeepers.”

“If you aren’t comfortable with the thought, pretend we didn’t say anything. I don’t want to cause issues with your sobriety. But you’re good.” Everleigh rests a hand on Victor’s chest as my heart thumps wildly in mine. Sing in public again? In large venues?

I mean, these clubs aren’t arenas, but I’m no longer looking for that type of presentation. I’m enjoying the intimacy of singing online, and a couple of thousand-seat locations would be perfect for what I’ve been producing. Holy hell. My armpits are sweating. I pull off my suit jacket and lay it on the back of the chair.

“I don’t know what to say.” Damn it, yes, I do. “Thank you for the offer, and I would love to pursue the idea more.”

“Perfect.” She smiles from ear to ear. “Just wait until you hit one of the resorts for an intimate setting. You can relax all day at the beach and sing at night. This is going to be fabulous.”

“I’ll work up a tentative contract this afternoon. After that, we can discuss locations, frequency, and timeframes. We’re booked solid for this year, but we’re currently working on next year’s scheduled attractions.”

My knees buckle, to keep from falling on my ass, I grip the back of the chair. When I hit my jacket, it slips toward the floor. I snatch it before it hits the ground. Lord. My hands are shaking.

Victor shakes his head. “Babe, it looks like next year you’re going to be looking for a new head of security.” He twists the knob, and they disappear, leaving me alone. That’s when my knees give out for good, and I flop onto the empty chair.

Just like that. I rub my forehead and rake a hand through my hair, after all these years, and just like that. I chuckle and shake my head. This is crazy.

The door snaps open. “What did you forg–”

Shit. Double shit. Zayden stalks into the room, slams the door shut, and crosses his arms over his broad chest. As his gaze rakes over me, his nose crinkles in disgust. “When I left the resort, I didn’t expect you to fuck my sister in an attempt to use her to get close to our father.” My stomach drops to the floor. This is not good. “I don’t take kindly to people who use others for their own gain.”

“It wasn’t like that.” I swipe my hands on my pants and stand. He’s wearing jeans, combat boots, and a skintight black T-shirt, looking like a special ops recruit that’s intent on kicking my ass.

“Oh, it wasn’t, was it?” He stomps across the floor with his hands balled into fists. “That’s not what you said to my sister. You told her that you used her body for fun while your girlfriend was on the island. To get a record contract. What kind of sick fuck does that?”

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