Page 294 of By His Rule

“What?” I ask, confused. She said there were photos, she didn’t say anything about words.

“Lorelei, please, just…stay off the internet today, yeah?”

I’m already lowering my cell as her voice rings through the line.

I type Kian’s name into my search bar—because why would I type my own? No one knows who I am. But I very quickly discover that assumption is beyond incorrect.

Kian Callahan making the most of his new assistant after hours.

Kian Callahan’s assistant isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty.

And there are more. So many more.

My hand trembles as Tate’s voice continues to fill the air, but I don’t hear a word she says. Instead, I stare in horror at the news everyone is waking up to this morning.

“Kian,” I whisper, tears filling my eyes.

He looks over and instantly freezes at what he sees.

“Get rid of it all, and then call me when you find him. Nothing else is worthy of a call.”

He hangs up, throws his cell onto the bed and rushes over.

“It’s going to be okay,” he says, crawling onto the bed and taking my face in his hands. “King is going to get it all taken down.”

There’s movement elsewhere in the trailer before Wilder comes storming in, and he doesn’t stop. Or at least not until he’s dragged Kian from me and thrown him against the wall.

“What the fuck did you do?” Wilder bellows, getting right in Kian’s face.

“Wilder,” I cry, scrambling from the bed just as Hendrix comes running in.

“Dude, put him down,” he states as I tug at Wilder’s shirt, trying to drag him back.

“He didn’t do this, Wilder,” I cry. “Please.”

Thankfully, my words get through to my brother and he releases his grip on Kian.

“It was someone else,” I explain as I rush to Kian’s side.

“Who?”

“That’s what we’re trying to find out. But I can promise you, I have nothing to do with it. No one has the right to talk about Lorelei like that,” Kian says so fiercely it’s actually a little scary.

“We think it’s my ex,” I explain as Wilder continues to glare at Kian with his chest heaving, ready to fight for me.

I appreciate it. I really do. But Kian isn’t the one he needs to be glaring at.

“Where is he?” Wilder demands.

“We don’t know,” I say softly in the hope of calming him down. “Kian has people looking for him.”

“But he’s here. Do you have people here, Kian?”

“We will find him, no matter where he is,” Kian explains calmly.

“That’s not good enough.”

“Wilder,” I warn.

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