Page 78 of The Passion

Flynn catches me as I’m about to sag to the ground. I lean against his body and look into Harper’s concerned face. I know this has to stop right now.

“I’m not marrying Fulton Anderson because I’m in love with another man who would never disrespect me like he just has.”

Flynn’s arms get tighter around me, and both our breathing accelerates with fury.

“Who the hell are you throwing yourself at now and thinking it’s love? Pathetic like your mother. I thought you would have realized by now there is no such thing as love.”

I know by now Flynn is close enough to hear what he has said.

“I feel sorry for you. You are a sad, old, soulless man.” Tears fall down my face, and as I turn to face Flynn, I say the words that make me feel stronger than I have in a long time.

“I’m in love with Flynn Taylor, and he is ten times the man you will ever be.”

Hanging up on my father, I know I have just lit the fuse to the bomb.

And I don’t care one bit.

Chapter Seventeen

FLYNN

Holy shit, this changes everything.

I expect Felisha to collapse into my arms, but the exact opposite happens.

“Harper, call The Sun and deny there is any engagement between Fulton and me and that there will be no further comment. Then I want to know everything there is to know about that absolute scumbag. How dare he manipulate me like that. I want to bury him.”

She continues to rant, but I’m still stuck on the words “engaged to Fulton.”

“Stop!” I can’t help but yell at both women who have fallen into work mode.

“Flynn, not now.” She speaks to me like I’m one of her staff.

“Don’t you dare block me out. What the fuck was that about being engaged to that leech who was all over you last night. I’ve seen the photos, Felisha, and I didn’t want to start another argument and that took all my fucking strength, so you tell me exactly what your father said. Right. Now!”

I see the moment she recognizes that she needs to include me in this discussion too. I know we are both used to working on our own, but not anymore. That just won’t cut it now.

“Sorry, I know, I just…” She is trying to slow her brain down to explain when Nic and the guys come around the bush too.

“What’s going on?” Nic says calmly but with a concerned undertone.

“My life is falling apart again. Just once I wanted to be with you all and be normal. For fuck’s sake.” Taking my hand in hers, she marches me, with them all following, back to the table where the girls are too.

There is a difference this time.

All the other times when her life has erupted, she has curled in on herself and run to me. This time she is strong and in total control. This not the woman I laid in bed with this morning and shared the joy of a normal day.

“Blaise, can you go and play with Henry down at the stables, please?” Rem is sensing that this will be an adult conversation, and the language won’t be for his ears.

“Yes, Papa.” He skips off down the path to where I can see Henry, Nic’s farm manager, watching him coming toward him, and Nic gives him the signal to keep him there.

“I might follow him. I have a feeling this won’t be a quick discussion, so I will make sure he stays there.” Elouise eases herself up out of the chair and waddles down behind Blaise toward the stables.

“I’m sorry, once again I’ve ruined us all being together. Seems to be a habit of mine. To get you all up to speed, my father has just informed me that he was contacted by The Sun for a comment on my possible engagement to Fulton Anderson last night. When asked who informed them of that, he was told it was Fulton. It might be bullshit, but my gut is telling me it’s not. So, I apologize for how fucking mad I am right now, but I needto make sure this doesn’t make the paper. The Sun might be the trash newspaper, but still, if they are about to run it, then the others will too. I will need to leave to sort it out.”

“I’m going to kill him.” I’m livid and not sure anything would stop me from ending his life if I saw him right now.

“Put that stupid thought right out of your head.” Nic glares at me and then turns to Felisha. “You aren’t going anywhere. Let us help you. We can do it all from my office here. Rem, call Broderick, we need to know what the papers are about to run. Harper, work with Tori. It’s not like we can trust your father’s publicity team to do as you ask right now, so we will handle it. Get statements to every news agency that is running the pictures, already clarifying that last night was a business meeting of two close friends and that the photos were taken out of context. It’s not usual for you to respond, but I think we are best to get ahead of the narrative this time. Of course, only if you agree, Felisha?”

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