Page 79 of In Too Deep

I smile and bow my head. “I’m so happy. Now, everyone will stop hounding her for the wrong reasons, and hopefully, she’ll have some publicity for the right reasons. Seeing her on the television with all those reporters following her and them accusing her ate me up. I can only imagine what she’s been going through. I wish I was there for her… Ishouldhave been there for her.”

Coby shakes his head and pulls me to face him. “Lacy, if you weren’t here to talk to Anna, she might never have come forward. You needed to be here so this could all come out. Sure, you weren’t by Caro’s side helping her, but instead, you helped her here. She will be eternally grateful for that.”

East pats my back. “For sure, Lace. If it weren’t for you, Anna wouldn’t have said anything. You made this happen. Caro’s innocence is on you.”

Smiling, I take in a deep breath and scan the place. There are hardly any people. Since the conference, there have been people everywhere. I grab the guys, pull them over to the empty area, and yank out my phone. “Let’s make a phone call?”

They nod, and I dial Caro’s number. It rings a few times, and I think maybe she isn’t going to answer when she picks up.

“Oh, hey, it’s you. I thought it was another fucking reporter.”

Wincing, I sigh and hold the phone in between us so we can all hear. “No, not a reporter… but it is me, East, and Cobes. You’re on speaker.”

“Hey, babe!” East calls.

“Hey, Caro,” Coby chirps.

“Hey, guys, it’ssooogood to hear some normal vices for once. If I answer the phone to another reporter, I might actually tear my hair out, and me bald, mmm… it’s not a good look.”

I wince.

East smirks. “I think you with a bald head could be sexy as fuck, babe,” he quips.

She giggles down the line.

The poor girl hasn’t laughed since this shitstorm happened.

“Really? You think so?” she asks as Coby rolls his eyes and East smirks again.

“Hey, you’d rock any look ’cause your face is the sexiest thing.”

Opening my eyes wide, I grin at East. He shrugs.

“Ah-huh… so you’re talking nice ’cause you miss me or ’cause you miss my pussy, big man?” Caro asks, and I burst out laughing.

“Both, but mainly your puss—”

“Okay, serious talk now. Did you see the conference? I mean, by your attitude, it’s obvious you did, but—” I ask as she giggles down the line interrupting me.

“Yeah, it was freaking awesome. I’m so glad that she’s gonna get what’s coming to her.Stupid bitch...” she trails the last words off under her breath.

“They’re saying she may even be in trouble with the police. How cool is that?” I ask, and Caro laughs.

“Sooofreaking cool. I hope she gets arrested, goes to jail and is in cell block nine with big Bertha. She’ll help show her the ropes… if you know what I mean?”

“Yeah, girl!” East encourages, and Coby and I chuckle.

“So you sound okay. Are you… okay?” I question.

She exhales and is quiet for a moment. “I’m okay. I’m not great. I’m not doing cartwheels through the lounge room, but I’m okay. Better now Marta will hang. Having an eighteen-month ban sucks, but I’m determined to come back to it stronger than ever. I’ll be back you wait and see. I’ve wallowed enough, so it’s straight back to training for me. It will be gold all the way. No one will get in my path next time. No one.”

“That’s what I like to hear.” My heart fills with pride as I think of my best friend, my roommate, my sister. She has lost so much, but it has only made her drive stronger, more determined. She’s a fighter, and even through the haze of crap thrown at her, she’s pulled herself through to be a better version of herself.

She is truly amazing.

“Okay, well, keep your chin up and be strong.”

She sighs. “I wasn’t for a while there… I wasn’t strong. I kinda lost myself. But I’m getting stronger day by day. Having you guys and Tuck as my backbone, I candoanything, I canbeanything, and fucking hell if I’m not going to show the world what Caro fucking Hughes is made of.”

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