Page 72 of Beautiful Storm

“Byaccident?”

“Yep. I was curious about what else she’d directed and…it doesn’t matter. Point is, we are a football team, full of players, and I don’t mean the football kind. Of course we’re going to find out the consequences of breaking the off-limits rule. It’s just a matter of when. I mean— Wait.” He cuts himself off as his eyes widen, his gaze bouncing between me and Amelia.Here it comes. “She’smarried.”

“Is she? Maybe she’s recently divorced.” I shrug, keeping my face straight.

“When exactly did you sleep with her?”

“About four months ago.”

“Four months? But—”

“I willnotcalm down!” a voice yells from behind us, cutting off Reed as we both spin to find Amelia’s douchebag colleague, Jake, storming toward where she’s now talking with Tom. “I told you she wasn’t the right person for the job,” he snaps into his phone and my body tenses. “I need to end this now. She should be fired.”

Reed’s eyes bore a hole in the side of my face, but I ignore it, my gaze locked on Jake as I listen in on his not-so-private conversation. I’m about to follow him when he hisses his next words, making me pause.

“She’spregnant,Patrick. I’m not the one in the wrong.”

Jesus Christ.How the hell does he know?

My eyes scan the field to check if anyone else was listening, but other than a few random people that wouldn’t know who he was talking about, everyone else is distracted by the media. Themedia.Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.This is the worst possible time for him to be here.

My fists clench just as Reed grabs my arm, not that I acknowledge him, my eyes staying firmly locked on Jake as he moves toward Amelia.

“You slept with her four months ago?” he asks, putting two and two together.

“Yep.”

“Shit. That doesn’t mean anything. He might be wrong and—” I don’t wait for him to finish his sentence before taking off after Jake, an irrational anger welling up inside me as I push through the crowd. I knew this guy was a dick, but if he thinks he’s about to publicly humiliate Amelia, he’s got another think coming.

I reach out to grab the back of his shirt when someone pulls me to a stop, making me turn in anger. “Don’t,” Reed whisper-yells, his voice curt.

“Let go of me, Reed,” I grate, my teeth clenched as I try to subtly pull away from him.

“Wait,” he says, his gaze shifting over my shoulder.

If he thinks I’m going to let this play out—

Reed lets go of me and pushes me behind him before rushing to Amelia’s side. It takes me a second to register what he’s doing, but when I reach them he’s waving a hand in front of Tom’s face, trying to get his attention. “I’m aware that you barely know me,” he says, his voice low to avoid attention. “But I’m here to tell you that if you don’t silence what this asshole is about to announce, we’re all walking.”

“Excuse me? Who the… Jake?” Tom’s eyes find Jake’s and his brows furrow. “I thought I said you weren’t to come back here.”

“You did. But Tom, you’re going to want to hear this.”

Tom’s eyes flash to Reed as Jake opens his mouth. Reed stands tall with his arms folded over his chest, his bulging muscles clear through his shirt and his huge frame making him appear a lot more trouble than he is.

“Stop,” Tom yells, his tone so final that I jump. “Whatever you have to say, Jake, you say it in private.”

“But this affects everyone here and—” Reed spins around as I step in, pulling Jake back before getting in his face. I’m closeenough to show him I mean business but not so close that I touch him. I wouldn’t put it past him to pin me for assault. “Say another word,” I grate, my anger rising now that I’m staring at his smug face. “I dare you.”

Jake freezes, his gaze lifting to find Tom over my shoulder. “Are you going to let this happen?”

“You need to leave, Jake.” Tom keeps his voice even but it’s obvious there’s no room for argument. “Meet me at the office. We’ll talk there.”

“Tom—”

“Go!”

Jake shakes his head before walking away with a huff, and it’s then that I register how tight the tension is coiled through my body. My muscles relax the farther he gets from Amelia, but I don’t unclench my fists until he’s reached the edge of the field. My body heaves as I turn to check on her, but when he calls out again, I freeze.

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