Page 60 of Forbidden Desires

I steal a glance at the image—a frozen moment of Brody and me leaving McAllister’s over a month ago, his arm a protective shield around me as we hurry toward his car in the dark of night. My skin prickles. Someone was watching us. How much did they see? “I don’t want to read this,” I declare, dropping it onto the table, the weight of sickness settling in my stomach.

“By this morning, all of Deception Bay will know that there is something going on between the two of you,” Emerson explains, her expression unreadable. Does she hate me?

I swallow the lump in my throat. “So, you all know?” I ask, scanning the faces of the girls for answers.

Mae and Paisley respond with encouraging smiles. “We’re excited for you, honey, but you got some hoops to jump through first.”

“Em?” I turn to my boss, seeking solace in our friendship, fearing the fallout for their business. “Are you here to tell me I don’t have a job anymore?” I whisper through my fear.

Her eyes meet mine, a silent understanding passing between us. “We’re all here to make sure you feel supported in light of this new scandal. Brody and I don’t know who wants to destroy our business, but someone does, and this is just another attempt to get at us. They label Brody in the same category as Daddy and you the woman he’s currently caught up with. Unfortunately, you have been caught in the crossfire. You still have your job with us if you want it, I will support you either way, but maybe it’s best you take the rest of the week off, just until things settle down a little. Brody’s handling the PR nightmare as we speak, but I don’t know what the office will be like this week.”

My mind races, thoughts colliding in a chaotic symphony. I can only assume that’s why he’s sent his sister instead of coming himself. But something in the pit of my stomach doesn’t sit right. “Victor. It was him for sure. He came right out and accused meof sleeping with Brody just yesterday. He told me he was just like his father and I needed to be careful,” I admit.

Mae and Paisley gasp, their exchanged whispers a silent acknowledgment of the gravity of Victor’s accusations. Yet, my attention remains fixed on Emerson. She needs to know what he’s up to. It’s something, I’m sure of it.

She nods, her mind working through possibilities. “Maybe? But this story would have been in the works already. The photo was taken a month ago. Someone was already watching Brody, waiting for him to slip up.”

“Lana, she’s quietly watching us all. Or maybe the two of them are working together; he has lunch with her sometimes, and she’s always in his office. Maybe he’s doing this all for her.”

“How do you know?” she asks, fire in her eyes, seeking answers.

I shrug, the pieces of the puzzle unfolding in my mind. “People tell me things, and Victor likes to talk. I think he gets off on the idea that he’s helping your father somehow by making friends with her. I don’t know. It was a strange conversation, but he is dodgy for sure, they both are.”

“I always knew she was up to something,” Emerson says.

I feel so bad for Brody knowing what he’s going to be up against today. This is his worst nightmare, being compared to his father. I need to see him and make sure he’s okay. I also need to come clean with him about my father and what he expects me to do.

“I appreciate you guys for being here, but why wasn’t Brody the one here to tell me all of this?”

I see the look of empathy on Emerson’s face. “He’s in damage control. He’s been at the hotel since five. I’m sorry, Gisele.”

“I’m sorry too. I’m so sorry this is all affecting you, that’s the last thing we wanted to happen. I understand if you can’t trust me to work for you anymore.”

She shakes her head. “You’re not losing your job over this. You’re the best coordinator I’ve come across, and besides, I like having you around. I’m also thrilled for you guys. I just hope this isn’t all too much for Brody.”

I sigh heavily, already knowing it’s going to be. This is his worst nightmare. It’s the reason he held off acting on his impulses for so long. I already know this is terrible for us. He’s going to block me out again. It’s why he’s not here now.

I make it to The Alexander an hour later. Emerson advised me to stay away for my own good, but I couldn’t listen. I need to see Brody. I have to know he’s okay. This scandal must be tearing him apart. At the front gate was a collection of news cameras, but Noah spotted me and ushered me through. I knock at Brody’s office door, and he calls for me to come in.

“Gisele. What are you doing here?” he stutters out, surprised to see me.

I search his face, looking for the man I have come to know, but he’s nowhere to be seen. In his place is the guy I met on my first day here, his face hardened, serious and cold. “I came to check on you. Are you okay?”

“I’ll be fine,” he grumbles, returning his attention to his computer screen. “You shouldn’t be here. Emerson has given you the rest of the week off. Hopefully, the girls can help you get through today.”

“You told them so I had support?” I ask, confused at his coldness.

“I knew I couldn’t be there with you today, but they can. I’m sorry this is happening,” he huffs.

I move closer to his desk, and I see him stiffen. “I’m sorry too. This is all my fault. You shouldn’t have to be dealing with this scandal on top of all the pressure you're under already.” I search his eyes, looking for what I should do. I’m completely in love with him, and if he tells me to stay and that I’m worth fighting all this for then I will, but I also don’t want to be the reason he and Emerson don’t get their business after all this. “That picture was from before anything even happened between us. We can just deny it.”

He searches my face, giving me a glimmer of hope, then straightens his shoulders. “Take the time off she gave you. Go home and lie low for a few days till I sort this all out.” Part of me hoped he would tell me to stay, that we could weather this storm together. But I can see his protective walls are back up and he’s blocking me out. I don’t know if he hates me because if I stayed away, it would be one less problem for him to have to fix, or if he hates himself because he couldn’t keep his hands off me. Either way, his coldness cuts through me bitterly.

“You’re not him,” I add, seeing the turmoil in his eyes. I don’t know exactly what that article says, but if it’s what I think, then I can only imagine what’s going through his head right now. He must be in a world of pain.

“I don’t need you looking after me, Gisele, you have already done enough,” he says, his words cold, uncaring even. He blames me. My heart sinks.

I look him over, trying to work out what the hell is going on here. My spine straightens as irritation crawls under my skin. “So that’s how it’s going to be. I thought you had your sister come to see me in your place this morning because of the nightmare with PR you would be dealing with. But that wasn’t it at all, was it. You’re too much of a coward to face everyone and tell them what we are to each other because of the way it makes you look,” I mutter, my body shaking with adrenaline.

---