Page 100 of Counterfeit Connection

“How?” I scream. “Tell me how you can fix this.”

“Shhh. Take a moment. Think. I’m going to ask you to do something you won’t want to do right now, and that’s to take all of the emotion out of this and put on your legal hat. With that hat on, what is the first thing we should do?”

I know what he’s doing. He’s trying to give me my power back. I love him for it, but I don’t know if all the injunctions in the world will be able to repair the damage done.

Chapter 31

Kaitlyn

I’ve done nothing but cry and sleep the last forty-eight hours. You’d think I’d be wired with all that rest, but no. I’m exhausted.

If our phones aren’t ringing, someone is shouting from the street outside. Griffin has left a standing order with security downstairs that no one is allowed up to his floor, period, unless they call up for explicit permission first.

And if I’m not sleeping or crying, I’m scrolling through news articles and social media posts. It makes me sick, but it’s like Ihaveto know what’s being said about me and about my family. It’s the only way I’ll be able to shield them from this vicious assault.

Griffin hasn’t stopped pacing. I’ve never seen him so angry, and on top of that, we’ve barely touched since he ended hisconversation with my father and he held me in his arms. Does he think what we have is tainted now the entire universe has seen us together?

Finally, I’ve had enough. I let my phone flip out of my hand face down on the rug. As the phone hits the floor, Marilyn jumps up into my lap on the soft blanket I’ve been wrapped in. This fabric is what I’ve tried to use to soothe myself. Even the first night Griffin and I met, and fought, I always felt like I knew him somehow. That seems to have evaporated and I feel like when the darkness comes, we’re strangers.

I’m staring at nothing, stroking Marilyn’s fur when he plops down on the couch next to me. I don’t have to look at him to know he’s concentrating on the ceiling or the blank television screen in front of us. He’s looking anywhere but at me.

“What could I make for dinner that you’d eat?” he asks.

His words are compassionate, but his tone is my issue. “I don’t know.”

He sighs. “I’m really trying here, Kaitlyn.”

“Are you? Are you really?”

“What is that supposed to mean? You’re existing on coffee and toast. I just want to see you enjoy something, even just a little.”

“Maybe if I didn’t feel like I was in this alone…”

“Don’t do that,” he says, scrubbing a hand over his face. His usual stubble has begun trending toward a proper beard.

“Don’t do what? Tell you how I’m feeling?”

“I wish you would, Kaitlyn, because for the last two days since all of this bullshit started, I don’t know what you’re thinking or feeling besides sadness and hurt.” He places his hand on his chest. “I don’t know how to make you feel better. This is my fucking fault and it’s killing me.”

“I—” My thought is interrupted by my phone ringing on the floor. “Fucking great.” I groan and bend forward to grab it, seeing my sister’s face smiling on the screen, so I answer. “Hi,Gilly.” Thank God it’s a call from her and not the one million and twentieth reporter.

“Put me on speakerphone,” she demands and I comply instantly. She used the mom tone.

“Okay… Griffin and I are both here.”

He leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees. “Hello, Gillian.”

“Look,” my sister starts. “I’m not dim enough to think that you can snap your fingers and make this go away, but there are reporters and cameras crawling all over my street, Griffin. They are trying to get onto my father’s property. My husband has been dealing with this every time he walks out the door. Not only has my sister been violated in the worst possible way, but now our family is being harassed. I don’t care what you have to do… just do it.”

“Wait. Wait. Hold on. I don’t want this for you. I don’t want this for any of you. Has anyone approached you?”

“Do you think Jason would have let them live? His partner, Nathan, has been a saint and he’s been able to get private security going here in Boston. It’s harder on the farm. The local police can’t just place people on the whole property line.”

“Fuck. I’ll have my security team get in contact with Jason and see what they can do. Whatever resources are needed, I’ll provide them.”

“How the hell did you let it get this far? I trusted you with her. How did you fail like this?” she screams.

“Gilly. Enough. This is not his fault. Blame the press. Don’t blame him.”

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