Page 67 of Beautiful Defiance

“Okay, go to your master bedroom closet. The one on the right side of your bed.”

She was inside his bedroom? I rise off the bed and march for the phone. Her palm jams against my chest. I knock aside her hand and glower. She rolls her eyes and points at the bed, mouthing for me to sit my ass down.

Defiant, bossy, and evasive. I return to my old spot on the bed and grouse. Fuck’s sake, why won’t she let me ream out the rich dude for showing a minor his stinking bedroom? Leigh didn’t become an “adult” until a month ago.

There’s silence on the other end, followed by the noise of a door sliding on tracks.

“Are you there yet?”

“Yeah.”

“Is something missing from the top shelf?”

A pregnant pause. Then all hell breaks loose.

“What the fuck? Where are my tapes? I’m coming for you, Leigh.”

Over my dead body will the dude hurt her.

“Don’t worry, your sex tapes are safe.”

“How safe? Those are A-list celebrities I fucked. I signed NDAs.”

Non-disclosure agreements. How do I know what that shit acronym means? My dad’s high-profile clients have him sign one before he takes on a job. He gave me a glimpse into his world when I overheard him speaking to my uncle about it years ago.

“Under the ground safe. In a fireproof safe.”

She tips her head behind her. No way did she bury his sex tapes behind the guesthouse. As though she read my mind, she nods. Remind me not to mess with her. Or make a sex tape. Or sign an NDA.

“Will you help now?”

“Go ahead, ask. But, Leigh, after I do this favor and you return the tapes, there will be hell to pay. If you thought three months in juvie was a walk in the park, what I have planned for you is nothing short of a monster wedgie.”

Her eyes widen. She shoves her fist against her mouth. Too late. Laughter bursts from her, and that’s how I know this Maddox dude is cool and can be counted on to do right by Leigh. He loves the hell out of my best friend girl.

Rewind. We are not friends. Leigh and I will never be just friends. I gave her my word, and I’m good for it.

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