Page 165 of Scandalous

“Looks like you boys found yourself in some trouble,” the older man says.

“What can we do?” I ask, feeling helpless.

“There is nothing you can do. My team and I are about to send out a cease and desist and get it taken down. Then we will find out who sold it to the outlets. Revenge porn is a serious matter here in the States nowadays,” the lawyer reassures us.

“How bad is this for all of us?” Drake asks as he sets his phone on the counter.

I watch as he pulls Liam into his arms and holds him. A serious case of envy hits me.

I wish someone was holding me together right now.

“For you guys? This will blow over like it’s nothing. Men typically get pats on the back for this type of shit. Miss Blake though? She has a battle on her hands. They are already dragging her through the mud.”

“Do whatever it takes to catch this bastard,” I hiss.

“We will. I’ll reach out when I have something for you,” Saul says before hanging up.

“What now?” Liam mumbles.

“Now we fucking pray this hasn’t hit Ror or Ezra yet. This is the last thing they need today.” Drake shakes his hand.

For some reason, I have a feeling that that’s asking for too much.

Thirty-Seven

“What is this called again?” Ezra mutters under his breath as he pokes at his plate.

“Funeral potatoes. It’s basically just cheesy hash browns.”

“Are they really appropriate to serve at a funeral?” he asks, raising a brow.

“Wouldn’t be a funeral without them,” I confirm as I take a bite.

I have to stop myself from laughing as Ezra slowly brings his fork up to his mouth and takes a bite. He chews slowly, not giving anything away.

“Not terrible.”

“Told you.” I chuckle.

“How are you holding up?” Ezra asks at a moment of silence.

“I’ve been better.” I shrug. “It’s just weird being here. I’ve always known that I’m not meant to be here, but it feels especially noticeable now.”

I look around the room, making eye contact with people who are already looking our way. Pushing away my plate, I sigh. The funeral was awkward. The pastor droned on and on. My family and the town sat there, soaking up every word he said. The more he talked, the angrier I became. My uncle wasn’t a religious person. The service was nothing like he would have wanted.

“Are you done?” Ezra asks as he stands.

“Yeah, let’s go outside. I need some fresh air.”

We pick up our plates and drop them into the trash on our way outside. Pushing open the door, I tilt my head back and let the sun hit my face. Ezra places his hand on the small of my back and urges me forward and out of the way.

We stop underneath the oak tree and he pulls me into his arms. He doesn’t say anything as I rest my head on his chest. The anger starts to fade, but the bone-deep exhaustion kicks in.

I can’t wait to meet back up with the guys. I hope they are okay.

“I won’t miss everyone staring like they do here,” he murmurs, making me laugh.

“Tell me about it.” I sigh. “Which is kind of sad if you think about it, considering our lives are on social media.”

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