Page 101 of You Rock My World
Luckily, it turns out an occupation of his domicile won’t be necessary because Dorianishome when I get there.
I find him sitting on the couch—big living room—a glass of bourbon in one hand, the bottle next to him, his gaze fixed on some invisible point in the distance. He looks livid. His jaw is tight, and his shoulders wound up as if to contain whatever storm is brewing inside him.
He looks so scarily mad that I consider turning around, walking back out, and letting him sulk in peace. But then my own anger flares up.
I stride in, arms crossed. “Welcome back. Did you have a nice time on your retreat?”
Dorian doesn’t even flinch. He lifts the glass to his lips, taking a slow sip before replying. “I needed time to think.”
I scoff. “Oh,youneeded time. Right. And I’m supposed to just sit around and wait, wondering what the hell happened? Wondering if you’re okay, if you—” I cut myself off before I say something pathetic, like,forgot about me entirely.
Dorian stands, drink still in hand, and starts to pace. “Ineededto be alone.”
“For what? To get back at your ex-wife in the pettiest possible way?”
The vein in his temple jumps. “Billie came here…” He presses his lips together, gaze flicking to the floor before snapping back up. “…made threats, so yeah, I took her little song and turned it into a half-decent single.”
I let out a hollow laugh. “Yeah, becausethat’swhat this situation needed—more gasoline. And I’m not sure calling Billie’s music small is what you want to do right now.”
Dorian’s grip tightens around the glass, tension rippling through his forearm. “What the fuck do you want me to do, then?” His entire torso coils up as he hurls his drink across the room. Some of the bourbon slashes through the air in an amber streak until the glass shatters against the far wall in a violent explosion of liquid and shards.
I freeze, my lungs locking, but not out of fear or anger. Because for the first time since I walked in, I understand what’s happening. His reaction isn’t rage. Or his usual knee-jerk defiance against Billie’s bullshit. Dorian is panicking.
As he looks at me now, his breath unsteady, his chest rising too fast in sharp, uneven pulls, his eyes are filled with fear—sheer, unfiltered, andhelpless.
And that terrifies me more than shattered glass.
I take a step forward. “For starters, you could calm down andtellme what happened.”
Dorian drags a hand down his face and meets my eyes. “Billie showed up here with a folder full of pictures.”
“Pictures?”
“Of you.” His jaw flexes. “Of where you live, where you work,” he continues, voice tight, controlled, like he needs to keep a leash on it or it’ll unravel. “Of you taking Penny to school.”
My heart turns into an ice stone in my chest and the blood freezes in my veins.
Dorian hesitates, his throat working like the next words are physically painful to say. “She had pictures of Lily, too. Of your mom’s house. From Thanksgiving.”
The room tilts. I drop a hand on the nearest wall to steady myself, but everything inside me is collapsing, crumbling under the weight of this revelation.
“My family?” I choke the words out. “She has—sheknows?—”
“She’s threatening to leak it to the press.”
I gasp but can’t get enough oxygen in my lungs. Fear uncoils inside me, slithering around my wrists and ankles like invisible restraints, squeezing my ribs, pressing icy fingers against my throat.
I take a staggering step back. “And knowing that, youprovokedher?” I raise my voice as my pulse pounds in my ears. “You still went ahead and madethatfucking song?You had no right.”
The accusation snaps out of me, sharp and vicious, and I don’t even care that I’m yelling.
Dorian’s face drops. “I’m sorry, I?—”
“I can’t do this,” I cut him off, my throat tight. My vision blurs as hot tears prick at the edges. “It was one thing when it was just me and my job on the line, but Lily? Penny?” My breath shudders. “Icannotdrag my sister into this.”
“Josie, the press won’t be interested in Lily. And there are laws to protect Penny, she’s a minor, I checked with my lawyers.”
“What of Billie’s fans? Can you guarantee that if your ex plays the wronged woman on all her socials, they won’t harass me or my family? All it takes is one unhinged follower.”
