Page 16 of The Renter
“Kelsey, do you feel safe getting out of the car? I’d like to have a private conversation with Dani and my friend Greg. I can call you an Uber.”
“I’m parked just over there.” She gestures before looking at Dani. “I can wait in my car for you,” she says to Dani.
“That’s okay. I’ll make sure she gets home.”
Kelsey gives me a skeptical look, then looks at Dani, who nods. She squeezes Dani’s knee before getting out of the car.She’s a good friend.
“Greg, can you?—”
“What the fuck was that, Adam?” Greg cuts me off, glaring. “You’re supposed to be all ‘eat, pray, love,’ not brawling in broad daylight.” He keeps staring at me. “It’s impossible not to share this with the board,” he adds.
Fuck.The last thing I need is another reason for the board to be upset with me.
“You …” He trails off, and I know he’s thinking about how I haven’t managed my emotions well since I filed for divorce.
“I’m sorry, I really am,” Dani says quietly from the back.
I get the distinct feeling she knows who I am, and I feel violated for … what? Defending her honor? What the hell did I do? I’ve teed myself up for a lawsuit. I’ve put Greg in an impossible position. And for what? To defend Dani Fuckbuddy, a girl I met not even two full days ago!
“Greg, let me handle this. It won’t even be a blip,” I say, trying to sound hopeful. “I promise.”
“Let’s get one thing straight,” Greg says sternly. “Are you sleeping with …” He looks at Dani, confused, “this small-town flash in the pan?”
“Excuse me?” Dani huffs.
“We have slept together.”
“Another fucking CEO nailing the intern,” Greg mutters, throwing his hands up. “Keep the bad press rolling.”
Dani scoffs, and we both turn to her. “I’m not an intern. I do PR,” she says firmly.
“No,” Greg shoots back. “We have a PR firm, and I’m calling them to discuss the next steps.”
“Fucking listen to me!” she yells, catching both of us off guard. “The guy Adam punched … He did really bad things to me.” Her voice is shaky but furious. “I have photos. The cops have those photos. Anyone who sees them won’t question why he got his ass kicked. If you need them to help the narrative …”
“Dani, I’m not going to?—”
“Okay, that’s smart. Are they on your phone?” Greg interrupts.
“Greg,Jesus,” I cut in. “We all need to calm down. I’m taking Dani back to my place to regroup. We’ll have a conference call with the team in two hours.” We exit Greg’s SUV and get into my Porsche.
Greg might kill me, but I need to think clearly and get us out of this mess. I put us in it, after all.
13
We drive silently in his Porsche back to the cottage. My mind is swirling about the situation I got him involved in and how his reaction was so fucking over the top. But now it’s my fault, and he knows I know who he is. That makes me look shady, and this is all so fucked.
As we pull into the driveway, I start crying, unable to find the words to make this right.Why do I attract violent men?Sorin shouldn’t have grabbed me like that, but why did Adam punch him?
“Let me look at you,” he says softly. I try to stop crying as he cups my face with his hands. “You deserve a man who can give you everything.”
This is so not the time for this kind of speech.
“You deserve to always feel safe,” he continues, his eyes piercing into mine. “From what little I know, it sounds like he’s in the past. Promise me you’ll never, ever let a guy like that in again.”
I stare at him, bewildered.What is this bullshit speech?
“You just punched a guy, and now you’re telling me to stay away from men who are bad for me?” I challenge. “Tell me how that makes any sense.”
