Page 133 of Red Flag
He grunted as he spilled inside me, then turned me around and kissed me softly. “Seeing as we’re going to Florida after our two weeks off, I thought we might go early and celebrate your birthday. We can go on the roller-coasters.”
He knew I was a thrill seeker. I had to be, to be with him.
But my voice cracked as I said, “Sounds great. I… I need to clean up.”
He blinked as I walked past him and into theensuite, closing the door behind me.
“Livie, are you okay?” he called after me. “Sorry, I should have started with a ‘how have you been’ and not tearing off your clothes.”
I splashed my face with water. There wasn’t a way around it.
I patted my eyes so if real tears fell, it wasn’t so obvious. The knot in the back of my throat tightened.
When I opened the door, he stood there, eyebrows drawn together. He didn’t say anything as I pulled my jeans back on. He remained naked.
“Livie,” he said and brushed my hair back from my shoulder.
The water was a feeble attempt, the tears were clear in my eyes. “I’ve done something stupid.”
He wiped at my eyes.
“But I’d do it again,” I swore. “For you.”
“For me?” he asked, taking my hands and pulling me to the bed where he sat. “What’s happened?”
I pulled my bottom lip into my mouth, wishing I could bite off my tongue to never say the words. Unable to look at him, I closed my eyes, feeling his thumbs stroke the back of my hands. “A journalist called me. A story about you shipping drugs usingStormSprintand I… I sold them a different story. A story I had proof for.”
Through my squint, I checked for his reaction. He was still stroking my hand, looking up with concern.
“A story where I had photographic evidence. One whereIdidn’t sign anNDA.”
His strokes slowed.
“Please don’t make me say it.”
He looked away, his blinks more frequent as his touch stilled. Then he dropped my hands. “You’re going to have to,” he said, his voice darkening.
“You know it,” I said, openly weeping now. “You know what it was.”
“Say it,” he said through his teeth. “Say it right now.”
I swallowed, trying to blink away the tears. “I sold the story aboutCallyMendes… and your affair.”
He jumped up and started to pull on his clothes.
“Please,” I begged, stepping closer to his back. I wanted to reach out to him but my hands fell at my sides. “It doesn’t mention you. They have no idea it was you. Anything incriminating at all I didn’t give them, not the picture of the car, not the—”
“After all this time, do you think I care what they say aboutme?” he roared.
My breaths broke from my chest. “I know it was for her, I know it was all for her, that you have some kind of feeling—”
“Don’t you dare make this a jealousy thing!” he shouted, stepping towards me. His shorts were on, but he was still topless. “She’s going through hell right now because ofme!Livie, if you did this to get back at her—”
“No!” I cried, throwing myself at him and holding onto his arm. “It wasn’t that. I know what’s right and what’s wrong, I wouldn’t ever… Please, Nix. It was you or her. And I picked you. Of course I picked you.”
“You know the difference between right and wrong?” he spat with a laugh, pushing off my grip. “You clearlydon’t.”
“I do know the difference! It’s the hardest decision I have ever made,” I said, wiping away my tears. “Ever. But I did it for you! I did it to save your career. To save what you love most!”
