Page 148 of The Scandal You Started
Shame, guilt, and regret that they’d been roped in almost made her stop in her stride with a pained sob. But Victor took an urgent step towards her, and her pace automatically quickened.
Rayna collided into him, arms wrapping around his slim waist, and he squeezed her close.
“It’s okay, it’s okay, Rayna. It’s okay,” he mumbled over and over again, cradling the back of her head in his hand.
“V,” she croaked through rough breaths that had nothing to do with how fast she’d been walking. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
He clutched her deeper against himself. “You have nothing to apologise for.Nothing at all.”
No, but she did.
She’d gotten involved with a Study when she knew she shouldn’t have. Maybe she didn’t regret how far she and Dominic had come, but now the Board knew. She’d jeopardised not only her own career, but the careers of the five men who were standing around her. None of whom deserved to be blamed for the choices she’d made.
But worst of all, she hadn’t told Victor herself, and he’d found out from someone else.
“I was going to tell you,” she said quickly. “I wasn’t trying to hide it from you. I—”
“I know, Rayna. I had a feeling.”
She froze, her eyes colliding with Monty’s sympathetic ones over Victor’s shoulder. “You…you knew?”
Monty lowered his gaze as Victor said, “Yes.”
If that had meant to comfort her, it didn’t. It made her feel worse.
He’d been waiting for her to tell him, and she hadn’t. Monty had known too.
“I should’ve told you,” she rasped over the lump forming in her throat.
Victor turned his face and pressed a heavy kiss to the side of her head. “It’s okay. You were going to. And that’s all that matters.”
As he unwound his arms from around her, Dominic asked, “How did the Board find out?”
“They keep a close eye on Studies,” Monty muttered, his expression troubled. “Especially when there’s already a rumour floating around. They were bound to find out at some point. No doubt they already knew. They were just waiting for the project to be completed.”
“What rumour?” Rayna asked hesitantly.
“About what happened in Dominic’s quarantine room.”
Fuck.Fuck. How had she ever thought their relationship could’ve been kept a secret from the Board when everyone had known what was going on since the beginning?
“Is that why you are all here?” Dominic said.
“It’s why Ash and George are here, yes,” Monty answered. “Victor and I are here because we were in charge of your case, and River, because he was working with you.”
Rayna glanced between Ash, River, and George. “I’m sorry—”
“Shut up, Rayna,” George said, a brotherly smile on his mouth. “We’re here to back you up, so stop apologising.”
Instead of looking even remotely angry at being dragged into something that wasn’t their fault, River nodded in agreement, and Ash straightened with a smile.
“I would prefer to keep my job, though, if I’m being honest,” Ash added with a teasing tilt of his head. “But I guess I don’t mind risking it for you two.”
Despite the situation, a half-sobbed laugh broke out of her, and her lips curled in both regret and gratefulness. “Thank you, Ash,” she mumbled.
“Rayna,” Victor then said. “What are you and Dominic hoping for?”
Rather than answering, she stared up at Dominic for the first time since they’d left the farmhouse in a rush. He stared back, his jaw set confidently, as he wrapped his hand around hers in a silent, resolute declaration of love and support.
