Page 21 of Desire
I shrugged. “Either I’ll take your job offer or do it as a one-off. But you know I want to remain a hard-news investigative reporter with my reputation still intact, so this story better be fucking worth it.”
She rolled her eyes. “You don’t lose your cred because you’re doing TV, Holly.”
“I do not concur.”
“Burt Glass contributes to the Peterman News Hour just about every night.”
Passion made me extend my body forward. “Right, and I don’t believe a damn thing he says. I want to know his goddamn sources.”
“You’ll have a team. A big, beautiful team that’s going to help you dig deeper and faster. Plus, I’ve hired the best researchers and fact-checkers on the planet.”She aimed her finger at me, shaking it. “And you know better than to doubt it if I say it.”
I nodded in agreement. “True.” I twisted my mouth as I pondered her offer. I couldn’t deny that I was excited about working with a team that would help me dig up a story. I had been doing it all by myself, and before leaving for my stay at the Christmas mansion, I’d been between research assistants.I had never been good at hiring them. But Rachel knew how to find diamonds in the rough, which was how she’d unearthed me.
“Okay, I have one foot in the door. You’ll have to divulge your lead on the Christmases to get my second foot over that threshold,” I said.
Rachel studied me scrupulously. “You promise to not take our lead and run if you don’t end up taking the job?”
“I promise,” I said, making sure my tone was sincere. Plus, Rachel had to know I would never screw her over like that.
She leaned toward me as if what she had to say was sacred. “The sexual impropriety that’s been going on in that company is on a scale the world has never seen. I’m talking about withholding paychecks until women sleep with their bosses and actual sex dungeons. Assistantsare cajoled into prostitution for clients and their bosses. They’ve only hired female assistants. Six of the male executives are registered sex offenders. And I heard that the rabbit hole runs deeper than that.”
I’d almost forgotten to breathe while listening to her. Part of me wanted to run out and ask Jasper if he knew anything about what Rachel was claiming. Another part knew that Rachelhad to have proof that even an inkling of the story was true before sending me out to investigate it. But I had to be honest with her before she agreed to assign me the story.
I stared at the door as if I had to make sure it was appropriately sealed. “I have something to tell you.”
She leaned toward me, wearing a curious frown, and that gave me leeway to speak.
“I’ve beeninvolved with Jasper Christmas.”
She nodded as though what I’d just told her was no big thing.
I tilted my head, eyeing her curiously. “You already know?”
Rachel smiled wryly. “Kylie Roberson is the host.”
“Okay,” I exclaimed, throwing my hands up. “She told you?”
Rachel rolled her eyes. “Come on, Holls. Off with the dramatics. We need to break this story, andif you’re close to Jasper Christmas, you’re probably the only person who can stay ahead of him.”
“What do you mean, stay ahead of him?”
“I don’t think he’s involved, but he’s been sweeping his brothers’ and father’s shit under the rug since before he graduated from college. I say that to let you know that he’s fucking formidable. We need to prove this story before the guy they callAce goes into cleanup mode.”
I nibbled nervously on my bottom lip.
She shrugged her eyebrows twice. “Come on, Holls. You can do it.”
I gritted my teeth and groaned. “I don’t know, Rach. He’s impossible, and I don’t ever want to see him again. Plus, he’s marrying Julia Valentine.”
Rachel sighed. “I heard. But their relationship doesn’t ring true to me. And I’ll tellyou why. She was in love with a guy named Octavio Soto, a polo player from Argentina. About six months ago, he was found nearly beaten to death in an alley near Thirty-Fourth. After that, their relationship ended. My sources said that her father, Arthur Valentine, actually ordered the poor guy’s murder because he opposed their relationship. She’s a beautiful girl, and her father always has his eyeson the—” Rachel gasped as she put a hand over her mouth. “Holy grail, Jasper intends to make her First Lady of the United States of America.”
I pressed my lips together and closed my eyes, forcing myself not to cry as I nodded. “I know.” Of course Rachel would figure out their intentions in a snap. She was savvy in that way. She knew how people like the Christmases and Valentines thought.
“Wow, you really like him a lot. I’m sorry, Holls, but men like Jasper Christmas…”
I opened my eyes, happy that I’d staved off the tears. “Have obligations. I know.”
She continued looking at me with sympathy. “Listen, I can put someone else on the story.”
