Page 43 of Unveiled

“We’ll get it home, boss, don’t worry.” Alonzo interjected. “Blaine is back in town so I can have him swing by if need be.”

“We have to go.” Noah peeled away as his window rolled up. He took several turns, and we popped up to the street level.

The sun almost blinded me. I squinted, looking out my window for any sign of paparazzi. “What do you think they were talking about on TV?” I asked, still focused on the outside.

“I have no idea,” Valentino rested his hand on my leg, “but it didn’t look good, considering.”

The image of us on the screen was a photo of us that looked as if it had been digitally torn in half as if we had split up. I sighed and laid my head back on the headrest. A folder stuck between the front seats caught my eye. I wondered if that was the information about Lindsay. It was just out of my reach, and I was longing to read it. I trusted Noah would reveal everything soon. He had to. Either way, I needed answers.

Later that night, William stopped by to give Valentino some business proposals. They were going over them in the office when I roamed into the room and collapsed on the couch. Tucking my feet under me, I curled into a ball as I draped a blanket over me. Valentino glanced at me and winked. He loved when I came into the office to keep him company. The only time I did not enter was if his Italian friends were visiting and the door closed.

Joseph marched in and perched on the arm of the couch next to me, folding his arms. “I found out what was said about you guys today.”

Valentino brought his hand to his chin. “Oh?”

Joseph nodded. “Apparently someone has been feeding lies and hurtful information to the media about Isabelle and it’s making you look like an abusive shithead.”

Valentino arched a brow, cocking his head. William looked as if he were about to crack up from the remark.

Joseph flashed his palms at Valentino. “No offense, sir.”

“None taken.” He rolled his eyes and shoved his hands into his pockets, clearly offended. Lurching around to the front of his desk, he leaned on the edge. “I just don’t understand how Lindsay could let that happen when she said she was taking care of things for us.”

“That’s because Lindsay is a lying piece of fucking shit.” Noah’s voice carried as he hurried through the door, lips pursed, with a folder in his hand. The same folder that had been in his car. He shoved it at Valentino, then took a step back, crossing his arms high on his chest.

“You have got to be kidding me!” Valentino pushed the papers toward William.

Returned

“Look familiar to you now, boss?” Noah sneered.

“What the fuck is going on, Noah?!” William snatched the document from my lifeless hand.

Was it true?I had no recollection of her.How was this possible? What was Noah’s purpose for this?Shocked, I averted my gaze, blankly staring at the floor as Joseph leaned over William’s arm, watching the papers as he thumbed through them.

“Lindsay Baxter is one of his formerfuckbuddies.” The way the word ‘fuck’ rolled off Noah’s lips made me want to drag him down to the basement, pour gasoline down his throat, and light him on fire.

My raged gaze shot to Isabelle. I opened my mouth, but no words evaded my lips. Exhaling, I ran my fingers through my hair.

Isabelle’s mouth dropped open, and she leaped to her feet. “So, itistrue?” She huffed as she looked at Noah for clarification.

“What do you mean,so it is true?” Confused, I shook my head before glaring at Noah with unreserved skepticism. I did not comprehend any part of what was happening right now or what I saw inside that folder. However, it was slowly hitting me, and I felt the blood leave my face and my body went cold.

Noah stepped over to the door and closed it, then anchored himself next to Isabelle. He crossed his arms as if he were protecting her from an invisible threat… me. Joseph grabbed the folder from William’s hands and flipped through it more rapidly. His expression changed with each new piece of information he discovered.

“There was a reason I couldn’t find anything out about her at first.” Noah fisted his hands in his pockets and directly addressed Isabelle. “She has no prior criminal history and has had a relatively low-key lifestyle.” He then turned his attention toward me, narrowing his gaze. “Except for you, I guess.”

“So, she’s one of your former subs, then.” William groaned. “Fuckkkk.”

“Wait!” Isabelle jolted forward, lifting her hands. “Like one of your former masked girls from the masquerade or like some chick you just… ugh, never mind.”

Expressionless, I stared straight ahead, mentally rerunning everything I had said to Lindsay since she’s been in the house. Then, I silently repeated the events of the annual masquerades before Isabelle, searching for my own answers.

“Valentino,” Isabelle barked, “I’m speaking to you!”

My eyes slowly met hers and I could say nothing. She then turned to Joseph and grasped her hips. “You hired one of the masquerade chicks he paid for sex to be our publicist?” She paced the room and stopped in front of him. “To live in our home and be around us twenty-four seven?” Throwing her hands out to the side, she raised her voice even louder. “Who is now clearly tarnishing our names and leaking information to the media that isn’t even true?!”

William glanced over at me, then exhaled. “Okay, Isabelle, hang on.”

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