Page 110 of Broken Strings

Hawt Goss posted photos of you and Vaughn Burton on what looks very much like a date. They were shared several hours ago, and the headline isn’t good, love.

“Son of abitch!”

Vaughn’s whispered words are filled with barely tampered rage as I quickly type in the website forHawt Goss, the New York equivalent of TMZ but far more ruthless.

FAST-MOVING MANEATER ALERT: NORTH’S MYSTERY LOVER MOVES ON WITH VAUGHN BURTON, NEW YORK’S MOST RECLUSIVE BILLIONAIRE.

The pictures are from earlier, on our way to the damn deli. We’re deep in conversation, but the way they’ve spun it makes it look far from the innocent walk along the street that it was. There’s an image of Vaughn’s hand on my lower back as he steers me inside Luciano’s that seems particularly damning, but Iknowit’s because of the angle the photo was taken from.

I close my eyes, blow out a breath, and look up to find both men’s eyes trained on me.

Alex speaks first. “Silver lining. You can use this as your smokescreen for your name being associated with Rogue.”

Vaughn shoots his friend a withering look, and Alex shrugs. “Why are you looking at me like that, V? I’m trying to make lemonade from these motherfucking lemons you keep throwing my way!”

“Andhow, may I ask, would this make lemonade, DeMarco? It’s bitter, through and through.”

“Thisis how you spin it, Burton. Twist the narrative. Give them what they want, and keep the real story under lock and key. She’s your girlfriend, hence the association with Rogue. Paint a friends-to-lovers story. The media willdevourit.”

“But Caden…” My voice cracks as I trail off. My only concern is for how he’ll take this bullshit. He’ll think I ran from him to be with another man. He’ll thinkeverythingwas a lie between us.

Ignoring Alex, Vaughn turns to me. “I don’t mind what way you want to play this, sweetheart. Just say the word. I told you already. I’ve got your back.”

Vaughn’s words rouse me from the trance I’ve been sitting in these last couple of minutes, and I jump into action. “I need to speak to Caden. I need him to know there’s no truth in this article. I know he hates me right now, but he needs to know I will never keep anything from him ever again. I need—I need…”

I trail off as I dial Caden’s cell number, standing to pace frantically, but there’s nothing. No dial tone. No connection.

It might be off, so I try Jesse’s, and it rings once before going straight to voicemail.

Swearing aloud, I hang up and try Caden again, but to no avail.

Following ten long minutes of trying both father and son, I dial Jesse one final time as Vaughn and Alex converse in low tones on the opposite side of the office, shooting concerned glances in my direction every couple of minutes.

When I hear the beep, I leave a message for my son, keeping the urgency in my voice to a minimum.

“Call me when you get this, baby. I really need to speak with your father. I love you so much.So much.”

Vaughn’s cell rings just as I hang up mine for the final time. He answers it swiftly, responding with single-word answers to whoever is on the other end.

With each second that passes, his expression darkens further. His brows draw together. His lips purse into a straight line. His jaw clenches and tics.

His face is thunderous when he finally disconnects the call.

“There’s been a break-in at your apartment, Summer.” I gasp in shock, my knees feeling weak as Alex helps me stumble into my chair. “My friend, Garth, is an NYPD officer, and he’s over there now. Says the whole place is destroyed, but they’ve got the culprits in custody.”

“Really! Already?”

“Misdirection superfans, Summer.” The severity in his tone, mixed with the concern in his eyes, sends a shiver up my spine.

“Had you been there, I havenodoubt they were out for blood. Garth said they were…there’s no elegant way to put this, sweetheart. He said they were fucking insane, and needless to say, you’re not leaving this building tonight.”

CHAPTER30

CADEN

I’d immediately gottenin touch with Henry. My oldest friend had been more than generous in having one of his company jets readied, knowing that chartering one would have taken more time than I was willing to wait.

Jesse nods off about an hour into the journey while Ford makes small talk with the pilot and flight attendant.

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