Page 85 of Defy

She couldn’t honestly believe that I was gullible enough for this bullshit.

“Considering our age difference and that relationships like ours are new to her, there are bound to be bumps in the road. We’ll work it out.”

“Perhaps someone closer to your age wouldn’t keep childish secrets.” Her fingers caressed up my bicep.

Deciding to play her game, I allowed her to keep her hand where it was.

Although if Sophia saw her touch me, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind she’d come over and grab her by the hair and yank a chunk out.

“I’ll let you know if things don’t work out. For now, why don’t we go into the office I am using, and you can fill me in on this secret.”

She glanced at the room with the group and then nodded. “Lead the way.”

Once inside the office, I closed the door and leaned against it.

Henrietta went to the desk and hurried on top; I could only stare at her.

She braced her palms on the wood beneath her and tilted her chest as if she were offering me her breasts.

If I weren’t so curious as to what she had to say, I would have told her to get the fuck lost.

This behavior seemed a bit over the top, even if her attraction was genuine.

“You were saying?” I probed, ignoring how she ran a fingertip down the open collar of her shirt and between her cleavage.

“Your precious Sophia Morelli is damaged goods.”

A throbbing headache flared to life in the back of my head.

All the information she had about Sophia came from one fucking source.

Keith Randolph.

The fucker had used the exact phrase when he’d spoken to me. As far as I knew, no one else had ever described Sophia in that way.

What did she gain by spreading this narrative? My guess pointed to one very likely conclusion. She was neck deep in framing Sophia.

But why?

I stood, taking a step toward her. “Fill me in on what you mean. We aren’t living in the Victorian era. Women are allowed to take lovers.”

“Is it acceptable to use it as a means to further their careers?”

“I’m not following?”

“How do you think she became an elite model?” Henrietta shook her head and then gave a dramatic sigh. “She slept with all the top designers to walk the shows. She started with Keith, and then when he broke it off, she accused him of rape.”

Everything inside me wanted to choke the life from the woman before me for uttering those lies. Randolph Senior buried Sophia’s assault and harassment complaints, and then, ultimately, no one ever looked into them again until recently.

This was another incident where only Randolph could have given her the information.

“Why do you care what anyone thinks about Sophia?” I asked when I was within touching distance of Henrietta.

A flush crept over her cheeks, and she parted her legs as if expecting me to step between them. It disgusted me to know I in any way aroused this woman.

She was a predator who wanted to hurt Sophia.

“Women like her don’t deserve men like you.”

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