Page 68 of Come Here and Kiss Me

“We can try to conceal them—” one attorney offers, but Mr. Walker quickly interjects.

“The likelihood of that is practically nonexistent.”

“I understand my testimony will not represent me well to the board,” I tell them.

I already know, and I don’t give a flying fuck.

“The result may be a sentencing of a couple of years—possibly but unlikely—for your father and hers. A few thousand in fines and they’ll certainly fight to keep the charges private.”

“Nonconsensual dispersal of pornography is a gross misdemeanor, Ronan. You know as well as I do that there will be little to no consequences,” he adds.

“Legally, I am aware.But her father will be forced to resign in the process.”

“As will you,” Mr. Walker reminds me.“It may not be advisable to take a legal route with this.”

The lawyer in me knows exactly what they’re saying. If I pursue it civilly, I’ll spend hundreds of thousands to get nothing but a public shaming of the two of them while also putting a spotlight on what actually happened. Furthing the public shame Brooklyn’s been receiving. I may not even be able to file charges against her father, given the version he shared edited my likeness out.

The law is as crooked as the government. They go hand in hand. You have to be rich enough to enforce it or rich enough to fight it, but either way, laws aren’t made to keep the wealthy in line.

“The two of them will likely see no real consequence, is what we’re saying.”

“It will be more about the public backlash for you?” Mr. Walker assumes.

“It’s more about doing what’s right for Brook,” I tell them, and I’m hit with the devil’s advocate responses I should have guessed were coming.

“Is it going to be healthy for her?To drag this out publicly?” Mr. Walker questions.

“And what will it look like for you and your reputation? Especially given you’ve separated,” another lawyer adds.

“I pay you money, and you do what I ask,” I tell them with finality as my emotions get the best of me.

“Sleep on this, Ronan. Talk to Brook,” Mr. Walker advises.

“She won’t answer me,” I confess to them, then wish I hadn’t.

Fuck!

It’s quiet for a moment, and I steady myself before telling them I want them to start the paperwork. I will confer with Brooklyn and get back to them on Monday.

“In the meantime, I expect you all will come up with an alternative solution?” I inquire.

The four men nod, each doing a piss-poor job of maintaining a professional expression. Concern is etched into their faces.

I hang up the call without saying goodbye and check my phone again.

None of my messages are being read, so I email her again to call me.That’s it.

Just, “Call me.”

Thankfully, the email hasn’t bounced, so she hasn’t blocked me there yet. I run my hand down my face, hating how I let her go.

What the fuck was I even thinking?

I wanted to protect her.

I wanted to protect myself.

I basically lost for us both.

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