Revived (Revved #2)

“No way am I deleting it!” Andrea laughs. “This one is going in my personal spank bank, and I’m putting it up on Facebook. The amount of likes I’ll get with this will be awesome. I’ll be a fucking celeb among my mates.”

“Are you for fucking real?” I move toward her, but Carrick catches my arm, pulling me back. “I have a fucking girlfriend. And you have a boyfriend!”

“He won’t care.” She shrugs the words off. “If he even notices, then he’ll be impressed that I managed to get a kiss from you. You’re his hero. He loves watching you race. You’re the reason we’re here.”

This woman is crazy. “You’re insane. You and your fucking boyfriend. Now, delete the fucking picture.”

“No.” She lifts her chin in a defiant manner before putting her phone in her clutch.

I grind my teeth in frustration. “I’m not asking you. I’m telling you. Delete that fucking picture.”

She lets out a laugh. “You can’t make me. Actually…” She taps her finger to her lips. “A pic like this and you having a girlfriend. I bet I could make a mint, selling it to a tabloid.”

I actually growl.

“Let her sell it,” Carrick says from beside me. “All that matters is India knows the truth. Tell her what happened, so she expects to see it. I was here. I can vouch for you.”

Ignoring Carrick, I step toward Andrea, and she takes a step back.

“Delete the fucking picture,” I repeat in a low, menacing voice.

“Fuck you.” She turns on her heel and starts to walk away from me.

“You’re a fucking bitch!” I yell to her back, losing my cool.

Stopping, she turns back, a smug smile spreading across her face. “You’ve just doubled the money I’ll get with that comment.” She wafts a hand at the people who are watching our exchange. “You’re my witness, right, Bev?” She nudges her friend.

“Yeah.” Bev lifts her chin. “I heard everything. How he tried to hit on you and then called you a bitch when you turned him down.”

What the actual fuck?

I shouldn’t be shocked, but I am. I guess I’ve gotten used to being around India and how much of a good person she is that I’d forgotten what fucking bastards people could be.

“And you”—I point a finger at Bev—“you’re a fucking cunt. Use that to quadruple your money, you pair of soulless bitches!”

Andrea gives me the middle finger, and then they’re both walking away.

“Nicely played.” Carrick’s hand lands square on my shoulder. “I thought you handled that really well. I specifically love the soulless bitches line.”

“Fuck off,” I grunt, shrugging off his hand.

He laughs, loudly. “It’s a good thing you are retiring. Keep this kind of shit up, and you wouldn’t have a fucking career left. Come on, old man. Let’s finish our beer, and then you can call India and tell her what happened.”

I’M RELAXING IN MY BATH, sipping on my wine, Adam Levine telling me “It Was Always You.” Well, not me specifically, but a girl can dream, right?

Then, my phone starts going crazy. When I say crazy, I mean, a quick succession of texts come through, and my phone starts ringing at the same time.

I reach a hand out of the tub, quickly drying it on the towel hanging on the rail by my head, and grab my phone off the floor.

I don’t recognize the number, but it’s a local area code, so I connect the call. “Hello?”

“Am I speaking with Dr. Harris?”

“You are. Who is this?”

“My name is Sally, and I’m an operator at Safer Security, your alarm provider. I’m calling to let you know that the alarm at your office has gone off. I’ve temporarily disabled it from my end, and the police have been notified and are on their way to check it out.”

“You’re kidding?” I sit up, the water sloshing all around me. “Was the office broken into?”

“I don’t know the situation yet. But if you want to wait, I can call you back once the police have notified us.”

“No.” I stand up, stepping out of the bath. “You say the police are going now. I’ll head there myself. Thank you for calling me.”

“All part of the service, Dr. Harris. Please call me once the police have assessed the situation. I can have the alarm enabled at my end, and I would advise setting a new code.”

“I will. Thanks.” I hang up and grab a towel from the railing, wrapping it around myself.

I don’t believe this.

I glance down at my phone, seeing the texts are from Leandro. Four of them.

Trying to call you, but for some reason, it’s not connecting.

Ring me when you get this text.

P.S. I love you.

A lot. XX

That puts a temporary smile on my face, and then I remember that my office might have been broken into.

I’ll text him back once I know what’s going on at my office.

I quickly dress in jeans and a T-shirt, leaving my hair tied up, and I jog down the stairs.

I’ve just reached the bottom step when Kit and Jett come in through the front door, pizza boxes in hand.

“Hey, Mum. What’s up?” Jett asks at my expression.

“I just got a call from the alarm company. My office alarm has been going off. I’m heading there now.”

“You’re kidding,” Jett says.