Forbidden Love

20

Barrett

My phone pierced the silence. What time was it? It was still pitch black, and Lourde was beside me asleep.

Quickly, I felt for my phone on the nightstand and silenced the ringer while I got up and walked outside my bedroom. Ivy’s name flashed on my phone.

Why the fuck was my media director calling me?

Closing the door behind me, I put the phone to my ear. “Ivy, what’s going on?”

“I’m sorry to call you at four in the morning, but this couldn’t wait.”

The edge of her tone caught me off guard, and an unsettling feeling nestled in the pit of my stomach.

“What is it?”

“Jessica, who we thought had disappeared, well, she’s back, and she released a statement about you.”

“About me? What about me? I hardly knew her.”

“Not according to her. She alleges you assaulted her.”

“She fucking what?”

My neck ticked with a rage I had only reserved for my father. “That is complete and utter nonsense. What the fuck?”

“I’m sorry to tell you this, Barrett. The papers are running the story in the morning press. It will be syndicated nationally.”

Fuck, Lourde. The bottom of my stomach lurched. What would she think?

“Barrett, are you there?”

“I’m here.”

“They want a comment from you.”

“I’ll give them a fucking comment. I didn’t do it!” I yelled down the phone.

“Unfortunately, with the allegations out there, it doesn’t matter if you did or you didn’t. She’s smeared your name, and it will be tarnished for good.”

“I know.”

“But you didn’t do it, right? Actually, scrap that. I’m obviously deliriously tired.”

“Of course, I didn’t fucking do it, Ivy! I would never assault anyone.”

“I know. I don’t know why I asked that. Anyone who works for you can attest to you never crossing that boundary. You’re always so professional with the staff.”

I took my hand to my head, realization settling in as my chest constricted. “Why is she after me like this? First the fire at 21 Park, then the crane accident, and now this. Someone wants to bring me down, and I’m going to fucking stop it. Now,” I yelled.

“What do you want me to do?”

“Round up the team. Wake up everyone… Jesse and Barton from security and anyone else you can think of and meet me in the office in twenty minutes. I want my lawyers to sue her ass. We’re putting a stop to this bullshit now before it ends up costing me everything.”

I hung up the phone and threw it across the floor, smashing it into little bits of twisted metal across the concrete.

“What’s wrong?” Lourdes’ meek voice shook me from my fit of rage. I turned to find her in a camisole and shorts in the hallway, regarding me with concern.

Fuck, how could I tell her this? How could it tell her I’d let her down? I’d let her family down and, most of all, let myself down by not finding out who was fucking me over before things got truly out of hand.

“What is it?” she asked, walking over to me.

I put my hands in my hair. “Something’s happened.”

“What, is your sister okay?”

“Evelyn’s fine. I’ve had a serious allegation leveled at me, and it’s making the news today.”

“What is it?”

I sat down, not able to look her in the hazel eyes. She sat next to me, putting her hands in mine. I don’t deserve her. I fucking don’t deserve her.

“Jessica, who effectively you replaced in Olivia’s department, is accusing me of sexually assaulting her.”

She gasped, and I looked up to find her eyes wide like saucepans.

“It’s not true, obviously.”

“Of course, it’s not true.”

I breathed easier, knowing she believed me without even having to convince her.

“What did you think? I thought it would be true?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know.”

She shook her head. “Well, you obviously don’t know how much I love you if you think I’d doubt you.”

A scowl fell across her face.

“Sorry, I just didn’t know what anyone would think, let alone the one person I love and care about the most.”

She squeezed my hand. “Okay, well, how are we going to tackle this?”

“We?”