“The story of how your mother worked for the Storms, was fired for stealing family jewelry, arrested … all of it laid out for the world to read.”
His stomach clenched in dread. “Fuck. Thanks for the heads-up. I’ll call you later.” He turned to face Cassie.
“What is it?” she asked, concern in her voice.
“Take a Byte ran an article about me.”
She blinked in surprise. “What? No. That’s impossible.”
“Well, somehow all the information about my past, growing up the son of the gardener and maid, my mother labeled a thief for stealing family jewelry, her firing and arrest, is out for public consumption. All of it,” he said, his anger and fury rising with every word.
Her eyes opened wide. “What’s the byline?” she asked, jumping out of bed, bending down, and searching through her clothes. She popped up again with her phone in hand. “Byline,” she said again. “Who wrote the article?” she asked, scrolling through her phone.
“Kade didn’t say.”
She studied her phone, gaze narrowing. “Anonymous. The byline says fucking anonymous.” Frustration shook her body.
Her naked body, and he knew they had to get dressed. Before he could make the suggestion, she sat back down in bed and scrolled through her cell phone. “Dixon, it’s Cassie. I know it’s the weekend but it’s urgent. Who wrote the article about Derek West, and why wasn’t I informed first?”
She listened, her shoulders straightening as indignation rolled through her. “I’ll kill him,” she muttered. “Thanks,” she said into the phone. “I’ll be in touch.”
She tossed her phone on the bed and met Derek’s gaze. “I didn’t write it.”
“I know.”
“But you thought it for a minute, didn’t you?” she asked, hurt in her voice.
He shook his head. “In the second in which I found out, I didn’t know what to think. All I knew was that my entire life had been revealed to the public by your magazine. I didn’t connect any dots.”
“Well, I didn’t do it. I wouldn’t.” She pulled the blanket up around her as a shield. “But I know who did. Dixon said they were told it was an executive decision and under no circumstances was I to be told. Or else jobs would be on the line.” Her face was flushed with anger. “My brother. He’s the only one with the ability to override me. The only one who could threaten job security and my people would believe him.”
“Jesus,” Derek muttered. The gall of the men in that family knew no bounds. He recalled his conversation with the PI. “Cassie, remember I told you if there was anything you needed to know about your brother, I’d tell you?”
She nodded, her shoulders slumping as she prepared herself for another blow. “What is it?”
“Your brother spent his time in Europe romancing women, then stealing from them.”
“God.” She rubbed her palms against her eyes before meeting his gaze. “I wonder if my father knows.”
“I’m sorry, princess.”
She shook her head, knowing what she had to do. “No. I’m sorry.” She climbed out of bed and began to dress.
“What are you doing?” he asked, confused by her behavior.
She glanced up. “I’m going home. You need to help your mother cope with this mess. If she doesn’t know, she needs to. And if she already knows, she’s probably beside herself. And hating me,” she muttered, pulling on her panties.
“Cassie, wait. Take a shower, think things through.”
“Think what throu
gh? Without lifting a finger, I’ve destroyed your mother’s life. That’s what you get for going against your better instincts and letting me interview you. Letting me into your life.”
“Hey.” He strode over and grabbed her shoulders. “It wasn’t you.” Even as he’d heard the news, he hadn’t jumped to that conclusion.
He knew her. He loved her. And she loved him, which meant she wouldn’t deliberately hurt him.
“It might as well have been.” She’d slid on her jeans and buttoned them, then pulled her sweater over her head. “I have to go confront Spencer. I can’t let him run roughshod over my life. He has no right. He not only did a hit job on your mother but he undercut me. He knew I was planning a series on you, and he deliberately scooped me.” She tossed her bag over her shoulder. “I want him to look me in the eye and tell me why. And then I am going to quit.”