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Alexis

OMG, are you guys okay?

Belle

Maxwell just called. He told me Rex is stable. Bullet didn’t hit any vital organs, but nicked an artery. He lost a lot of blood, so they did a transfusion and will keep him there for a few days for monitoring.

Alexis

Thank God you were there, Olivia!

Belle

Maxwell said the same thing. If Olivia didn’t slow the blood loss, Rex might not have made it.

I release an exhale, relief washing over me.Stable. He’s okay.The cops wouldn’t give me an update at the station.

I’m still angry. I feel stupid, but during this entire ordeal, the dominant emotion circling through me was fear. If anything happened to him, I don’t know what I’d do, or how my heart could survive it.

Grace

But are YOU okay? I mean, we saw the photos.

Taylor

I’m going to cut his balls off when he gets back. I’ll avenge you, Olivia!

I look at the photos they sent over—all taken from articles posted online.

Rex at the gala with the two models. Dancing with them. Kissing their cheeks.

Me holding Rex in my arms after he was shot, cradling him like he’s precious.

Him looking desperately at me before pressing his forehead against mine.

Then there are images taken by strangers wanting their two minutes of fame. Folks must’ve spotted us in their pictures when we were touring the city, riding the motorcycle, strolling down the alleys hand in hand, looking very much like a couple in love. One of them even shows us kissing.

I don’t think Lana shared with the girls what I told her about Rex. They must think he’s toying with me, treating me like one of his flings.

The press is having a field day.

Crap. This must be why the OPMC is contacting me. They must’ve seen the articles and photos.

Nausea roils in my gut when I remember the chaos in the alley earlier. How the reporters hurled questions at us, the cameras flashing incessantly when they loaded Rex into an ambulance and whisked him off to the hospital.

The cops asked us to stay behind for questioning.

Greg Masters hurled questions. “Who are you to Rex? Why did you guys look so intimate just now?”

Then the vultures dove in to join the chaos.

“There were rumors of amorous noises from your office during your sessions with Mr. Anderson. What were you doing in there? Are you guys in an inappropriate relationship?”

I froze as the lights battered my senses, my blood curdling when I realized not only my heart was broken, but my career was probably over too.

The questions got more and more disruptive before the cops took us back to the station to conduct their interview in peace.

Thankfully, Lana found us and brought with her an army of lawyers, one of whom was hired by Elias. They quickly settled the rest of the inquiries, and Elias’s man whisked Bree and Ava away.