“Fuck this shit.” Jax jumps to his feet. “What’s going on?” he demands.
I tell them what happened the previous night, obviously leaving out that I snorted the coke and Ash’s stress relief in the car. Everyone remains quiet through the whole thing, but the minute I finish, the room bursts into sound.
“I’ll fucking kill him,” Shane growls, slamming a fist down on the table.
“Get in line,” Kai snarls at him, getting to his feet.
“Why wasn’t I called last night?” Cole asks Riku.
Harlow and Hope crowd closer, wrapping their arms around me as the rest of the family continue to express their outrage. I shudder as their individual scents flood my nostrils, bringing comfort to my ragged soul. The urge to cry hits me, but I hiccup, holding the sob in. Both of them coo words of comfort, stroking my back.
“I’m okay. Ash got there in time,” I assure them, pulling away. “I’m angry more than anything else. He was an asshole. We caught him feeling up his best friend’s girl. How many women did he drug and rape that were too scared to say anything because he’s famous? He has to pay.” I raise my voice so the rest of the family can hear me.
“Of course he will pay,” Poppy says. “He was arrested, yes?” He looks to Riku, who nods and tells them about what happened after I left.
“He was supposed to be going in front of a judge today or tomorrow. Detective James said he would call me when he’d been seen, but I haven’t heard from him yet.”
“What are the chances he’ll get bail?” Thomas asks, and Riku shrugs.
“The detective said it could go either way depending on which judge he gets.”
“No matter what happens, he’s done in Hollywood.” Declan has his phone out. “I’m just going to call our legal team. He has a morality clause in his contract, forbidding basically anything that can bring the company into bad repute, and he’s breaching it. We’re usually lenient with smaller matters, but there’s absolutely no scenario where drugging and attempting to rape someone could ever be excused. I’ll speak to the writers. He’s done. We’ll just write him out. In the likelihood that he does get off for any reason, I’m going to ensure no one will ever represent or hire him again. Here or anywhere else in the world.” He leaves the room to make his calls.
“I’m going to check if the story has broken yet. If not, I’ll issue an appropriate press statement if that’s alright with you, Brad?” Cole has his phone out, tapping away on the screen.
“Yes, as long as that’s okay with Jacinta.” Dad looks at me, and I quickly nod. As much as Cole and I clash, I trust him to have my back for this.
He leaves too. One by one, my family comes over to check on me. I’m surrounded by love, and I remember why I’m doing all of this in the first place, protecting them in any way I can. Alex, Shane, and Jace are last, and the three of them crowd around me in a four-way hug, but Alex is especially subdued. There are no pervy quips or sassy smiles. He fusses over me while Shane and Jace watch on. Shane’s expression is stony, and somehow I know he’s blaming himself, which is ridiculous because he wasn’t even there.
“Shane,” I quietly say once Alex has finished his examination. “Shane, don’t blame yourself. They had everything planned. They got past Riku, and he’s trained for this.” He turns his glare on Ash, and I step into his line of sight. “No. Don’t blame him either. He’s the one who saved me then beat him to a pulp. Look at his knuckles. That’s from wailing on Matthew.”
“If Matthew comes near you again, I’ll do just as bad,” he growls, and Jace and Alex add their agreements.
“Okay, but for now, let Dec destroy his career and Forrest make sure he goes to jail for a long time.”
“I shared a few more things that I know about Matthew with Detective James. He was getting a warrant to search his house. He should go to jail for a long time,” Ash assures all of us, and Shane loses the edge of his glare.
“Come now, let’s all have a nice dinner.” Nana raises her voice above everyone, gesturing to the table, but as we all move to take seats, she stops me.
“Please make sure you talk to your therapist about this, Jacinta. You know you can talk to any of us, but I know you don’t like to burden us with your problems. None of us feel that way, of course, but use your therapist. You’ve been through a lot in a short period of time. Promise me.”
“Of course, Nana,” I promise, kissing her on the cheek, even though it’s been weeks since I actually spoke to her.
Dinner was a slightly subdued affair for our family, and I retired to bed shortly after it, making sure Riku and Ash leave the doors to their adjoining rooms open.
When I wake up from a nightmare, screaming, both of them come running like the room is on fire. Once I assure them I was just dreaming, they climb into bed with me. It’s only after that that I sleep like a log, dream free for the rest of the night.
ChapterSix
Jacinta
Breakfast is delivered to our room, and we eat together before getting dressed. Riku is a morning person, so he’s able to hold a conversation, but Ash struggles to function before his second cup of coffee. It amuses me to no end to watch the two of them interact over food.
“What do we have planned for today?” Riku asks, pulling back the curtains to let the room fill with light. Ash shrieks and flinches like a vampire in the sun, and I dissolve into a heap of giggles on the couch.
“Shut it,” he grumbles as his eyes adjust to the light. Riku is busy gaping at him, his mouth wide open. “In the last two weeks, when have you seen me up before lunchtime?” he asks my shocked bodyguard.
I get myself under control and think back. Actually, now that he mentions it, I haven’t been out of bed early on any morning after one of our outings. Ash had moved into the Neighpalm Hotel when we started this plan so it was easier for us to return home together each evening. It perpetuates the idea that we’re spending every moment together. Nobody has to know that he’s been going to his own suite each night.
