“Yeah. Thought youshould know.”
I hang up. Text Filepe immediately. He’s already on it. Already knows. Already has a plan.
Of course he does. He works for a billionaire hermit.
Two hours later I’m helping Ben with basic reading comprehension when Jag appears.
“Marlowe Pennington is outside,” he says quietly. “At the curb.”
You have got to be kidding me.
I glance at Ben. She’s absorbed in her book. Doesn’t notice.
“Give me two minutes,” I tell Jag.
I head to the front door. Take a breath. Remember every single piece of advice Sabrina ever gave me about handling press.
Marlowe is there with her phone mounted on a hand-held gimbal. She’s recording.
“Jessica!” Her voice is cloying. “Just wanted to check in. See how Marco and sweet Benedetta are doing after the terrible accident.”
“No comment,” I say.
Her smile doesn’t falter. “A lot of my followers are wondering about your relationship with Marco. Nanny by day, something else by night?”
My face burns. “No comment.”
“Is it true you were with him when it happened? That you put yourself between the bear and his daughter? That’s so brave.”
Frames from the attack flash into my mind.
Along with the guilt.
I was too slow with the bear spray...
“You need to leave,” I say. Not a request.
Filepe appears beside me. Silent. Solid.
Marlowe’s eyes light up. “Is that a threat? Are you threatening a journalist?”
“You’re on private property,” Filepe says calmly. “You have five seconds.”
She doesn’t move. Just keeps recording.
Jag appears on my other side. The three of us standing there like the world’s most awkward security detail.
Marlowe finally lowers her phone. But her victorious smile remains.
“I’ll be posting this tonight,” she says. “My followers have a right to know what’s really going on.”
She leaves.
I stand there shaking.
Filepe’s hand touches my elbow. “You handled that well.”
Did I? Because I’m pretty sure I just gave her exactly what she wanted. The reaction. The confrontation. The clip.
