“I stand with you.” At Remy’s pointed throat-clearing, he amends, “We stand with you. Nothing anyone says will change our minds. You’re ours. We’re yours. If it makes your life easier not to bring us up…” He shrugs, then bends to pick up the ball and throw it.
I stare into my coffee cup, my heart beating so hard it feels like it might burst. I’m theirs. They’re mine. It’s that simple to him.
I glance at Remy, searching his face.
He meets my eyes and nods slowly. “It’s up to you. As much or as little as you’re comfortable with.”
Having said what he needs to say, he turns and joins Erik. They trade off throwing the ball.
Meg nudges me gently. “Thoughts?”
I lean my head back and stare at the gray clouds. “I’m coming out as a rape victim. Does that undercut what happened? Victim to… slut?”
“Whoa. Don’t talk about my best friend that way. Unacceptable.”
I turn my head toward her. She’s glaring at me.
“I don’t feel like a slut,” I say quietly. “I feel… for the first time… all the things. Happy. Loved. Scared in a good way.” I swallow. “Do I need to worry about the optics? I could live with what they say about me. But would anyone call them predators? Say they’re taking advantage of a victim? They’re in the public eye. Perception matters. Optics matter.”
“That’s why we have a publicist and a team of lawyers. Do you think they don’t know the risks? That they haven’t weighed them?” she shoots back.
“We didn’t exactly tell Alexis last night that I was sleeping with both of them.”
Meg arches a brow. “Do you really think she didn’t already guess based on the videos?”
“I still haven’t even seen them. I only heard the audio.”
“Needless to say, we had a video prepared in case accusations about the three of you surfaced. Safe to say she suspects.”
Chapter one hundred twenty-eight
Christianna
My mind keeps replaying the conversation with Meg. Remy and Erik are with me however I’m comfortable. The question is whether I can open myself up to public scrutiny.
Coulson brought breakfast sandwiches for everyone. I pick at mine, peeling back the cheese that oozes out and tearing off small pieces of biscuit to nibble.
Erik is on his third. Remy is halfway through his second. We didn’t eat last night, so I guess that makes sense, considering everything that happened. I wish I had a quarter of their appetite, but my stomach is in knots.
Remy nudges me. “You’ll feel better if you take a couple bites. Things get clearer with food.”
My smile is wan as I force myself to take one. Spices explode on my tongue, and my stomach growls in response. Suddenly I’m ravenous, and he’s right. I do feel better.
“These are amazing,” I mumble around a mouthful of biscuit.
Coulson smirks. “My house was having a kitchen cook-off this morning. I’ll let them know we have a winner.”
“Your house?” Meg asks. “Like a dorm? Do you have some kind of security dorm?”
He actually snorts, and Ruiz nearly chokes on his sandwich. “It feels like a dorm.” He glances at me. “I live with my brothers, Colt and Maddox, and our girlfriend.”
“Oh.” I blink. “Oh.”
“Yeah.” The look he gives me is kind. “Are you ready to hear what I uncovered after Madame’s information came in?”
“Yes, please.”
He gives Meg a nod. She pulls out the laptop and brings Alexis in. Once she joins, he begins.
