“Yes,” Liam said, looking as sick as I felt. “While Juliette laughed and flung her head and hips from side to side, showing us her backside, her front side, every freaking side, men bid on her. It went on for like fifteen minutes.” He rubbed his temples. “The most uncomfortable fifteen minutes of my life.”
“Wh-who won?” I asked. “Pike?”
“No,” Liam said. “And he was bitter about it the entire flight home. Apparently, he’d won her once before. Said she was ‘worth every penny.’ That night, she went to a man named Watterson. He wore a business suit and said nothing the whole time. He paid $500,000 for her.”
Bowen bomb-whistled but there was no force behind it.
Sophie made a sound like she’d been struck.
Christy covered her mouth.
Theo didn’t make a sound.
I couldn’t—I didn’t—I pressed the heels of my hands against my skull, trying to get control. But my gut wrenched hard, bending me at the waist, and I vomited all over the suite floor.
Christy shoved a small trash can under me.
“Griff!” Sophie cried, rubbing my back.
I shook her off. “Don’t touch me, please.” Then Ipuked again. And again and again and again until I had nothing left. When I was done, Sophie and Christy helped me sit.
“You can’t fire me for reporting the truth!” Sariah Morgandale stomped past us on the sideline, phone pressed to her ear, not looking our way. “I’m sick of the Duprees getting nothing but good press. They’re hiding things, I’m telling you!”
“Hey, Sariah!” Liam called, something dangerous in his voice.
She spun, glare ready—then jerked back when she realized we were all watching.
“Good luck finding a new job.” He blew her a kiss.
She bared her teeth like a rottweiler ready to attack.
“Ah!” he shouted as she stormed away. “That’s what we Duprees call karma!”
She turned and flipped him the bird. Which only made Liam laugh harder.
I wished I could enjoy it. But I felt nothing toward her. She wasn’t the cause of my anguish; she was simply the conduit.
“Finish, please,” I said.
“That’s it,” Liam said. “I don’t know anything else.”
“So did the guy win her for the entire night?” Bowen asked, voice low.
“Three hours.” Liam swallowed. “Three hours and…”
“Finish,” I demanded.
“Whoever won had to use protection,” he blurted. “The whole thing would be filmed. To protect Juliette. That’s what they said.”
“That’s sick,” Maddie said.
“To protect Juliette,” I snarled.
“No,” Theo said. “No. If that was happening, it was because someone made her do it. She didn’t have a choice.” Heturned to me, begging. “She loves you, man. She cried herself to sleep for weeks after you left. You have to believe?—”
“Stop!” I shouted, punching my thigh. “I have to believe nothing. She lied. Everything about her is a lie!” The room went silent. Snot was dripping from my nose.
“Here.” Sophie jogged over, grabbed some napkins off the counter, and jogged back.
