Page 177 of Toxic Kiss

“Really?”

“Yes, really. Cy collapsing on stage was not my fault, and I had no idea Charles would show up and cause a scene. I hit that girl, but she was literally assaulting Cy.”

Unable to stand still, my feet smack against the tile floor as I pace my hotel room.

“And what about after that?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Oh, so you haven’t seen the post,” Dad says, and my blood chills.

I stop, suddenly frozen to the floor.

“What post?”

My phone dings and I’m almost too scared to look. I swallow the fear and open the link. The image of Cy fucking me in the jail cell comes on my screen. I smack a hand over my mouth, wanting to toss my phone as if that will get rid of it.

“Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god.”

Mortification floods my system, and heat replaces the cold from a moment ago, as my heart races out of control.

“Yes. Oh my god indeed. Let’s just say that this is not a post I ever wanted to be sent of my daughter.”

He sounds furious, and I can’t blame him. My ass is literally on display for the world to see. Bile rises in my throat.

How am I ever going to walk down the street again?

“I can explain.”

“No. I really don’t want an explanation, and it doesn’t matter. Effective immediately, you’re relieved of your duties and will be put on a one-month suspension. You’re lucky that you’re my daughter and still have a job.”

My hands begin to shake as I grip the phone tighter.

“Dad, you can’t do this. Please let me make this right.”

“Haven, the fight in public…we could’ve swung. The night in jail…manageable. The wife thing…not an issue. But this…this is disgraceful. You’ve embarrassed the company and me. I’ve never been so disappointed in you.”

“Please don’t do this.”

How will I ever face anyone at any job ever again, let alone at LG Records? This is happening so much faster than I thought it might.

Cy is untouchable. They will wipe the situation away as a rock god just doing what they do, but not me. I’m Auguste Gaillard’s daughter, in line to inherit the company. I’m not a famous rockstar and most of all…I’m a woman. I’m held to a higher standard.

“Haven, you aren’t hearing me. The board overruled me. Even if I want to keep you working right now, I can’t. They do not want this kind of scandal.”

“No, of course they don’t. But I bet if one of them got caught with their dick in a serving girl on a golf course, you’d all give him a fucking high-five,” I growl into the phone.

This is the first time I’ve ever spoken to my father like this, but the injustice is killing me.

“Do not talk to me like that, Haven.”

“Why? It’s the truth.”

“I’m not arguing with you about this. What is done is done. You will pack your things and head back to California.”

Click.

He hung up on me. I stare at the phone, unable to believe that this is happening, and then snarl under my breath.