Page 109 of False Promises

I had gathered text messages Dahlia and he exchanged. I even recorded their conversation the one time she stayed over. She didn’t reveal their secret out loud, but by taking them out of context, her words would incriminate them.

I even shot videos of Carter slamming doors while cursing and screaming profanities at me. The world didn’t need to know all these videos were filmed when I was pretending to need his help to rehearse for an audition. Then there was one where he was sitting in the living room, while I was off-screen, pleading with him to never hurt me again. That idea had genius written all over it. He had memorized the few lines because I said it would make the scene look more genuine if we didn’t use paper scripts. He bought the lie without question. Stupid men.

And my backup plan didn’t end there. Three bad-angled pictures I took of myself on different occasions that shadowed my face to make it look like I had a shiner. A shot of the split lip I got after I bumped into a wall one night when I had too much to drink. All of those, when added together, would spiral his life downward and make Carter Hills wish he’d never met me.

* * *

I sighed at all I was about to lose when Riley Burns, Carter’s manager, and his rude, cutthroat bodyguard Taylor walked in as if they owned the place, following the man I was starting to despise.

Chills lined my back at the sight of Taylor. The guy freaked me out. Always had.

“Savannah, please sit down,” he ordered.

“Why? I’m not a dog, and you’re not allowed to boss me around.”

He cocked one eyebrow, not looking impressed by my rebuttal. Cornering me, he repeated, “Sit. Down.”

Carter inched so close that I could feel his breath on my cheek and pointed to the kitchen table. “Just fucking listen.”

Facing an impossible situation and with no option to escape the confrontation, I decided to use my most special assets. Up until now, in my life, they had saved me more than once from unfortunate circumstances.

I tipped my chin up, rolled my shoulders back, enough to push my breasts forward, and using my most sultry tone, I said, “Gentlemen, I’m sure whatever it is you want, you don’t need me here.” I batted my eyelashes, pursed my lips—because I knew men easily fell for this shit—and offered them a timid smile. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a hair appointment I can’t miss.”

I had nowhere to go, but I wouldn’t stick around these three morons for another minute.

When I tried to leave, Taylor stopped me with a muscular hand on my shoulder. I shook underneath the weight of his palm. Broad shoulders, short hair, somber expression, if he didn’t appear so lethal, he could be my type. Since day one, I’d been keeping him at a distance, believing he could tell what I was up to. Call it instinct, but I couldn’t trust him. And a girl didn’t need more complications in her life. No, thank you.

“Remove your dirty paw off me,” I screamed.

“Don’t try to run” was all he said. How rude. We’d never interacted before, and this was how he addressed me.

“Come, sit at the table with us, Savannah,” Riley chimed in. In his tailored suit and business attitude, he watched me as if my humiliation amused him. Another waste of a man.

I folded my arms under my boobs, trying to showcase them and distract their attention.

Another failed attempt. Were these idiots even real? No hot-blooded male had ever ignored my physical charms before.

Carter snickered. The temptation to strangle him right now grew in me, but I wouldn’t break a nail over his stupid self.

Squeezed between all of them, I walked to the dining room and rolled my eyes on purpose. My hair stood on end on my arms. As if I was going to face an unknown executioner. I had no witnesses too. Would someone believe me if I pretended all three had assaulted me? There must be some footage of Carter’s friends entering the building when they did, no?

Riley made a stack of papers appear from his jacket pocket and placed it before me. He had a no-bullshit expression on his face.

“What is it?” Trying to look bored as hell, I sighed while examining my manicure.

“Paperwork our legal team penned for your attention,” he said.

I cocked my head, ignoring them. “I’m not signing a thing. You can walk yourselves out of here. You’re wasting your time. Like I said, you can’t order me around.”

Carter sighed. “Stop wasting everyone’s time. You’ve been unmasked, cornered, and checkmated. Drop the act, and sign the papers already.”

“I said no. Ever heard of women’s rights? Freedom of speech? No means no.”

Riley snorted. “God, you’re even more difficult than I thought. Listen, we know you’ll go on a media rampage about your breakup. Unless you babble out about anything worthy of a lawsuit, we’ll let it slide. But whatever you know, or you think you know, about Dahlia and Carter’s history, you won’t tell a soul about it. Do I make myself clear? You’ll keep your collagen-filled mouth shut. There’s a child involved, and his business is no one else’s business.”

It did the trick because my focus snapped back on him. “And why would I do that?” The fake tears, the ones I had been rehearsing with for years, that could come any time I needed them, filled my eyes. My lips quivered. I wouldn’t let these men intimidate me in my own house. “Carter is aiming to ruin me. I’ve been nothing but the perfect girlfriend, and he decided to screw with my life. And my career. You can’t ask me to lie for him. Not anymore. Do you know how he has treated me all this time? I’m a victim here. And I’m allowed to use my voice to defend myself. And clear my name. I’ve sacrificed enough to protect him. He’s a sex addict. And a liar. A manipulator, and you can’t trust him. No matter what he told you, it’s false. All of it.”

“Ohmyfuckinggod,” Carter said under his breath. “Are you done already?”