40
VIVIEN
“We’ve got a bit of a situation,” Leon says as Ash and I emerge from the locker room, showered and changed after our yoga class.
“What situation?” Ash asks, thrusting her shoulders back and adopting her serious business face.
Sympathy splays across Leon’s face as he looks at me. “The media knows about you and Dillon. There are a ton of paparazzi out front.”
My face pales, and bile swims up my throat. Ash grips my hand. This is what I was afraid of.
Leon gestures behind him to where Bobby and another two bodyguards are waiting. “You were in the middle of your class when the news broke. I didn’t want to interrupt you, so I called in reinforcements. There’s no back door in this place, so we’ve got no choice but to go out the main entrance.”
“How bad is it?” I ask.
“Bad.”
“Right, fuck those assholes.” Ash straightens up, eyeballing me. “Ignore them, and don’t look at them. We’ll figure out what to do when we get back to the house.” She looks at Leon. “I assume my brother is aware?”
He nods. “It was Dillon who called to warn me. He wanted to come and get you himself, but I didn’t think that was a good idea.”
No shit, Sherlock. It would have been a complete clusterfuck if Dillon had shown up here, and I’m glad he listened to sense for once.
“Okay, let’s do this.” Ash grips my hand tighter. “You ready?”
I nod even though I’m never ready for this shit.
Leon and Bobby cover us from both sides while the other two bodyguards cover us front and rear as we make our way outside.
The second Leon opens the door, a ton of reporters and photographers rush toward us, shouting questions and sticking cameras in our faces. I keep my head down, ignoring them as we’re jostled and pushed from all angles. The bodyguards are taking the brunt of the shoving, doing their best to protect us, but it’s a total shitshow as we battle it to our car.
“Vivien, is it true you’re having an affair with Reeve’s twin brother?”
“Vivien, were you sleeping with Dillon when Reeve was still alive? Is that why you were arguing in the car the night of the accident?”
“Vivien, can you confirm reports you eloped with Dillon and got married?”
“Vivien, did you get married because you’re expecting Dillon’s child?”
“Vivien, were you planning to leave Reeve for his brother before the accident happened?”
On and on it goes until it feels like my head will explode. Eventually, we make it to the security car, and I bury my head in my hands as soon as the door is shut behind us.
“Motherfucking bloodsucking assholes!” Ash fumes, circling her arm around me from behind. “Don’t let them get to you. I know it’s easier said than done, but we’ll put out a statement, and if they choose to believe that bullshit, they’re idiots.”
I lift my head, sighing. “I fucking jinxed myself earlier. How the hell did they find out?”
“Let’s call Dillon.” Ash is already dialing his number as Leon tries to pull out onto the road. Swarms of reporters and paparazzi surround our car, trapping us. “Mow them fucking down for all I care,” Ash says as Leon keeps his hand on the horn, slowly inching away from the curb.
“Call the cops if you need to,” I add. These assholes know they’re not allowed to do this.
“I’m putting you on speaker,” Ash says into the phone.
“Are you okay?” Dillon asks, worry evident in his tone.
“We’re surrounded, but Leon is doing his best to get us away,” I explain.
“Who reported it, and what’s been said?” Ash asks.