by M. Clarke
Dead silence.
I wondered what Nate was thinking, but a part of me didn’t want to know.
“Well—” Nate swallowed. He took my cell and started to delete the photos. “You look absolutely beautiful. I have to admit Troy takes amazing pictures. But that doesn’t give him the right to do what he wants with them.” He gave it back to me.
One section of my heart softened from Nate’s kindness, but it wouldn’t be enough to fix any of this. Nate took the positive approach, and for that, I would be forever grateful for the wonderful man he was. The more he gave his support while I battled Troy, my biggest mistake, the more I loved him.
Nate continued. “What’s done is done. I suggest you don’t go on your media sites until we fix this. I have an idea. I’m not sure if it will work, but it’s worth a try.”
A little hope sparked in me. “I’m sorry, Nate.”
“For what? You didn’t do anything wrong.”
I left you. I thought I could do better with my life. I was stupid to fall for someone like Troy. I had so much to apologize for, but the words wouldn’t escape my mouth. My lips quivered, my eyes watered, and my heart overflowed with regret, anger, and guilt.
My eyes gazed down to my fingers. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes.”
“We made a lot of mistakes, Olie. You didn’t know Troy was going to turn out the way he did. I have to admit, I’m glad he turned out to be an asshole, or I would never have had the chance to have you back.”
My lips curled somewhat as I blinked away the tears. “I’m sorry I’ve brought trouble with me.”
Nate held my hand and kissed the back of it. “And I’m sure, we’ll have plenty more. As long as we’re together, that’s all that matters to me, Olie. Wait till I tell you what Kelly did to me.”
“What?” I squealed. Not another problem. What else could go wrong?
Nate grin impishly. “Just kidding. Made you look at me.”
I rested my head on his shoulder. “So, what’s the plan?”
Nate stood up. “First, I get out of this suit. Then we talk to Matthew.”
I cringed.
“It’ll be fine. I’ve gotten to know Matthew quite well. I’m sure he’s had to deal with many issues. You can’t be the first.”
I nodded, dreading the visit.
“But first,” his tone came off playfully. “Want to help me change? We’ll have to go back to my place.”
“How can I say no?” A small smile formed on my face. Because of Nate.
Chapter 20
Nathan
On the way to my apartment, I emailed Mr. Knight, asking him to meet with us for an emergency meeting. I didn’t go into details, but I presented him with my suggestions on how we could help Olie. He replied right away and agreed. We sat in a private meeting room, overlooking downtown Los Angeles through the glass that took up the back wall. Olie shifted in her seat several times, trying to get comfortable.
I grabbed her hand. “Everything will be all right.”
Olie fluttered her eyelashes, looking at me with those innocent eyes. Those eyes told me she needed me, that she was scared of the future. I hated Troy with every fiber of my being, more than I thought I could hate anyone. How dare he do this to her? I was not a vengeful guy, but I would fight for what was right. And everything about him was wrong.
The door opening broke my gaze from Olie.
“Sorry I’m late.” Matthew walked in, closed the door behind him, and sat across from me. Wearing a navy pin-striped suit and red tie, he was all business. Sitting up tall, he asked, “Let’s start from the beginning.”
“I’m not sure where to begin,” I started, rubbing the back of my neck. Releasing a long sigh, I continued. “Olivia used to date Troy.” It was hard to say those words without feeling sick to my stomach.
“That I knew,” Matthew muttered quickly, glancing at Olivia with a small grin. “I’m guessing you’re dating each other now? Which is none of my business. And you don’t have to answer that.”
“Olivia and I were together long before Troy came into the picture,” I stated to be clear. “Anyway, Troy has a problem with our relationship, and he’s been threatening Olivia.” I groaned. I sounded like a teenager who couldn’t stick up for himself. Sighing again, I continued. “To make a long story short, he posted inappropriate pictures of Olivia on Facebook, which I stated in the email I sent you.”
Matthew furrowed his brows. “Yes, I read it. Just to confirm, they were nude pictures?”
“Yes, nude pictures,” I gritted through my teeth.
Olivia flinched and ducked her head low.
Matthew’s eyes widened. “Did he now?” Rubbing his jaw, he stared blankly, as if to ponder. “How many?”
Olivia cleared her throat. “About five.”
“Did he post your full body?”
“One,” Olie answered, unable to make eye contact with Matthew.
“Can we tell from the pictures that it’s you?” Matthew folded his hands together on the table. “With Photoshop or other means of digital manipulation, you can easily crop and paste other people’s bodies or heads.”
“Umm...” I wiggled my shoulders a bit from the uncomfortable conversation. “It’s Olivia’s body for sure. But there’s one problem. The person who posted that picture isn’t Troy. In fact, he’s not on our friend list.”
“I see.” Matthew rolled up his sleeves and shifted his attention to Olivia. “I’m going to ask you several personal questions. I have to be clear and ask all the questions directly to you. Are you comfortable with that?”
“Yes.” Olivia pressed her lips together.
“Good. You’re sure you didn’t give him consent to post those pictures orally or in written form?”
“No. In fact, I asked him to delete them after he took them. It didn’t happen in a studio. It happened at his—” Olie glanced at me, and then back to Matthew “—house, during intimacy.” She shook her head. “I never thought a man like him would...” Her voice trailed off, unable to finish.
“They come in all different forms and sizes, Ms. Hunt.” He paused, assessing. “Did he physically hurt you?”
“No.”
“Did he rape you?”
“No.”
“One last question.”
Olivia nodded.
“Are your nude photos still there?”
“Yes. We checked about an hour ago.”
“You’re going to be fine, Olivia,” Matthew assured him.
From his tone, I believed him.
Matthew’s brows twitched, and his jaw flexed. “You’re not the first employee of mine who’s had to deal with this situation. Now that I have the facts, I’ll speak to my lawyer. I don’t foresee it going to court. I’m going to talk to Troy. He won’t be bothering either one of you ever again, and he certainly isn’t welcome at Knight Fashion. Troy is full of surprises today. Between you and me, he told Scott, the photographer I had signed, that I had replaced him with Troy for the photo shoot. The owner of the studio called me a few minutes ago before I arrived, letting me know the condition it was in. Know anything about that?”
I dipped my head down, thinking of the expensive camera that dropped to the floor when I slammed Troy on the table. The mess was irrelevant to me then, but I was sure there were other things we had broken. “About that...” I peered up, massaging the back of my neck and clearing my throat. “Troy and I got into a fist fight. It was unprofessional of me, and I apologize for whatever damage I may have inflicted. Please, tell him to send me the bill. I’ll take care of it.”
“Really?” Matthew’s one eyebrow lifted. “A fist fight? Aren’t we a bit too old for that? Is that the reason for the cut lip?” He didn’t let me answer. “And we are a day behind schedule.”
“Again, I apologize. I tried to stay professional, but I lost it when he threatened Olivia.”
I told Matthew the truth. There was nothing to hide from him. If he wanted to fire me, then so be it, but I didn�
��t regret a thing.
“Well...So, off the record. How did you feel after that? I hope you beat the crap out of him.” He asked as if we were long-time buddies. Matthew Knight was probably the coolest boss I would ever have.
My eyes widened, and Olie squeezed my hand under the table. I even thought I heard a soft snicker from her. “To tell you the truth, he had it coming. He’ll have one black eye for sure.”
“Off the record. I don’t blame you. I would have done the same, so I can’t get mad at you, Nathan. Again, off the record. We have to protect our loved ones by any means of force to a certain degree. And don’t worry about the bill, it’s going to Troy. Were there any witnesses?”
I didn’t want to bring my friends into the conversation, but I had no choice. “It happened inside the studio. Josh and Isla were the only other witnesses.”
“Good. Then he can’t pay anyone else to be a false witness.”
I leaned back, feeling a brick lift off my shoulders somewhat. “What’s our next step regarding Olivia’s photos?”
“Cynthia, our trouble shooter, will handle this matter. That’s what she gets paid for. She’ll be contacting Troy’s lawyer. Olivia doesn’t even have to lift a finger. I’m going to have a list of demands, and these demands were suggested by Nathan, though I already had a couple of these suggestions in mind. What Troy did was a sexual crime. It’s not a scandal; it’s a violation. First, he’s going to apologize to Olivia in a formal statement. Second, he’s going to post that fake nude pictures with Olivia’s face pasted in had been leaked out. We can play it off by suggesting that since she is one of the contenders for Sexiest Couple Alive, someone went after her. Third, he is never to threaten you again. In fact, I suggest you stay off of social media until we get this resolved. After I’m through with him, he won’t be working with the top models, agencies, or magazines ever again. It’s too bad. He’s a talented man.”
I agreed, but I would never admit it. “I would’ve come to you sooner, but we had no evidence. And this was more of a personal matter than professional.”
“You can always come to me for advice, off or on the record.” He grinned. “Believe me, I’m no saint. I’ve done plenty of irresponsible things in my life. You can ask Max. He had to bail me out many times.” He chuckled lightly. “Anyway, I’m proud of you both for being professional. I’ll get in touch with you both if the lawyer has any further questions. And unfortunately, when you become one of the Knight Fashion models, you’re a celebrity. You really don’t have a personal life.”
“Thank you so much, Mr. Knight. I don’t know what to say.” Olivia’s eyes welled with tears.
“I’m doing this because it’s my job, and because I can tell you have a kind heart. You’re still young and have much to learn about this industry that can eat you alive if you’re not careful. Make sure to stay on the right path. Now, I sound like a father.” Matthew rolled his eyes. “And you remind me of my sister-in-law, Jenna. It’s a compliment.” He winked.
“Oh, thank you.” Olie smiled.
Matthew leaned forward, a bit more relaxed. “Think of the bright side. This will get you plenty of votes for the Sexiest Couple Alive. I would love to see two of our models take that title.” Standing up, he asked, “Before I go, do you have any questions?”
“Do you think you have a solid case against Troy?” I asked.
“It will be his words against Olivia’s, but I’m pretty convincing.” He arched his eyebrow. “If Troy threatens to sue, then I’ll give him a taste of his own medicine.”
“Would it help if I had solid evidence?” I asked.
Matthew sat back down. “What do you have in mind?”
Reaching inside my jeans, I took out my phone. “I have this app that records. While Troy and I were talking, arguing is more like it, I accidently pressed the record button.”
“May I?” Matthew reached out his hand and took the phone.
I watched Matthew make different expressions as he listened to an unpleasant conversation between Troy and me. Sometimes his lips twitched, and sometimes he frowned, and sometimes he ran his hand down his face in frustration.
“Can I hold onto your phone just for today?” Matthew asked. “I would like to use this as evidence if necessary. I don’t see it going that far. Troy knows my reputation. He’s not going to question it. But you just never know?”
“Of course,” I agreed.
Matthew tapped the table. “Smile. Everything is going to be just fine. We take care of our models, and one more thing, if you haven’t already, you should both speak to your agents. They have the right to know so they can protect you.”
Chapter 21
Olivia
I took Matthew’s advice and spoke to my agent on the phone while Nate spoke to his. Afterward, I called Isla, and Nate spoke to Josh, explaining our conversation with Matthew and our next steps. Then we headed for my place since we promised Mom we would have dinner together. I also had another agenda in mind, to tell her in my own words just in case it might get out of hand regarding Troy.
I told her everything. Nate supported me through it. He wouldn’t leave my sight, and I was grateful for that. Mom took it, well, better than I’d thought.
“I’m glad you’re with Nate and not with that—” her eyebrows furrowed and her lips pinched together “—awful monster.”
“Me too.” I caressed Nate’s arm, seated next to him on the sofa.
“So what are you going to do?” Mom folded her arms in front of her stomach.
Nate gently stroked my back. “Matthew advised us to sit back. Hopefully, Troy will come to his senses and leave us alone.”
Mom released an odd sound that sounded like a growl. “Karma. He’s going to get it back in his face one day. See what pride and too much money can do to people. He probably thought he could get away with it.”
“Don’t worry.” Nate eased back. “He’s not going to have many offers, I assure you. He dug his own grave.”
“I’ll gladly shove sand over him and bury him alive.” Mom sneered.
My lips tugged at the corners. Mom looked so cute, all fired up. I was so lucky to have wonderful support. I couldn’t be sure, but I was almost positive Troy had threatened other girls to get his way. The blonde lady who had warned me about Troy at one of his parties came to mind. She didn’t need to heed any warning. I had seen it coming, but I had ignored it, thinking Troy couldn’t be as she had described. I had been a fool, but it was all in the past. The past I wanted to put behind me so I could look forward to the future with Nate.
Mom looked at her watch. “What time are your friends coming?”
The door chimed.
“Right now.” I giggled.
“I’ll get it.” Nate whizzed past me, and Mom followed.
Josh and Isla’s greeting and laughter bounced off the walls.
Mom’s eyes glistened with happiness. “Isla, it’s nice to see you again.”
“I feel the same.” Isla smiled warmly.
“And you must be Josh.” Mom shook his hand and cut her eyes to the tattoos on his arm. “Oh, wow, they’re so...colorful.”
I had warned Mom about Josh’s tattoos earlier so she wouldn’t freak out. Mom was old fashioned when I was younger, probably to keep me in a straight line, but sometimes she surprised me. She was okay with me spending the night at Nate’s but didn’t want Nate to spend the night at our house. Mom never freaked out that I wanted to be a model instead of being a teacher, a doctor, or a lawyer. However, Josh’s tattoos would shock her. I didn’t understand her ways at times, but I had to respect them.
After the hugs and kisses, we gathered around the dining table. I helped Mom bring out the dishes of food she had prepared—steamed rice, chicken, and stir-fried vegetables. Then Mom opened and poured the wine Josh and Isla had brought for everyone. Mom never let the guests lift a finger. She was motherly that way.
“Everything looks so delicious,” Isla cooed. “How come you can’t cook like your
mom, Olivia?”
I frowned, but everyone chuckled.
“Because Mom never let me help her. She spoiled me growing up, and she still does.” It was true. Even as an adult, she never let me wash the dishes. “Isla, you can start learning. My mom will share her recipe.”
Isla waved her hand. “Nah. I’m too busy to cook.”
“And I’m not?” I narrowed my eyes at her playfully.
Mom gaped between us, smiling. “Both of you remind me of Charlene and me.”
That made me shut my mouth.
“Who’s Charlene?” Josh asked between chewing his asparagus.
“Keep coming around and you’ll meet her. She’s likes to speak her mind.” Nate smiled. “She cracks me up.”
Josh tilted his head in understanding and focused back on his food.
Mom took a sip of her wine. “Will all four of you go to New York this weekend?”
Josh wiped his mouth and placed his elbows on the table. “Not me.”
Mom swallowed and squinted her eyes. “Oh.”
“Isla and I have a contract with a designer, and Nate is coming with me to keep me company,” I explained. If I wanted to tell her the truth, I would have told her Nate insisted on coming with me out of concern that Troy might try something. But I didn’t need to worry Mom.
Mom tapped the rice with her spoon. “Don’t you have to work, Nate?”
Nate glanced my way. “Actually, I just found out that I have a photo shoot for a male fitness magazine. They want to interview me for—” he cleared his throat and murmured “—the sexiest man thing.”
Nate never liked to brag, even though he’d earned that title.
“That worked out then,” I said, adding more rice on my plate.
“It’ll just be a day.” He winked.
Isla stared at us as if we were a precious thing. “You’re both so darn cute. I’m so happy everything worked out for the both of you. And I’m glad that ass—” She flashed a glance at Mom. “I mean that evil man is out of your life for good.” She shivered and made a grunting disgusted sound.
