by Maisey Yates
“I don’t think there’s anything to clear up. In my case, Chelsea, the gossip is malicious and completely false. But that’s not true for your case, is it?” He smiled, the smile of a predator sensing victory, and everything in Alex tensed.
“I assume,” Chelsea answered, unruffled, “that you’re referencing the abuse I suffered from Brian Taylor when I worked at Alabama Broadcasting Communications ten years ago.”
Jason opened his mouth but no words came out. He looked, strangely, at a loss. “Yes,” he finally said, “although I don’t know if I call sleeping your way into a job abuse.”
Chelsea leaned forward, her eyes glittering. “Let me tell you what I call abuse,” she said, her voice quiet and cold and so very certain. “Luring—what were your words?—promising young women into working for your firm and then blackmailing them into prostitution. You’ve run a prostitution ring for high-end clients for nearly twenty years, Jason, sourced by your own employees.”
The stunned reaction backstage was a tide of whispered, frantic discussions about whether to cut the cameras. Jason just stared at Chelsea, his expression utterly even.
“That’s disgusting, and utterly untrue.”
“So you didn’t encourage young women in your employ to sleep with clients?” Chelsea asked. Nothing sweet or honeyed about her now; she was hard and perfect. “You didn’t blackmail these same clients over it? You didn’t coerce women into performing these sordid acts by paying off their scholarships and giving them fully-paid internships?”
“No.” Jason bit out the single word.
“You can’t explain this photograph?” Chelsea asked, and slid the photo of Sarah from a folder beneath her chair.
Jason’s eyes widened as he glanced at it, and his jaw bunched harder still. “No.”
“Can you explain why Zoe Brook, a celebrated PR specialist, is ready to come forward with her story?”
“Zoe Brook? She has a personal axe to grind, I’m afraid.” He shook his head sorrowfully. “It happens.”
“She worked for you for several years, Jason,” Chelsea reminded him coolly. “And you blackmailed her into prostituting herself with your clients.”
Jason leaned forward, his eyes glittering. “Chelsea, I know you like for the guests on your talk show to sob and spill secrets, but this is a little much. I’m a respected professional, and I can’t have these kinds of accusations thrown at me, especially when there is absolutely no basis except for a couple of crazy women—” He stopped suddenly, and Chelsea smiled.
“I have one of those crazy women in the wings, Jason. Zoe Brook is here and she wants to talk to you.”
Jason sat back, a stony look on his face. “This is a ridiculous attempt to discredit me.”
“Why would anyone want to discredit you, Jason?” Chelsea asked, her voice both steely and sweet. “Everyone loves you. You’re a champion of women’s rights, although I admit you’re not sounding like much of one at the moment. I didn’t want to believe this of you, and I have to say, it took some convincing. I had to see photos, and I spoke with both Katy Michaels and Zoe Brook. Now I want the world to hear Zoe’s story. I want you to hear it, Jason.”
Zoe Brook appeared on the side of the set, pale and yet full of purpose. “Hello, Jason.”
Jason eyed her coolly. “You’re just angry because I let you go from the firm, Zoe. Your work was shoddy and this is clearly all part of your revenge. As I said earlier, I believe in granting opportunities to women—but they have to deserve them. They have to be qualified.”
“The only thing you cared about your female employees being qualified for,” Zoe answered, “was servicing your clients. But I won’t be silent any longer, Jason. I won’t be your victim.”
Once again Alex heard a furious buzz of whispers, like someone had poked a wasp’s nest, from the production assistants. The cameras continued to roll.
“This is outrageous,” Jason stated. “And I refuse to listen to any more of these accusations.” He stood up, preparing to leave the set. “I can assure you,” he finished icily, skewering Chelsea with a look, “you’ll be hearing from my lawyers.”
Alex knew it was probably only a matter of minutes, or even of seconds, before they cut the show. The network would not want a lawsuit.
Chelsea stood up as well, facing Treffen. “You can’t bluff your way through this one, Jason,” she said, her eyes and voice hard. “You’ve been managing that for twenty years, but the act is paper-thin now, and you know it. Your career is ruined. Your family knows the truth about you. And now the whole world does, too. It’s over. You know it’s over, even if you’re pretending otherwise. You know.”
Jason stared at her for a long moment, his stony features slackening into a look of bleak hopelessness. “You stupid bitch,” he said quietly. “You have no idea what you’re doing. What you’re opening up with this. It’s not just—” He stopped suddenly, his face now twisting into an ugly sneer. “You haven’t learned anything since you spread your legs for that two-bit producer in Alabama, have you?” Then he raised his hand and slapped her across the face.
Chelsea’s head whipped round and Alex started forward, checked by Hunter.
“Damn it, let me—”
“You can’t punch Treffen on live TV,” Hunter told him calmly. “Trust me, I know how these things go. It’ll just turn him into a victim.”
Fury still surged through him, but Alex stepped back.
He could see Treffen’s handprint on Chelsea’s face, and she was grinning in triumph. The cameras had stopped rolling, and two security guards were now flanking Treffen, whose face had gone blank and shuttered.
Chelsea had done it. She’d broken Treffen.
And she’d broken him, too, he realized. Broken him in all sorts of ways, shattered all his attitude, all his armor. And he had to tell her.
He strode forward, and she turned to him, still grinning. “I did it—”
“I love you.” It was amazingly easy to say. To feel. “I love you,” he said again, because she looked shell-shocked, and hell, he just wanted to keep saying it. “Not just for this,” he added, gesturing to the set, “but for everything. For you, Chelsea. I love you for you.”
Her grin widened, a silly, sloppy thing. “You could maybe say it one more time.”
“I love you. I love you.” He snatched her into his arms, buried his face in her hair. “I love you and I can’t believe I’ve been so afraid to say it, to admit it, for so long.”
“It’s okay,” she said as her arms came around him. “Because you said it now. I believe it now.”
Security guards were taking Treffen off the set, and Hunter, Austin and Katy were there, jubilant but also determined to make sure Treffen wasn’t let off with just a few questions or a warning. Reluctantly Alex released Chelsea. There would be time later to say everything in his heart, he knew. And time, he hoped, to hear it from her. Those three little words.
* * *
It was thanks to Michael, Chelsea knew, that she wasn’t escorted from the building by security. Jason Treffen might be arrested, might pay for his crimes, but she’d pay for hers, too. She wouldn’t work for AMI again, and amazingly, that was okay.
Hunter and Austin had gone out with Zoe and Katy, to celebrate but also to go over the events of the evening, to process it all and to decide what the next steps would be. Chelsea had told Alex to go with them; she needed to finish up, quite literally, at AMI.
Still she wished she’d asked him to stay as she went to clear out her office, the building quiet now after the chaos of the interview. Michael was probably meeting with AMI’s team of lawyers, and figuring out the damage control. She’d talk to him later, try to explain. She thought he’d understand.
She walked out of AMI and ten years of her life without a flicker of regret. A little bittersweet sorrow, yes, and a lot of memories. But for once in her life, no regret.
Alex had texted her that they were all in a private room at the Plaza Hotel, with a magnum of
champagne at hand.
Please join us, he’d texted. Join me.
She stood on the threshold of the room she’d been directed to, her gaze taking in Zoe snugged against Hunter, Katy and Austin holding hands.
And Alex. Alex sat alone, a flute of champagne dangling from his fingers, a thoughtful look on his face as he listened to everyone else’s excited chatter. Then he turned his head slowly and met Chelsea’s gaze with a blazing one of his own.
Chelsea felt her heart swell and fill. She was walking into a crowded room and she didn’t feel remotely anxious or afraid.
She felt sure.
I love you, she mouthed, and Alex kept his gaze on hers as he smiled and held out his arms.
She walked straight into them, and when they closed around her she felt as if she’d finally found a safe place. The only place.
“I love you,” she said, her voice muffled against his shoulder, and his arms went around her more tightly.
* * *
I love you. Such sweet, simple words, yet words that held so much power, Alex thought as he hugged Chelsea. So much joy. He would never tire of saying them now. Of meaning them and feeling them.
Hunter glanced over at them, his arm around Zoe, his expression amused. “Come and join the party, you two,” he said, one eyebrow arched. “Unless you want to get a room?”
“Maybe later,” Alex said, and with his arm snugged around Chelsea’s waist, he drew her toward his friends.
They were all talking about Treffen and what would happen next, and for the first time when he thought of Jason and Sarah and all the rest, Alex didn’t feel that flash of rage, that surge of guilt. He felt...he felt at peace.
And blessed, because he had Chelsea in his life. Because he’d been given a second chance, they both had, and not everyone got one of those.
“Okay?” Chelsea asked softly, looking at him, her dark eyes searching his face.
“More than okay,” Alex answered. There would be time later to talk, to share, to admit everything he’d felt and held back and wanted still. Lots of time, because they had the rest of their lives. “More than okay,” he said again, his voice rough with emotion, and Chelsea smiled in both understanding and agreement, and then softly kissed him.
* * * * *
If you loved Expose Me by Kate Hewitt, be sure to catch the other two titles in the Fifth Avenue trilogy, featuring Avenge Me by Maisey Yates and Scandalize Me by Caitlin Crews, only from Harlequin Presents!
Ten years ago one devastating night changed everything for Austin, Hunter and Alex. Now they must each play their part in the revenge against the one man who ruined it all.
Austin Treffen has the plan… Hunter has the money… Alex has the power!
Order your copies today in ebook format.
And don’t miss the Fifth Avenue prequel that started it all, Take Me, by Maisey Yates!
Connect with us on Harlequin.com for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!
Other ways to keep in touch:
Harlequin.com/newsletters
Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks
Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks
HarlequinBlog.com
We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Presents title.
You want alpha males, decadent glamour and jet-set lifestyles. Step into the sensational, sophisticated world of Harlequin Presents, where sinfully tempting heroes ignite a fierce and wickedly irresistible passion!
Enjoy eight new stories from Harlequin Presents every month!
Connect with us on Harlequin.com for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!
Other ways to keep in touch:
Harlequin.com/newsletters
Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks
Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks
HarlequinBlog.com
ISBN-13: 9781460336861
EXPOSE ME
Copyright © 2014 by Harlequin Books S.A.
Special thanks and acknowledgment are given to Kate Hewitt for her contribution to the Fifth Avenue trilogy.
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
® and ™ are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office and in other countries.
www.Harlequin.com
If you enjoyed this stunning trilogy by our three fantastic authors, look out for their next exciting reads!
Maisey Yates introduces her most powerful and commanding Harlequin Presents® hero yet— Dmitri Markin!
Years ago Victoria Calder made a mistake that cost her father his business. Now she has a chance to atone, by going toe-to-toe with the arresting Dmitri Markin and making him an offer he can’t refuse!
Dmitri—ex-martial arts fighter, present-day pleasure seeker—is a man who likes to win. The beautiful Ms. Calder has shocked him with her proposal, but if this dedicated bachelor is going to surrender to marriage it certainly won’t be in name only!
His Diamond of Convenience
April 2015
In Kate Hewitt’s latest Harlequin Presents®, she lifts the lid on The Chatsfield, Berlin, the glorious hotel where starlet Olivia Harrington has just been caught with Ben Chatsfield!
Nothing can disrupt the premiere of Olivia Harrington’s new film. But when the press run the story that reclusive Ben Chatsfield is her latest love interest, innocent Olivia has to go along with the lie!
Ben should call “Cut!” on this charade, but it would be a PR coup for the Chatsfields. Olivia’s sophisticated act might fool the media but Ben knows she’s hiding an even bigger secret…
Virgin’s Sweet Rebellion
April 2015
Caitlin Crews opens the doors to The Chatsfield, Barcelona, in her latest Harlequin Presents® where estranged couple Holly and Theo Tsoukatos will be setting the bedsheets alight!
A wife in need…
Waiting outside her estranged husband’s lavish office, ready to demand a divorce, Holly Tsoukatos can’t remember ever being so scared. Not even when she told Theo the words that destroyed their marriage.
A husband craving revenge!
Seeing Holly again, Theo hates how much he still desires her! If she wants to talk, he’ll choose the venue: The Chatsfield, Barcelona, where they spent their honeymoon!
Greek’s Last Redemption
May 2015
ISBN-13: 9781460382509
Fifth Avenue Box Set
Copyright © 2015 by Harlequin Books S.A.
The publisher acknowledges the copyright holder of the individual works as follows:
Take Me
Copyright © 2014 by Harlequin Books S.A.
Avenge Me
Copyright © 2014 by Harlequin Books S.A.
Scandalize Me
Copyright © 2014 by Harlequin Books S.A.
Expose Me
Copyright © 2014 by Harlequin Books S.A.
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the t
ext of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
® and ™ are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office and in other countries.
www.Harlequin.com
