Out in the garden, everything was peaceful. Most of the crowd was still inside, while couples trickled through the garden looking to share some quiet time. It was the perfect escape. Lexi found a bench off to the side, sat down, and again scoured through the papers in her hand. In the dim moonlight, something caught her eye. She held the sheet up to one of the outdoor lights and froze. Scribbled on a Post-it note attached to one of the print ads was a name, underlined twice. Jade with an arrow pointing at the main female model in the shoot.
Staring at it, Lexi’s stomach lurched. Who picks the model before the design campaign is even solidified? Why would he do that unless …
Just as she crammed the papers in her purse, she heard two very low voices coming from the shadows. “I’m going to take care of that little problem we have, once and for all. She’s just getting in the way.”
“Do you have anything else for me?” a deep voice Lexi immediately recognized as David Reid asked.
“Get me the Fitzgerald’s modeling contract, and we’ll talk. Until then, any other Hunter goodies I may have up my sleeve are available to the highest bidder.”
“Jade, if you give another client to Parketti,” David threatened.
“You’ll what? I’m making you millions with the information I gave you. I have to spread this stuff around to keep everyone at Hunter guessing. I never give Adria anything good. Her ungrateful attitude really pisses me off. But she’s gotten me the cover every time, so I’m not complaining. Vincent’s completely wrapped up in his little Kewpie doll of an assistant. He has no idea what’s going on.”
Lexi’s heart thundered in her chest, unable to believe what she was hearing. Jade had been selling out Vincent for months. She was the mole. It would devastate him when he learned the truth. There was a long silence and then a few sickening giggles from Jade.
“I love you,” David said in the darkness.
Jade giggled again, and Lexi snapped. She shot up out of her seat and loudly cleared her throat, glaring into their hidden alcove. Jade and David peeked out from the shadows like two teenagers caught making out and froze.
“You make me sick.” Lexi took great pleasure in watching the terror sweep across Jade’s face. She mockingly gave a little finger wave. “See you in hell, Jade.” Then Lexi turned on her heel and walked out of the garden, trying to scrub the image of David’s hand threaded up through one of the holes in Jade’s dress out of her head.
As she stepped back into the warehouse, she had one thing on her mind. Vincent. She needed to find him. Her eyes darted around the room, but the crowd seemed to have doubled in size while she was gone. Finally, off to the side of the dance floor, Lexi found Julian and Christina. Thinking they might have an idea where Vincent was, she hurried off in their direction.
“Lexi, love the dress on you. You having a good time?” Julian greeted her as he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a squeeze. When he saw the paled expression on her face he stopped. “What happened?”
“I was out in the garden. I just need to find Vincent—it’s an emergency.” Lexi’s voice trembled with emotion.
“Are you all right?” Christina stepped forward in a panic. “Did someone hurt you?”
A very dazed Lexi answered. “What? N-no, nothing like that.” She shook her head. “It’s a work thing.”
Julian eyed her cautiously. “Last time I saw him, he was near the bar, talking to his mother. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I will be. Thanks.” Lexi hugged Christina and Julian and congratulated both of them on the evening’s huge success.
After a few more minutes of pleasantries, Lexi’s eyes continued scanning the room for Vincent. “Go find your man.” Christina smiled.
“Thanks.” Lexi waved and disappeared into the crowd. She caught a glimpse of Robert and headed in that direction as fast as she could. When she finally broke through the throngs of people, she found Robert and Elizabeth together, but no Vincent.
“Damn it,” she muttered.
“Well, hello to you too, dear.” Elizabeth laughed.
“Sorry, I’m looking for your son.” Lexi smiled apologetically and then began scanning the room again.
“Oh, you know what? He’s off doing something very important right now and really can’t be interrupted.” Elizabeth threaded her arm through Lexi’s.
“Why don’t we go get something to eat? I see a lovely dessert table set up in that corner.”
Lexi was running out of time and was becoming more desperate to talk to Vincent. “I’m not hungry. I don’t mean to be rude, but I really have to talk to him about something.” As she waved the papers at Elizabeth, she caught sight of Vincent and Jade heading upstairs. “Never mind, I see him. I’ll be back.”
“Lexi, wait!”
On the trip across the room, it seemed like Lexi ran into every person she knew, everyone wanting to stop her and chat about something. As politely as possible, she excused herself from each of them and continued toward Vincent. As she was about to go upstairs, a huge hand landed on her shoulder.
“Yo, Lexi. Where are you sneaking off to?”
“Sean, Hope, oh thank God! Listen, Jade’s the mole. Someone from Reid gave me these papers. They’re pictures of the Excalibur account—the boards and PowerPoint. Then I heard Jade and Reid out on the garden talking about it and … making out. She’s cheating on Vincent too.” As she spilled all the sordid details, she became nauseated. She could only imagine what Vincent would feel like when he heard. Her heart broke for him.
“What?” Sean’s smile evaporated from his face.
“That bitch,” Hope snarled. “After all the shit she accused you of, here she is sleeping around on Vincent?”
“Yeah, I know. Listen, they just went upstairs. I have to go tell him. He needs to know. Screw Jade, I’ll deal with her too.”
Sean held out an arm to stop her. “Do you want me to go with you? Jade isn’t going to take this well. I’d feel better if I was there.”
She reached out her hand and laid it on Sean’s cheek. “Thanks for the offer, but it’s time someone showed Jade the door, and I’m thrilled to be the one to do it. But there is something you can do for me.”
“Name it.”
“Go find Anna. Vincent’s going to need her when he finds out what Jade did.” The two exchanged a sad look. Both understood this would hit Vincent like a ton of bricks, and his reaction would be explosive. It was the thing that he loathed the most: betrayal.