“No, he’s not drunk, just stupid.”
Loud voices came from the office, and Lexi scrambled to her feet. “I—I have to go. I can’t stomach either one of them right now.” She pulled the papers from her purse and tucked them into Anna’s hand. “I swear, Jade’s the mole. She’s selling information to Reid and Parketti for sure. There might be others. Erica gave me these a couple minutes ago.”
The wrinkled papers crackled as Anna unfolded them and began scouring the pages. “How the hell?”
“Jade. All roads lead back to her.” Lexi took a few steps away, then turned and paused. “But that’s not the worst part. She’s also sleeping with Reid.”
Anna’s eyebrows shot up. “Does Vincent know?”
“That she’s the mole? I told him before I left, but I don’t know if he believed me. I didn’t tell him about Reid and Jade. I couldn’t.”
Out of the darkness came more yelling. “Don’t touch me!” Vincent’s roar echoed down the hall.
Both women glanced toward the office and held their breath, expecting someone to come storming out. When things finally quieted, Anna exhaled.
“Come with me. We’ll talk to him. I’ll beat some sense into him if I have to.” She hooked her arm in Lexi’s and tried to guide her toward the office.
Lexi shook her head emphatically. “No way. I’m done talking. I asked him to trust me and he paused. He paused, Anna.” Her eyes filled with tears again. The sadness in her voice made Anna’s chest ache. “It doesn’t matter now. I’m leaving.”
Lexi hurried down the hall, never once looking back. All Anna could do was stare at the silhouette of her broken friend as she vanished from view. It wasn’t until she heard the voices again that she suddenly found herself enraged and went over and threw open the office door.
“Vincent Drake, what the hell have you done?”
“Not now, Anna.” Anna had never seen him so pale and frenzied, pacing the room like a caged animal desperate for escape. “I have to go. I have to talk to Lexi.”
“You aren’t going anywhere until you calm down.” Anna stopped him from making a break for the door.
“Move, Anna,” he growled, looming over her, full of menace.
“Make me.” Anna stood toe-to-toe with her brother, refusing to allow him to intimidate her. There was no way she was going to let him run off after Lexi half-crazed. She was already distraught, and the last thing she needed was to deal with an out of control Vincent. “Lexi just ran out of here on the verge of hysterics. She said you accused her of being the mole. Did you do something stupid? Did you hurt her?” Anna gave her brother a hard shove in the chest that had him staggering back a few steps. The stunned look on his face answered her question.
“I—I would never do that. You know me better than that,” Vincent roared.
“I thought I did,” Anna snipped. “But you’re acting like a lunatic right now.”
“Why don’t you move so I can go talk to Lexi? Then I’ll calm down.” He took a deep breath. “Please, Anna. I need to see her.”
“Get out, Anna!” Jade snarled from the corner of the room from where she had silently watched the family interaction play out. “Vincent, you aren’t going anywhere near Lexi.”
Anna pointed her perfectly manicured fingernail at Jade. “You need to shut your mouth now, or I’m gonna do it for you. I’ve had it with you.” Her normally sweet, jovial voice was laced with venom and rage.
“Fuck you,” Jade spat.
“No thanks, I don’t take sloppy seconds from Reid. You’re such a miserable tramp.” Anna turned and faced her brother. “You and I need to have a conversation before you go anywhere. Either you get rid of her or I will. But if I do it, she’ll need medical attention, I can promise you that.”
Sensing things were slipping away, Jade began screeching. “She hates me, Vincent. She’s going to fill your head with lies. Lexi’s her friend. She wants you to dump me for her.”
Anna snorted. “He could dump you for the potted plant in that corner or a prize winning dairy cow for all I care. As long as you’re gone, it makes no difference to me who he ends up with. But if I get a vote, you bet I’d pick Lexi! She’s ten times the woman you’ll ever be.”
“Will you both just shut up!” Vincent shouted, his hands laced tightly into his hair. “Anna, you need to move, now.”
“No. You need to calm down. Lexi—”
“Lexi this, Lexi that. She makes me sick! She betrayed Vincent, you know.” Jade’s demented rant earned a savage glare from Anna.
“Enough!” Vincent’s hands slammed down on the desk, his eyes black with fury. “She didn’t betray me.” He rubbed his hand across his face. “i betrayed her.”
There was a long pause during which no one in the room spoke or even dared to breathe. The menace on Vincent’s face made both women take pause. They stood frozen in silence, each wondering who would say something first.
“Leave, Jade,” Vincent finally commanded.
With a glance in Anna’s direction, she sashayed forward then reached out to run her hand down his chest, but Vincent swatted her wrist away before she could make contact.
“Don’t ever touch me again. Don’t ever talk to me again. If you see me, turn in the other direction and walk away. I am now, from this moment on, your worst enemy. Leave.” When Jade’s face paled and her mouth opened to protest, Vincent stepped closer to her until their noses were almost touching. His anger came off of him in waves. “I’d advise you to get a good attorney too. You’re going to need one. I plan on suing you and your worthless partners in crime for every cent you’ve got and every cent you might potentially make in the future. When I get done with you, you’ll owe me so much money, you’ll spend the rest of your worthless modeling career working just to pay me. I’ll also make sure that your name’s on every blacklist in the industry by the time I’m through.” Vincent’s dead eyes never left Jade’s face. “Get out!” His voice thundered as he fought a losing battle to remain in control.
In that moment, Anna saw her brother as the ruthless man she had always heard he could be, one devoid of emotion and full of rage. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that he would do exactly what he promised, not only to Jade, but to anyone else who deceived him. With great pleasure, he would ruin them all professionally and financially if he lost Lexi. He was livid, his temper barely held in control as he faced off with Jade. His expression was filled with wild, uncontrollable disgust for the woman standing before him.