Escape (Part Three) by Zelda Reed Read Free Book Online Page A

dress.
    “Guilty,” I said.
    “I’m sorry,” said Cheryl. “Can you say that again and look at me?”
    “I feel guilty knowing I was sleeping with a man who was cheating on his pregnant girlfriend.”
    A noise of approval hummed in the back of Cheryl’s throat. “While a majority of the internet condemns your actions, there’s a small sector of people who are on your side. They call themselves Posner-ites. Have you heard of this?”
    I hadn’t. “No.”
    “They’re a group of women who’ve also slept with married or taken men and believe that they aren’t at fault, that it’s the person in the relationship whose duty it is to be faithful. They have no loyalty to the harmed party. What do you think of that?”
    “I think,” I cleared my throat again. Jonah nor Jennifer prepared me for this question. In the corner, Jennifer shifted with a smirk. “It takes two to cheat and if I’m at fault then,” my eyes flickered to Chace, standing near the door. Evie and Bonnie stood next to him.
    Cheryl snapped her fingers. “Start over,” she said. “And keep looking at me.”
    “It takes two people to cheat,” I said. “And if I’m at fault then so is Chace.”
    Cheryl sat up a little straighter. “Chace is here with us tonight, isn’t he?”
    My shoulders stiffened. This wasn’t part of the plan. My eyes flickered to Jonah whose eyebrows knitted in the middle, his gaze turning towards Jennifer as she tilted her head innocently to the side. The cameras turned to the door where Chace fixed his blazer.
    He looked handsome and camera-ready but there was a sense of alarm in his eyes.
    “Chace Evans,” Cheryl said, shifting excitedly in her seat. “Why don’t you join us?”
    Chace’s eyes widened as he looked to Jonah.
    Jonah quickly crossed the room, stepping in front of the camera as he said, “Okay. Cut. Stop rolling.” No one listened. “Turn the damn cameras off,” he barked.
    Cheryl sighed. “Everyone take five.”
    “What the hell are you doing?” Jonah said, advancing on Cheryl.
    Cheryl stood and flipped her hair over her shoulder. Her producer appeared by her side, Jennifer hot on his heels.
    “We discussed some things without you,” he said.
    “No shit,” said Jonah. Then to Jennifer, “I thought you said this wasn’t about Chace.”
    Jennifer blinked. “I lied,” she said. “This is about how they both betrayed me.”
    “He didn’t cheat on you,” I hissed.
    Cheryl looked at me. “What are you talking about?”
    “She’s lying,” Jennifer said, a hot warning flashing in her eyes. Shut the fuck up, or else.
    “Chace isn’t doing this interview,” Jonah said. “The deal was Alice admits to being Chace’s mistress, cut and print.”
    “I want him on camera,” Jennifer said, crossing her arms.
    Jonah threw his brother a look. “He isn’t going to do it.”
    “He will if he doesn’t want his girlfriend’s sister’s dirty laundry aired on national television.”
    Cheryl raised her eyebrow in interest. She looked at me. “Your sister has laundry too?”
    “This wasn’t part of the deal,” Jonah said.
    “Fuck the deal,” Jennifer said. “Get him on camera or we’ll get Laura Posner on the phone.”
    Chace walked out of the room. I followed Jonah with my stomach in my throat. There was nothing we could do to convince Chace to bare his private life on camera. He would rather take a knife to the throat then let Cheryl dissect him in front of millions.
    “What do you think?” Jonah said, his hands stuffed in his pockets.
    Chace paced the floor, his shoes scratching against the wood. “I think we should tell Jennifer to fuck off.”
    Jonah nodded. “We can but,” he looked at me.
    “I know,” Chace said. For a long moment he scratched his jaw, glancing between his brother and me.
    A P.A. stuck his head out the room. “We start filming in two.”
    “I’ll tell her we’re done,” Jonah said.
    My stomach violently twisted.
    Chace turned around.