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“I know.” Piper smiled, but the sadness in her eyes struck a sharp needle into Jo’s chest.

Jo turned back to Mandy, wondering what on earth she’d ever seen in her in the first place. Everything about her was fake: the excessive makeup, the too-tight clothes, and the pursed lips of indignation she had no right to have. Even as she stepped closer toward them, her ankles wavered a little on the three-inch heels she’d never gotten used to wearing.

“I knew something was wrong when you stopped answering my messages, Jo. But I can’t believe you.” Mandy crossed her arms over her chest, pushing up her ample breasts.

Ah, that’s right. It had been the boobs.

It was a pity Jo discovered they were fake as well.

“We aren’t together. You know that.” Jo kept her voice calm. She didn’t like to hurt anyone, and even as misguided as Mandy might be, Jo didn’t want to hurt her if she could avoid it.

“But I apologized, baby.” Mandy dropped her arms, and her pursed lips turned into a pout while her eyes widened.

“Mandy, I told you. It’s over.”

“It’s not over until I say it is.” Mandy stomped her foot, looking ridiculous as she shoved her fists into her hips. Best life skill—tantrum throwing.

Jo forced herself to remain calm. It wasn’t that she never got angry, but she never allowed that to overshadow the joy she let into her life. Seeing Mandy’s anger flashing in her eyes made reaching that joy impossible as she remembered some of the more vicious threats Mandy’s texts had contained. She hadn’teven turned her phone off of silent since she stopped answering them or even reading them at three that morning. The only reason she got Bea’s call was because Bea’s contact had been set to bypass all silent modes after they missed out on a deal because Jo had missed Bea’s call two years ago.

“Jo,” Mandy purred, the whiplash of emotions sending Jo into another tailspin.

But the messages.

Jo was pretty sure most of them were just trying to get a rise out of her. Even an angry reply would be a reply and a win for Mandy, Jo was certain of that. But still, Jo had been more than a little disturbed by the aggressive detail Mandy had put into her messages.

“Who the fuck are you?”

Mandy spun around, and Bunny stood just inside the studio.

“Oh my God,” Mandy squealed and turned back to face Jo. Her face was alive with excitement.

The look made Jo’s stomach turn. Especially when Mandy took a closer look at Piper.

“Oh wow.” Mandy’s hands were up in more dramatic flare than the choreography Piper and Jo had been practicing. “I didn’t recognize you on the account of you snogging my girlfriend, but wow! It really is you.”

Jo flinched as Mandy squealed again and her face contorted into a lecherous leer.

“It’s okay, honey. I don’t mind if you want her to join us. I’m so excited. Look at us, the power couple bangingthePiper.”

“Get the fuck out of here,” Bunny growled low, her face contorting into pure rage.

“Look, Bunny.” Mandy turned around, her voice saccharine as she walked, hips swaying too far one way and then the other, back toward Bunny. “I get it. It’s all hush-hush, but really, Jo and I have been together for years, and she invited me here.”

“Jo?” Bunny looked over Mandy’s shoulder and stared directly at Jo.

Jo shook her head from side to side, but the words failed her.

“Seems you’re full of shit,” Bunny said.

“What?” Mandy’s fury raged back in an instant. All charm and sweet seduction, as terrible as the attempts had been, left in an instant.

“You need to leave. You’re not welcome here.” Bunny grabbed Mandy’s arm and pulled her out of the door, but not before Mandy turned those vitriolic eyes back to Jo.

“Just you wait. You’ll be begging me to come back when Little Miss Pop Star here realizes what an absolute useless freak you are in bed.”

Jo took in a deep shuddering breath, Mandy’s words hitting harder than she thought they possibly could. The world spun, and Jo crumpled to the floor in a tangle of legs she was no longer sure she could still feel.

“Hey.” Piper’s sweet and gentle breath brushed strands of Jo’s blonde hair around her ear.