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I worried Andreas might’ve signed a waiver or something.

He admitted Omar had given him some paperwork but that, in the end, he hadn’t signed.

Shayna returned to her desk.She hit the intercom.“Show them in, Cherise.Maybe coffees for everyone?”She paused.“Yes, except Andreas.He’ll thank you for making him a tea.”She rolled her eyes.Whether because she thought the twit didn’t deserve the special treatment, or because she was irritated her admin remembered his preferences, I wasn’t certain.

I knew the drink preferences of all my clients.I wouldn’t have been surprised if Cherise kept a running list.

After a quick rap on the door, it opened.

Norah O’Shay swept into the room.No other word existed for her entrance.Her knee-length white dress with huge black-and-red flowers flapped with her motion.Her flaming-red hair fluttered, almost as if she stood before a wind machine.Black stiletto pumps matched the metal bracelets around her wrist.Those bangles drew one’s eye to her bare arms—all creamy skin with a hint of freckles.Her green eyes scanned the room before settling on Andreas.She held out her hands.

He grasped them.

“Oh, my dear sweet young man.How are you?”

I held in the laugh, but barely.Norah was twenty-two.Which meant Andreas was older by three years.

Valentino surveyed the room as well.His blond hair was longer than I remembered.A bit roguish.His blue eyes were as incisive as ever.His height gave him an advantage as well.At six-one, I wasn’t a pipsqueak.

Val, however, had several inches on me.His charcoal power suit spoke of seriousness.His blue silk tie connoted elegance.

The red stain on it didn’t.

I cocked my head.Is that part of a pattern I’m not seeing?Or…

Val gazed down to his tie and groaned.

Shayna caught my gaze.Clearly she hadn’t seen the stain.

I certainly wasn’t going to say anything.

Val unknotted the tie and yanked it off.Then he shoved it into his pocket.Finally, he met my gaze.“My foster son loves juice boxes.I checked my shirt which somehow escaped the damage.”He rolled his eyes.“I missed the tie.”

“Oh, Jason is with you in LA?”Shayne stepped from around her desk.“Hello, Valentino.Hello, Norah.An unexpected pleasure.”

“Nice to see you too.”Norah nearly vibrated with excitement.“I saw Jason and Seamus this morning.Family trip to LA.Seamus is taking Jason to the zoo.”

I was able to keep up.Seamus was Valentino’s Canadian husband.They lived in Vancouver most of the time.Jason was their foster son.Okay, that all seemed simple enough.And somehow the stain on the tie humanized Valentino in a way nothing else could.I indicated my tie.“Would you like mine?”It might’ve been my favorite, but I’d have happily given it to the man.

He waved me off, then undid the top two buttons of his shirt.“Seamus claims I look sexier without it and yet still command attention.”

Well over six feet?Piercing blue eyes?A mane of golden-blond hair?The guy could’ve been an actor or a model.Instead, he’d chosen the business side of the movie industry.

And yet, in that moment, I just wanted to be at home with an adorable not-at-all-model-type man and his cuddly puppy.“Well, the offer of the tie stands.”I glanced to Shayna, but she stood like a statue.Neither commanding the room, nor ceding power.Just very still.

“To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?”Might as well go with formal.“Both of you.”

“Oh, I was so worried about Andreas.”Norah squeezed his hands and her emerald eyes flashed.“He’s been so badly treated.”She pouted her lips.“I wanted him to know that he has my one-hundred-percent support.Ourfull support.”She directed her steely gaze to Valentino.

Who nodded—although perhaps with a bit less vigor.

“I think we should do a press conference.”Norah nearly vibrated.“And you can tell them how you had no idea you’d been betrayed by someone you obviously cared for.Because, of course, you’d never let anyone take pictures and videos of you like that if you didn’t love them.”

“Of course.”Andreas echoed her words.

I did my best to not roll my eyes.People shot videos like that all the time.Perhaps, in some cases, ill-advisedly.But they did it.

Valentino cleared his throat.“The studio condemns revenge porn of any kind.Your initial statement made it clear you had no knowledge the private footage would ever be released.”