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Andreas winced.“Yeah.No.I still…” He swallowed.“I really thought I loved the guy.And he told me he’d left his wife.And then when I found out he hadn’t, I confronted him.Things got?—”

I cleared my throat.

Four gazes shot my way.

Valentino shook his head.“I want to hear all of it.If you think Norah should?—”

“I’m staying.”Darling woman actually stomped her foot.

Well, okay, then.

I gestured for Andreas to continue.

“We got into a fight.He threw the first punch.Or I did.”He closed his eyes.“It’s all kind of blurred.”

Norah gently passed her fingers over the yellow bruise.“You poor dear.What a wretched man.I’m glad you’re not with him anymore.I certainly hope you never see him again.”Apparently she’d forgiven him for lying about the strep throat.He’d had to come clean about that when everything had gone to shit.

Valentino nodded.“Do we know why he went public?His name thus far has been kept out of the media.Is he naïve enough to believe that will hold?You were both brought to the police station for questioning less than seventy-two hours ago.Does he believe he’s protected somehow?”

“I have no idea.”Andreas shrugged.“Omar can be…impetuous.I’m most concerned about his wife.If what he says is true, she knows nothing?—”

“Maybe she should know.”Norah’s eyes flashed brilliant green in the morning sunlight streaming into Shayna’s office.“If my husband was cheating on me, I’d damn well want to know.If he was putting porn on the internet, I would want to know.”

She didn’t stamp her foot again, but none of us was left questioning her righteous anger.

“He…” Andreas sighed.“I honestly thought I loved him.That we’d be together forever.”

“The man’s a damn fool.”Norah placed a hand over his heart.“I can tell how sincere you are.And I’m so glad we’re making this film together.”She gazed up at him and fluttered her lashes.

Yes, fluttered her lashes.

He blinked.“You still want to star in the movie with me?”

“Of course.”She held his gaze.“I won’t let anyone bully me into dropping you as a costar.We were meant to make this movie together.You’re the perfect Thane.I don’t want anyone else.I want you.You’ll do it, right?You won’t drop out because of that horrible, awful, dreadful man.May his wife spite his heart.”

I cocked my head.I wasn’t certain she had the expression correct but, again, very clearly had her temper showing.Sort of matched the high color in her cheeks and her flaming-red hair.

“We need a strategy.”Valentino made a grab for his tie.

That wasn’t there.

Despite knowing my best interests lay in not reacting, I smiled.

He caught my gaze and smiled back.

“What strategy?We leave for Vancouver in two weeks and film the most amazing movie ever.”Norah pouted.“I don’t see how we can do anything else.”

I want to live in her world.Black and white.Good and evil.Right and wrong.For some reason, I didn’t perceive her as accepting gray in this universe.The sky was either brilliant blue or black with night.I could admit, I admired her for that.Envied her a little as well.

Unfortunately, I didn’t live in that world.I had to see shades.Omar might be a jackass in every conceivable way—but he risked discovery.One word from Andreas, and the ex-lover would be unveiled.Yes, Andreas wouldn’t intentionally out the man.Concern for the man’s innocent wife would keep an honorable man like my client from speaking out.Other men might not be so scrupulous.

And what about Tommy Tucker and Karen Mixer?When one lay with dogs, they could invariably wind up with fleas.

Well, except Wally.I assumed he was up-to-date with his flea medication.And I’d totally lie on the ground with him and cuddle.Especially if Phillip kept us company.Like, a group activity.A way to show we all cared about each other.A way for Wally to bond with me the way he was clearly bonding with my nibblets?—

“Does that work for you, Jeremy?”Shayna moderated her tone, but I caught the bite in it.

Heat raced to my cheeks at having been caught not paying attention.“Uh.”I rubbed my forehead.“Sorry, it’s been a very long twelve hours.Can you top-line that again for me?”