Page 114 of Home Grown Talent

It was Lewis. “Fuck, Owen, you won’t believe what just happened on—”

“I saw it.”

“You were watching? Did you see what he did?”

“Yeah…”

Suddenly, Lewis laughed, a deep full-bellied chuckle. “Misty is going to be so fucking pissed off. She must be going off her head right now.”

Owen couldn’t care less about Misty when his mind was conjuring up visions of Mason being turfed physically out of the studio. “They won’t hurt him, will they?”

“Hurt him?” Lewis snorted. “No. Well, Misty’s probably tearing him a new one as we speak. He’ll be escorted off set, but they’re not going to punch him, if that’s what you mean. He can kiss goodbye to working on any of Misty’s projects, though, but he must have known that before he started.” Lewis went silent for a moment, then, in a more hesitant voice, said, “You know he did that for you, right? They must have thought he was going to toe the line, or they wouldn’t have let him near the studio, but… well, who knew Mason Nash had a fucking backbone?”

Owen swallowed hard. He should have known.

A better friend—a better boyfriend—would have had Mason’s back from the start, would have trusted him, not stormed off like a bloody diva.

Not turned into a blank wall.

Owen squeezed his eyes shut, wincing at the stab of shame. And all the time he’d been thinking he was the one wronged ….

“They’re back,” Lewis said sharply. “Shit, who’s that?”

Owen opened his eyes, and across the kitchen counter, he saw Naomi, Misty’s long-suffering intern, perching on the edge of that bloody sofa looking like a rabbit in the headlights. Leah was introducing her, oozing plastic sympathy as she did so.

“So, Naomi,” Leah said at last. “I understand you’re the junior member of staff Misty referred to in her statement last week? The person who said they were bullied by Owen Hunter?”

Naomi stared at her in silence for a moment. Then she whispered, “Yes.”

Owen’s heart dropped through the floor. What the hell?

“Can you tell us what happened?” Leah said, gently.

Naomi stared at her. Her eyes were shadowed, and she seemed much less put together than usual.

There was a long, uncomfortable silence. Owen was scarcely breathing.

“Naomi?” Leah prompted.

Naomi cleared her throat. “After what Mason Nash just said, Misty asked me to come on camera to talk about this.”

“And we so appreciate your bravery,” Leah said, leaning forward to touch her knee.

Naomi closed her eyes. She looked genuinely distressed, and Owen’s heart went out to her even though he didn’t understand what was happening.

“Take your time,” Leah murmured.

Naomi shook her head, her eyes still closed. “I didn’t want any of this,” she whispered.

Leah made a soothing noise, her perfect brows drawn together in concern. “I know,” she said softly. “No one would. But sometimes we have to step up and speak our truth.” She laid a hand over her heart.

“This is fucking bullshit!” Lewis cursed—Owen had forgotten he was still holding his phone to his ear till that outburst.

“Sshhh,” he said, his gaze still fixed on Naomi, sitting there looking about sixteen, her eyes screwed closed.

“I just wanted a chance to work in TV,” she whispered. “I never expected any of this.”

“I know,” Leah said. “But you’re speaking out now, Naomi. And that matters. To so many people.”