Page 97 of No Holds Barred

“I have done that. You’re right,” Angelica interrupted him. “I have crossed lines. But don’t think that just because I’ve done it you can break the same rule.”

“You called him in here to stir up drama!” Josef hissed at her, his cheeks turning red. “I won’t let you take this from me, Ange. I’ll take you down and bury you with me.”

“I didn’t call Logan,” Angelica reiterated.

It’d be so easy for Hope to jump in and say she was the one who had made the call, and she was just about to, but Angelica put her hand out, fingers spread as if she knew Hope was going to do that.

“And you accosting me because he’s here isn’t going to win you any favors, Josef. I suggest to batten down the hatches and start forming a plan for what’s next. Because if Logan’s sniffing around, then you’re certainly on the edge of something.” Angelica stared at him hard.

Hope wished she could do something, say anything. She just wanted the arguing to end.

“There you are!” Cadence stepped outside, a grimace on her face. She locked her eyes on Hope and then immediately shifted to Angelica. “Rex is looking for you.”

“Thank you,” Angelica said. She stepped around Cadence and slipped back into the hotel through the kitchen doors.

Hope stayed silent as she held her breath and waited for Josef’s next explosion, hoping it wasn’t going to be directed at her. Josef scowled at her, but he remained silent as he pushed his way back inside. Instead of following, Hope stayed right where she was, feet planted in the gravel and the setting sun at her back.

“You okay?” Cadence asked.

“Whiplash.” Hope frowned. “Not literally.”

“I gathered.” Cadence shut the door, stepped out fully, and took a deep breath. “I’ve never liked him.”

“I don’t know many people who do lately.” Hope put her hands on her hips and stretched her back. “He’s on a rampage this season, though.”

“He hasn’t been this bad before?”

“Nope. Bad, yes, but not like this.” Hope closed her eyes and rolled her shoulders. “Where are we with filming?”

“Interviews.”

Hope nodded, mentally taking stock of everything she needed to do and then some. The phone in her pocket buzzed. Frowning she stared at the screen.

Rachel.

“I hate to bow out again, but I need to take this.” Hope frowned at the phone. “I’ll make it as quick as I can.”

“Yeah. Don’t worry.” Cadence nodded and scuffed her shoe against the gravel. “I need a smoke after that whole thing with jerk-face anyway.”

“Good.”

Hope started back the way she’d come from, answering the call before it went to voicemail even though she wasn’t entirely certain she wanted to take it. Her family had been so distant in the last year because of Rachel. As much as she’d wanted to work on that, she knew she had to work on herself first.

“Is everything okay?” Hope asked as she answered.

“Uh… Hi. Yeah. There’s no emergency.” Rachel’s voice wavered.

Hope bit her lip and wrinkled her nose as she stared out across the river. “Then why are you calling?”

“Hope…”

“What?” Hope bit out the word. This wasn’t the time or the place for Rachel to be calling, and after everything that day, Hope’s brain was fried on keeping her tongue in check.

“I’m sorry.”

Hope’s chest tightened. Those two words filled the air in her lungs, turning it from burning hot to boiling. And she couldn’t hold it in any longer. She burst.

“You’re sorry? What the hell for?”