Page 36 of The Burdens We Share (Satan’s Angels #3)

Dallas’ hand is tight around mine and he inserts, anger in his voice, “Why the fuck would you ever listen to Nara? She’s envious of the fact that you’re thriving in a career she no longer can succeed in and she’s also bitter because you look better than she ever could.

” I want to believe him so badly. I trust Dallas and I know he’s right, there’s just that voice in the back of my head threatening to throw me off course.

Dallas’ eyes are laser-focused on me as his voice deepens and he says lowly, “You do realize that you’re fucking perfect, right? ”

I frown at him and Brody adds, “Iv, he’s right. You’re drop-dead gorgeous and I’m not just saying that because you’re my best friend. You really are gorgeous.”

Aria adds, “You’re like if Madison Beer and Lily Collins had a really sexy love baby.”

Brody rolls her eyes and throws in, “And you do realize your proportions to Cami’s are totally different, don’t you? Cami is like six feet tall. You’re a little girl. It isn’t even possible for you to look like her and that isn’t a bad thing at all.”

Dallas nods his agreement, “You were tiny before all of this even started and now all your ribs stick out and you look sick.”

I know he’s right. I know they’re all right. I look up at Selene and find tears on her cheeks. I stop breathing because when has Selene Stone ever cried? “Selene?” I whisper.

Everyone looks at her with wide eyes. Selene finally cracks, sobbing, “I set you up with Nara. I thought she would help you further your career, not try to kill you. This is all my fault.”

I gasp, “Oh my God, Selene! No!”

Aria pulls Selene into a hug, “Selene, don’t be ridiculous. You didn’t know.”

Selene wipes her cheeks and instead of tears, all I see is rage. There’s the killer manager I know and love. “Trust I will be decimating Nara’s career. When I’m through with her, she’d be lucky to get a job at a fucking taco truck.”

Brody stifles a laugh and I bite my lip, hiding a smile.

Selene continues, “You all think I’m playing, but I’m not.

That bitch is done. Just wait. First, I’m coming after her clients, then I’m gonna get her blacklisted from the industry.

After that, I’ll find something to sue her for and she’ll have no money coming in from the clients she’ll no longer have and she’ll be broke and penniless and miserable.

She won’t even be able to afford all that botox shit she puts in her face and then she’ll be poor and ugly! ”

A laugh escapes Dallas’ throat and he stifles it with a cough.

Selene is in rare form right now. Aria is grinning from ear to ear and Brody is covering her mouth to hide her smile.

Aria chuckles, “Oh Selene, I do love it when you go all evil lawyer on us. Reminds me of when you blacklisted John Sweet for me,” she holds a hand against her chest in admiration.

Selene preens, “I would blacklist anyone for you girls.”

Brody claps, “Perfect, because I have a list.”

Dallas interrupts, “How about we talk about what actually matters here?” He looks at me towards the end of his question and all three of their faces go stark serious.

“You’re right,” Selene goes all business mode. “What happened next?”

I feel a stinging sensation in my eyes, not from tears, but from exhaustion. “She gave me a whole diet plan and workout routine. I followed it and here I am now,” I explain, a sad smile on my face.

Dallas brushes errant strands of hair from my face and Brody asks anxiously, “And how do you feel now?”

I shrug as I explain, “I would be lying if I said I was okay. The truth is that these things don’t just fix themselves.

When you get into a habit and a mentality of hating yourself and your appearance, it doesn’t just go away overnight or with a simple intervention.

I recognize I have a problem even if I don’t want to admit it and I’m willing to take the steps to get better, I just think it’s gonna be really hard because I know you guys don’t see what I see when I look at myself in the mirror. ”

Aria nods, “We understand that. We’ll do anything to help you get better.”

Dallas announces, “I’ll pay very close attention to her and her recovery.”

Selene says appreciatively, “Thank you, Dallas.”

Brody grins, “Yes. Thank you, Dallas.”

I watch as Dallas gives Brody a look that tells me they’re silently communicating. It seems like Brody is in on something that Dallas doesn’t want anyone else to know.

Selene clears her throat, “Ivory, maybe it’s time we tell the girls about that other thing.”

Aria’s brows crease, “What other thing?”

I swallow as I come clean, “I kind of sort of have a stalker that broke into my house, sent me texts, leaves me notes and pink roses, and basically tried to kidnap me or something in a club bathroom.”

Brody’s jaw drops, “Wait, what?”

Aria’s eyes are wide with fear, “What the fuck? When were you gonna tell us this and why was it a secret in the first place?”

I wince, “I’m sorry, okay? Selene just didn’t want to make it a big thing because the situation is sensitive.”

Brody looks as if she’s deep in thought before she guesses, “So that’s why Dallas suddenly came along and was wherever you were.” She points between us to emphasize her point.

I nod, “Yes.”

She says nostalgically, “And then you guys started hooking up. It just reminds me of me and Harvey.”

I feel my cheeks turn pink, “Brody!”

Dallas rolls his eyes, “As invasive as ever, Brody Drake.”

She waves him off, “Get used to it because you’re stuck with me if you want to date my best friend and continue being my fiancé’s best friend.”

He groans, “Don’t remind me.”

Selene rolls her eyes, “I find it interesting, Brody, that you care more about who Ivory is sleeping with than the fact that we revealed she has a psycho-stalker.”

“I do not care about that more than the stalker! I am very concerned about the stalker,” Brody defends.

Aria adds, “Technically they haven’t even slept together.”

I slap my forehead with my palm, “Kill me. Someone please kill me.”

Dallas raises an annoyed brow, “Ivory needs to rest so are you two done?”

Brody sighs, “Fine. Yes, we’re done.”

“I’ll debrief them on the full stalker details. You just focus on resting and getting better, okay?” Selene says to me.

“Okay,” I agree before letting my head rest against the pillows.

The girls make it over to my bed and Brody reaches forward and kisses my forehead before she gives me a worried and very loving look and Aria gives me a tight hug.

Selene places a hand on my shoulder and gives me a sad look before she pulls away and the three of them are walking out of the room.

I exhale as they vanish from my view and Dallas grunts, “I don’t know how you put up with them. ”

I grin as I turn my head to face him, “I love them.”

His eyes soften and he asks, “Are you feeling okay?”

I look down at my body and assure him, “Aside from this fashion disaster that is this hospital gown, I feel okay. Just tired.”

Dallas lets out a small laugh, “Leave it to you to be concerned about your outfit while in the hospital.”

“I always like to look my best,” I shrug.

He just laughs at me and I ask, “When can I leave?”

“I’ll talk to the doctor.” He gets up and walks to the outside of the room, peeking out into the hallway in search of a nurse. He calls one over to the room and looks at me over his shoulder, a smile on his face that says everything is going to be okay.