Page 8 of The Pursuit of Happiness (Satan’s Angels #2)
The look he gives her as his eyes take in every inch of her is so intense that it sends chills up my spine.
I can only imagine how Ivory feels right now.
Her cheeks are bright red under the scrutiny of his hazel green eyes and his intense stare is broken when Harvey rises from his seat and strides over to the new figure in the room.
He reaches out his hand as if familiar with this man, “Dallas,” he greets.
Dallas? As in Dallas Carter? Brody mentioned that when Harvey took up partnership of his old security company it was with Dallas Carter, an old friend of Harvey’s from his days in the military. The two run the security company together and I know they’re quite close.
Brody gets up to greet him as well and Kiko finally makes her way over to my lap, rubbing her head on my arm and making biscuits on my lap.
“Harvey,” Dallas greets, the intensity in his eyes never wavering.
I think the intensity is just part of his permanent appearance because I’ve never seen anything like it.
After shaking Harvey’s hand, Dallas’ eyes turn to Brody and he offers her a similar greeting which she reciprocates before standing by Harvey’s side.
I watch as Harvey’s hand slides into Brody’s and try not to feel the bitter taste of envy in my mouth. Ever taste envy? It tastes like shit.
Selene turns her attention on me after the greetings have been made and explains, “Aria, this is Dallas Carter, Harvey’s business partner.”
Dallas raises his chin at me and I give him a polite smile even though the idea of smiling at this man scares me.
“Why exactly is he here?” I ask Selene, genuine curiosity in my voice.
As far as I’m concerned, Dallas’ expertise lies with security, not leaked sex tapes, ruined careers, and mentally defeated women.
Selene announces, “I asked him to come here because the minute your sex tape got leaked,” she does not spare my feelings with her word choice, “I called him and asked him to find out who leaked it.” She turns to face Dallas, asking only him, “Did you find out who leaked it?”
Dallas’ lips curve slightly on the end as if he’s impressed by Selene’s ruthless and very business driven personality.
I have the feeling that it takes a lot to impress a man like Dallas Carter when it comes to business.
Dallas answers, his jaw firm, “I had our tech investigators go over it. They’re the best of the best and nothing gets past them.
I’ve had them focused completely on this since you called.
” He pauses and glances at Harvey and the silent communication that passes between them makes me anxious.
I’m practically hanging off the edge of the couch in anticipation.
Am I about to hear him say that Slater was responsible?
“As of now, they were unable to find out where the video originated. They’re not sure who recorded it and who leaked it, but what we do know from the obvious is that Slater Nicks did not record the video considering he was in the video as well as Aria. ”
“Shit,” Selene whispers to herself. She was hoping for a solid answer just as we all were.
I feel my chest sink. I’m not stupid, I know Slater didn’t record it. But that doesn’t mean that he wasn’t in on it and that doesn’t mean that he’s not the one who leaked it.
Dallas continues, “Our best guess at the moment is that the video was recorded and distributed from an out of date phone. If that’s the true case, finding who leaked it is going to be a lot harder than expected, but we will get to the bottom of it,” he promises Selene.
She nods, “Thank you, Dallas.”
He dips his chin, “There’s more.” This grabs all of our attention.
I sit up straighter in my seat and find that it feels harder and harder to breathe with every given second.
I can’t take many more plot twists in this fucked up story.
Dallas shares, “The video was leaked to the tabloids first and it was distributed at four twelve in the morning.”
Harvey scoffs, “So whoever leaked the video did it intentionally so that the tabloids would be the first to get it. They wanted the media to react the way it did.”
Brody asks, “What does that mean?”
Harvey’s jaw sets and he looks furious, “It means that this is just as we suspected. Someone wanted to fuck with your chances of winning that Muse Award and they thought that damaging your reputations and giving you bad press was the way to do it.”
“Slater,” I whisper and everyone’s eyes land on me.
Dallas asks me, “You think he’s behind this?”
Ivory answers, “Thunderstrike is our competition for that award and you think it’s a coincidence that Slater had to do with that video?
Obviously he was behind it. Him and that creep, Rogan wanted to fuck with our chances of winning that award.
” Her voice is incensed as if her blood is boiling from inside. Her cheeks even have color.
Brody deflates, “I can’t believe they would go to that kind of extreme to do this to us.”
Selene announces, “Well they aren’t getting away with it because if they want to play dirty, I’ll play dirtier and I’ll start with that little shit, Slater Nicks.
You three are winning that Muse Award because you fucking deserve it and I don’t care how dirty I have to play to make sure that happens. ”
The room goes silent and the hair rises on the backs of my arms. Selene is furious and rightfully so. We all are. Dallas’ eyes are trained on Ivory though he speaks to Selene, “So what do you want Harvey and I to do?”
Selene raises a brow and for a second I forget that I’m looking at Selene Stone and not at a queen commanding her people, “I need you to find out where that video came from and I want to know the names of everyone who’s involved.
” She turns her gaze on me, “And then I am going to sue the fuck out of them for violating California Penal Code 647(j)(4) which makes it absolutely illegal to distribute sexually explicit material of an individual without their knowledge and consent. If you think that’s where I’m finished, I’m not even getting started because if I find out that Slater Nicks was involved and you have drugs in your system, I’m going after him for non-consent,” her voice is so macabre it strikes fear in me as though I’m the one who leaked the video.
I’ve never been more afraid of Selene before.
Ivory reaches for my hand and squeezes, “Selene will fix this,” she promises.
I nod. I never doubted Selene. I know if anyone can fix this it’s her. “But Selene, what about the tabloids?”
“We have our team removing all pictures, audio, and video from social media sites, tabloids, everything. You don’t have to worry about that,” Dallas promises.
I shake my head, “That doesn’t mean people didn’t save copies.”
“If they did, they’re in possession of revenge porn. I’ll put out a press statement reminding people that if they distribute it, we will be taking legal action,” Selene answers.
Brody huffs a sarcastic laugh, “Selene, you can’t possibly sue every single person who does that.”
Selene gives Brody a commandeering look, “I don’t have to sue every single person. I just have to make them think that I will so that they’re so scared shitless that they don’t do it.”
Harvey gives Selene a nod of approval, “Then it’s sorted. Dallas and I will put the entire company on this right now.” Dallas and Harvey exchange a look and Harvey looks down at Brody, his shoulders relaxing, “I’ll be home later, I want to work on this.”
Brody nods and kisses him chastely before saying lowly, “Thank you.”
He kisses her forehead before heading for the door, Dallas at his back. When it’s just Selene, Brody, Ivory, and I, Selene exhales, “God, I am so fucking pissed right now.”
“I’m sorry, guys,” I apologize to all of them. “I never meant for any of this to happen.” I say to Brody only, “I’m sorry this is the first thing you have to hear about and deal with when you get home. I hope it didn’t taint your trip,” I feel so unbelievably guilty right now.
Brody cocks her head at me and rolls her eyes, “Have you forgotten that I almost got us dropped from our record label and sued?” Five months ago when Harvey left Brody heartbroken, she was so depressed she never showed up to the studio to finish the album with us.
We only had one song left to finish, but we missed the deadline because Brody didn’t show and our record label threatened to drop us and tried to sue us.
It was a complete nightmare and I’ve never been more afraid of my career’s destruction becoming a reality. Until now, of course.
“Don’t remind me,” Selene grumbles, but Brody remains focused only on me.
Brody rolls her eyes at Selene’s comment but continues, “What matters is that I’ve fucked up before and I’ve done things without thinking that hurt you guys and risked your careers along with mine.
So what I’m trying to say is that I’ve made mistakes too and I would never hold it against you for doing the same. ”
Ivory adds, “We found a way out of it then and we will now.”
The conviction on both of their faces makes me feel better only slightly. I give them a weak and very exhausted smile, “Thank you.”
“You should be thanking me . I’m the one that has to come up with a way to fix this disaster,” Selene frowns further, a crease forming between her thick brows.
The look I give her must be telling as she drops her nagging and takes a deep breath. “I’m going to make a phone call and see if I can get a private doctor to come here and test you for drugs,” she says before striding out of the room.
Only when the sound of her heels clicking on my tiled floors disappears does Brody ask, “R, do you feel in your gut that he’s responsible for this?” I know she’s talking about Slater.