Page 47

Bailey

T itan and I have been engaged for two weeks, and the blogs and local news were not slowing down on reporting on it.

My phone and emails were filled with interview requests asking how I caught the eye of one of the world’s most eligible bachelors.

One time a reporter damn near followed me into the bathroom wanting a comment and I had to refrain from slapping her ass.

I knew Titan was in the public eye, but I underestimated how much, when we got engaged.

So, when Giada invited me out to brunch, I jumped at the chance to do something regular.

We were sitting in a semi-private booth at the back of a beautiful high-end restaurant that I was grateful for because I knew they wouldn’t allow reporters or any type of harassment to their patrons.

I was taking advantage of the bottomless mimosas for both me and Giada, whose stomach looked like it doubled since the last time I saw her, but I wasn’t going to tell her that.

The only thing that mattered was how happy she looked as she devoured her eggs benedict.

“Thank you again for inviting me out Giada,” I commented, slightly slurring, feeling the effects of the mimosas; this was probably my third one. Giada smirked, her eyes staring at me briefly before she went back to eating.

“I remember when me and Devin got engaged he was thrusted into the public eye because I’m considered high profile.

Not only because I’m a businesswoman but because of who my father was.

Reporters from the news, podcast host and anyone who had access to a microphone or camera damn near stalked him and I remember asking him what I could do to make this transition better?

And he said he wanted a day to feel normal, so I booked a private dinner at his favorite restaurant, and I had your brother secure the place to make sure no one could come in that didn’t work there.

He loved it, so, I figured you needed a break too and we came here because an old friend of my dad’s owns this place, and no one will harass you here. ”

I should have called Giada sooner, she was so damn down to earth that I forgot she was in the news more than Titan, so if anyone knew what it was like to be in the public eye, it was her.

Giada’s phone rang and she silenced it without looking at it, when it rang again she looked at it and frowned before silencing it again.

“That could be important. If you need to answer it, go ‘head,” I said.

“It’s my lawyer Malik, I’ll call him later.

He always keeps me on the phone longer than I want to be,” she said while sending a text before putting her phone away.

We talked and laughed when I heard the door chime, drawing my attention to the entrance and I felt my body freeze.

Giada saw my reaction and followed my line of sight.

When she saw Eva standing at the hostess desk with a few other women, she rolled her eyes.

“Fuck that bitch,” she jeered, signaling for the waitress to come back to our table so she can order a slice of apple pie.

I tried to ignore Eva but anytime this bitch was around, drama followed, so I discreetly watched the hostess take some menus and walk them through the busy restaurant.

I felt my pulse quicken when the hostess sat them at the table directly across from us and she took the seat that was directly in my line of sight. Giada saw it and let out a deep breath.

“I hope I don’t have to stab a bitch today.” She muttered under her breath, and I wondered if she was just being facetious. “I should be mature and just get the check,” she said as if she was talking to herself and not me.

“Let’s just enjoy our meal; like you said, fuck that bitch.” I smiled and took a bite of my omelet. Seconds later, we heard Eva and her table laughing a little too loud for the environment and I rolled my eyes.

“Ain’t shit that funny.” I muttered, and Giada snorted.

“Oh, I see Titan’s fiancée; let me go say hello.” I heard Eva say and my head snapped up.

I know this bitch ain’t coming over here. I thought to myself as I watched her walk toward our table. She was wearing a blush-colored slip dress and crème heeled boots, and her bob was straightened to perfection. It would be easier to ignore this bitch if she didn’t always look glamourous.

“Hey Bailey!” She practically screamed like we were the best of friends, and I saw Giada grip her knife out the corner of my eye. “I never got the chance to congratulate you and Titan on your engagement.”

“Why would you?” I said, screwing my face up.

“An even better question is why did you come over here?” Giada said in a cool tone.

“Oh, Giana ! I didn’t see you there,” she said with a fake smile and I rolled my eyes because she purposely mispronounced Giada’s name.

“That’s ok, Evil ,” she smirked at the name she called her, “I’m surprised you can see anything through that aura of jealousy surrounding you,” Giada replied with a fake smile of her own and I almost choked on the water I just took a sip of at the bitter look that quickly flashed across Eva’s face.

“You know, Bailey, you should be careful of the company you keep. I just read an article before I came here that your friend Giada has mob ties and is a suspect in the murder of the of her fiancé’s ex-girlfriend and the disappearance of her uncle,” Eva said, staring at me.

I frowned because I never heard that. However, Giada didn’t react the way I thought someone should react, who just had that accusation thrown at them. Instead, she smiled widely at Eva.

“So, if I allegedly have mob ties and I am a murder suspect, like you said, do you think it’s smart to piss me off?

” The look Giada gave Eva scared the shit out of me and she wasn’t even looking at me.

I smirked because, once again, Eva didn’t look like the stuck up bitch she usually was whenever I saw her.

“I don’t know where you’re getting your information, but I guarantee if you keep talking reckless, I’ll have your ass tied up in lawsuits that even your son Justin will need a lawyer. Yeah, I know who you are.”

When her eyes widened in shock I couldn’t hold back my smile.

“Get the hell on Eva,” I said, waving my hand dismissively, but apparently she wasn’t done being an evil bitch.

“Angelo Davis says hello.” She smirked, and it took everything in me to keep my composure even though I was breaking apart inside, but I would never give this bitch the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

I felt my hands starting to tremble and when she turned to walk away, I quickly wiped the errant tear that fell down my face.

Giada looked frightened by my reaction. She quickly waved the manager over and when she came to the table, Giada whispered something in her ear and the manager quickly shook her head before she turned to walk to Eva’s table.

I don’t know what she said but Eva and her friends looked astonished as the manager gestured toward the door.

When I caught on that they were being asked to leave, a small piece of me felt good, but it was short lived as old feelings of how Angelo made me feel came crashing through the wall I had them locked behind.

“You ok?” Giada whispered. I shook my head no, “Do you need me to call your brother? Titan?”

“Please no, can you just take me home please?”

“Of course.”

We stood and Giada left a couple hundred dollar bills on the table for the waitress although our food was free. My mind was racing, and I felt like I was about to have a panic attack.

How did she know about Angelo? Who else knew?

When we got to the front door, I saw news reporters and I felt like I was about to pass out.

“Don’t say nothing, keep your head high, and don’t stop moving.

” Giada coached me and I took a deep breath.

Giada’s matte black Mercedes G Wagon was parked at the curb directly in front us, but there was at least ten reporters were between us and her vehicle.

As soon as we stepped across the threshold a cacophony of voices started yelling out questions.

“Ms. Morretti, are the rumors about you killing your fiancé’s ex-girlfriend true?”

“Did you take over your father’s illegal empire?”

“Are you laundering money through your nightclubs?”

We muscled our way through the reporters, and I felt my anxiety lessen as I realized the reporters weren’t here for me. When we got closer to her G wagon, I started to breathe easier until a mic was shoved in my face.

“Is it true you were fired from Davis Advertising due to inappropriate relations with the VP Angelo Davis?” I felt like someone gut punched me, and I felt like a deer in headlights.

I was about to hyperventilate. When I saw the lights flash on Giada’s vehicle and before she pushed me into the passenger seat, another reporter’s microphone hit my cheek as she shouted.

“Is it true you slept with Titan Browning in exchange for his business?”

Giada slammed the door before the reporter could see my face fall before I dropped my head into my hands and started sobbing.

I was grateful for the extremely dark tinted windows of Giada’s car as I broke down while my darkest fears were callously shouted on the street for any and every one to hear.

Shit I never told my family about me and Angel and now it was going to be reported and written about for clicks and views.

I vaguely heard Giada’s door slam, and I realized I couldn’t go home just in case these vultures were camped out front.

“I can’t go home,” I said as she pressed the button to start her car. She quickly pulled away from the curb, not giving a damn if she hit one of the reporters standing too close to her vehicle.

I also couldn’t go back home because that would be the first place Titan and my family would come looking for me, and they all had keys to my place so they wouldn’t give me space.

One of my fears of getting with Titan was people thinking I was sleeping with him for his business.

Even though I got his business before we started a relationship, people didn’t give a fuck about the truth.

I needed to clear my head and think about my next steps.

As soon as I thought that I heard my phone ring. When I looked at it I saw Titan’s name on the caller ID and my tears came harder as I silenced the call, before I cut my phone off I saw alerts pop up with the footage from just seconds ago.

“We can go to my house. You can hide out in the guest house. Since your brother comes to the main house; he won’t look for you there.

I can have Kiara get some clothes from your house if you want.

Stay as long as you need, I know shit too fresh right now but remember you have a minor in public relations.

Put that shit to use and go on offense against these dumbass rumors. ”

I knew she was right, but she was also right that it was too fresh to think about a plan right now.