Crossing Lines

Chapter 47 - Hayden

I'm so damn proud of us.

With everything that's been going on, we stuck together, and we perfected the entire you-and-me-against-the-world spiel. The trust we've shown each other during this time, with Sam's trial and the constant attention thrown our way, is miraculous and so damn inspiring that I know I have to pull myself together.

"I'm still uncomfortable with this idea." I groan, my phone on speaker while I drive down the road.

"I know, babe. I don't like it, either. But it's the best way to go right now."

"I'm not too sure about that, to be honest." I sigh; everything within me just screams to go back to her.

"We talked about it. We need to play their game if we want to sort this out. You know I'm not too fond of the thought myself."

I have to hide how much I love that she's so goddamn possessive in her own way. It's not even that she's jealous. She's just very protective of what she has, and somehow it makes me feel extremely cherished to know she feels comfortable enough to show me this side of her. "I know, love. It'll be okay. I'll call you as soon as I'm out of there."

"Okay. Remember, act all you want, but no touching."

I chuckle; the sole thought of touching another woman makes me nauseated, and Mila knows that. "I promise. No touching."

"Good. Now go before I change my mind. I love you."

"I love you too."

I hang up as I stop the car in the parking lot of my management's office building, and I'm so close to just turning back and going back to Mila. The sole thought of what I have to do makes me feel uncomfortable and dirty.

But I need to pull through, for both Mila's sake and mine, so I walk up into Hank's office, cursing under my breath on my way there.

"Ice, good to see you," Hank greets me as he opens the door and steps aside to let me in.

I shudder when I see my target sitting on one of the leather chairs in the center of the office. "Kim." I nod as a greeting, trying to hide the disgust in my voice.

"Hay! How are you?" The sound of her sickly sweet voice makes me want to throw up, but I muster up a weak smile nonetheless.

"I'm good, thanks."

"I've heard about your girl," she says as if she didn't play a part in that nightmare. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"Yeah...thanks."

"I'm sure you'll find the right one soon." Kim bats her eyelashes at me, a smirk playing on her lips while she twirls a strand of her between her fingers.

God, how much I just want to wipe that fucking smile off her face. "I hope so," I retort, irritation already rising to a point of no return.

"I'm sorry about how this all went down, Hayden. That journalist sure has it out for you," Hank chimes in. "At least it saved you from this disaster of a woman. We need to see things positively now," he adds, and I almost throw all plans overboard to punch his ugly-ass face.

"Yeah, you're right. How exactly will we sell this to the press?" I ask, the urge to get the hell out of here already taking over.

"We'll make sure things go your way in the press, trust me."

"Don't get me wrong, Hank..." I cross my arms in front of my chest. "These past weeks have been hell, and I honestly don't know who to trust. I need to know your plan before I do anything."

Hank regards me for a second before he waves his hand to the chair next to Kim, asking me to sit down while he takes a seat opposite to us.

As much as I hate to be anywhere near this woman, I know I have to play my game. And so I sit down, Kim's fake fingernails scratching my skin when she places her hand on my arm, shooting me one of her disgusting hypocritical smiles.