Page 178 of Contentious

“What’s wrong?”

“I… Marlon must’ve had someone release personal, damaging information to the media.”

“About what?”

Tears filled her eyes as she forced herself to say the words. “How I used to hang out at Club Quantum, which is a BDSM club.”

“I’ve heard about that.”

“I hope you don’t think…”

“I think you’re amazing, and you already knew that. What can I do?”

“I… I don’t even know. Somehow Marlon found out and was holding it over my head.”

“Flynn and his team will be all over it. We’ll let them deal with it and not entertain doomsday scenarios. Okay?”

“What’s wrong, Mom?” Ty asked when he returned.

“Nothing, honey. Just some work stuff.” She got up to leave the room because she couldn’t break down in front of Ty. “I’ll be right back.”

She went into the hallway bathroom and leaned against the sink.

Carson came in behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

Cresley wanted to tell him to leave her alone, to let her power through this on her own, the way she always did, but she knew he’d never let her deal with it by herself.

“What can I do for you?”

“Go back in time and kill Marlon when you had the chance.”

“I wish I had.”

“I wish you had, too, even if it would’ve caused more problems than it would’ve fixed.”

“I know it seems overwhelming to have your personal business put made public this way, but it’ll be a much bigger story than your piece of it. If I know Flynn at all, and I’ve known him most of my life, he’ll be on it with injunctions and the full force of the Quantum legal department. I’d be surprised if it’s still online in an hour.”

“The damage will have been done.”

“So you visited a sex club. Who cares?”

“D&G will care. They’ll probably invoke the morality clause in my contract.”

“If they do, there’ll be other contracts. You’re Cresley fucking Dane. This might give you even more street cred than you had before.”

She looked up at the mirror and met his fierce gaze. “It’s terrifying, you know?”

“What is, honey?”

“To be solely responsible for the health, safety, well-being and financial security of a family. I’ve had a successful career, but if it all blows up over this, I don’t have a plan B. I didn’t go to college or⁠—”

“Cresley, honey, you’re going to be fine. I swear. Your people will spin this as a vindictive ex taking his pound of flesh now that he’s locked up.”

“How did this even happen?”

“He probably left the info with a friend and said, ‘If I get caught, get this to TMZ.’”

“So his goal was to take me down with him.”