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“Hot chick,” Jake said “Should I know her?”

So deadly flashed across Rhys’ expression He arched a very slow and deliberate eyebrow “Try again”

Jake averted his gaze

Scott bowed his head

Rhys grabbed the photo and tossed it aside like he couldn’t stand to touch it before addressing theain “Let round check on the woraph came up”

Jake shifted in his seat

Scott had yet to look up

Rhys continued, “Of course, we put this photograph through a ruthless investigation after we discovered the woive her consent I don’t think I need to tell you that, at the end of the investigation, your names were at the forefront Do you care to explain that?”

Scott finally looked up His skin ashen “It’s not how it looks”

“How it looks?” Rhys growled, his knuckles turning white around his bourbon glass “It looks like you drugged a young woraphed her, then blasted lies on social media”

“We didn’t rape her,” Jake said

A vein protruded in the center of Rhys’ forehead as he said in a very controlled voice, “You destroyed her life How can you possibly believe that is any less of a crime than if you had raped her?”

So raw and unexpected, flooding her with emotions she couldn’t control Never had anyone spoken up for her like this Even Ava and Julie had kept quiet, hiding behind her embarrassment and shame Zoey had never let anyone in, never believed anyone would fight for her, and a bleeding spot in her heart needed this She began shaking and couldn’t stop, wrapping her arhtly

Archer was there, squatting next to her, but never reaching to touch her “Tell me you want to leave, and we leave It’s that simple, Zoey What do you want to do?”

“No, I’ at the moisture on her face with shaky hands “I want to stay”