Page 65 of P.S. I'm Still Yours

“Are you shitting me? On what fucking grounds?”

Drea cringes. “Emotional distress.”

This is bullshit.

Just another lowlife trying to get some money out of an unfortunate situation.

I already have Josh and his entire family suing me. Now I have to worry about the club staff coming after me, too. It was an accident. I didn’t even know there was a staircase behind that door.

Man, I can’t catch a fucking break.

I drop my head against the wall behind me, forcing air in and out of my lungs to compose myself.

Then I notice Hadley eyeing me from across the table.

“NDA” is the first word out of my mouth.

Is Hadley the most beautiful girl I’ve seen in my life?

Yes.

Do I trust her with secrets that could blow up my career to the point of inhalation?

Fuck no.

If she’s going to be around while we discuss important things, I need to make sure she’s going to keep her mouth shut—no matter how tempting that plump little mouth might be.

“Oh, I hardly think that’s necessary,” my mom interjects. “You’ve known Hadley your whole life.”

“Doesn’t mean we can trust her not to run her mouth to the media,” I counter.

Hadley’s face twists with irritation, and I gather that I’ve offended her.

Good.

It’s better if she hates me.

That way, she’ll stay away from me.

Mom glares at me, clearly embarrassed by my lack of manners. “I really don’t think—”

“She can sign it or leave.” I’m adamant.

There’s a beat of silence—the kind that’s so heavy it crushes every bone in your body—but I don’t waver, keeping my eyes on Hadley as though I’m waiting for her to crumble under my gaze.

She doesn’t return the eye contact this time.

“It would be a good way to make sure everything that happens in this house stays in this house,” Drea backs me up.

Conflicted, my mom offers her goddaughter an apologetic smile. “Would you mind?”

Hadley doesn’t argue. “Not at all.”

We’ve just migrated over to the kitchen to put the dishes away when Drea excuses herself to her room to grab the paperwork.

Hadley and I don’t say another word or even look at each other again for the next ten minutes. Well, she doesn’t look at me, but mentally, I’m all over that ass.

Once Drea comes back with one of our standard NDAs, Hadley asks for some time to read it over before she signs it. She’s careful, I get it, but she’s going to have to sign it one way or another.