“Then he’s a coward because you deserve to know the truth.” His hand lands on my shoulder, and he spins me around. We’re face to face. “Kerry, there was an incident.”
I shove him off and plan on storming away, but Nate grabs my wrist. I drop my head and give him a look that says this topic is closed as I rant about why it’s unfair. “There’s always some reason to point a finger at someone and say they’re no good. You don’t even know him—”
Nate firmly places both of his strong hands on my shoulders and looks me in the eye. “Kerry, he raped a girl.”
* * *
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STRIPPED 2: A Ferro Family Novel
EXCERPT: STRIPPED 2
Chapter 1, Cassie
With Jon’s coat wrapped around my shoulders and the blanket draped over my hips, I watch the two women o
n stage. Their laughter rings true, and I can’t help feeling envious. Their lives must be so much easier than mine. I haven’t laughed myself sick for a very long time. A combination of tears and terror ward off any moments of pure bliss.
I feel Jon’s gaze on the side of my face. He leans close so we’re nearly cheek-to-cheek and whispers, “As far as I know, they both have a bag of demonic cats living in their brains. That chick,” he nods at Sidney, “confronted my mother.”
My jaw drops and I stare at him, gaping. “No.” The word is drawn out, and my unspoken question hangs in the air—who has the balls to challenge Constance Ferro?
“Yes. That one,” he points to Avery, “she’s still fighting the tide, but refuses to go under.”
“How do you know that?”
He shrugs. “I sense it.” I suspect there's a story behind his comments, but Jon dodges further discussion by joining Trystan by the stage.
Trystan Scott—blue-eyed heartthrob, sex on a stick, and all around ladies man—pushes back into the dark leather chair, worry pinching the tanned skin between his eyebrows. Dark hair falls into his eyes as he claws the arm of his seat, backing away from the crazy chick making herself at home in his lap.
Sidney and Avery stand arm in arm in mirrored poses, their opposite hands on their hips. Avery calls out, “Hey, little bro Ferro.” She laughs and says to Sidney, “He’s not very little is he?”
Sidney shakes her head and giggles. “I’ve heard nothing about him is little.”
Peter, who had been standing quietly behind me, is suddenly across the room and marching up the steps. “Hey!”
Sidney smiles at him as he crosses the stage and wraps her arms around his waist. “Girls like to talk, and it’s hard to avoid hearing rumors since people ask me way too frequently about you.”
Peter’s eyes turn into beach balls, and he nearly chokes. “Excuse me? Where do people ask you these things?”
She shrugs, ticking off a list on her fingers. “At the market, at school, in the ladies room.” She looks over at Avery. “Do they bug you about Sean?”
“They think I’m a hooker, so I’m invisible.” Avery picks at a spot of glitter on her arm. “Besides, my profession doesn't exactly make me a credible source. Who cares if Sean's call girl said he’s huge?”
Everyone stops and gawks at her. Bryan stops teasing Trystan to give his full attention to Avery. “He hired you?”