Page 83 of Not a Strong Enough Word

Smiling softly to myself, I glance up as one of the bakers pours batter into a cake pan. Maybe Ryan was right. Maybe the bad guy doesn’t get to win this time.

Wait…

I blink rapidly a few times, trying to convince myself that this is a coincidence. But how could it be? Not twelve hours ago, Charles Hall’s smug-ass face was telling me he got an amazing deal for that book by selling me out. Why did it die today of all days?

Pushing the Call button, I lean forward to mute the television as I press my phone to my ear. It only takes one ring for Trina to answer.

“There it is,” she says, self-satisfied.

“You knew about Charles.”

“Yes.”

“Ryan told you.”

“Also yes.”

“You didn’t say anything today.”

“Neither did you.”

“You got his deal pulled? How did you do that?” I can’t help myself; I’m practically giddy. My knees are bouncing up and down with a sudden energy, and I can feel my body vibrating.

“I didn’t do anything.”

“But then how—”

Finally, Trina jumps in. “Dumbest smart person I know, I swear. Come on, Scarlett. Ryan ran up after seeing you two go at it in the lobby and marched straight into Anastasios’s office. Pretty big deal, if you ask me, since he’s already in some shit for dating one of his authors, or didn’t you notice?”

I did notice, but it wasn’t my biggest concern at the time. “So, what? In some grand gesture, he told Anastasios, who called JMP, and they both decided that they weren’t going to get played by some prick?”

“Pretty much.”

“JMP already gave him a deal for information about me. They wouldn’t just pull it. That’s not how publishing works,” I insist.

“Maybe Anastasios made a good case that some average man thinking he can use an extremely talented woman to further his own mediocrity wasn’t the narrative either of them wanted.” Trina sounds like she’s shrugging nonchalantly, but I can tell this is exciting for her.

“Wow.” I lean back on my couch. All the bakers are putting their cakes in the oven now. “So, what does this mean for me?”

“Nothing,” she says simply.

“What do you mean nothing? Why would you send that to me if it means nothing?”

“You said you were done publishing. Sounded pretty final. This is just interesting information, that’s all.”

This isn’t how it ends, Scarlett. Charles won’t win. He doesn’t deserve it.

Ryan’s words echo in my mind, repeating, growing, gaining purchase. Solidifying.

But you do. Be strong enough to take it back.

I take a deep breath, laughing softly on the exhale. “I need a win, Trina. Can you help me?”

“Fuck yes.” She sounds like she’s punching air. “I knew you’d get there. Let’s do this.”

Chapter 38

Ryan