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“Black contradiction Tell an here, will you make her look insane like her sister? Will you drive her out of Nashville as well?”

I’ sucked out of the roo about?”

“I did nothing wrong” A crack is in his voice “Renée had issues…”

“Yes,” Jerry chuckles and keeps going “Issues she brought to you to fix Issues that threatened your old boys club”

“You hypocrite” My voice cuts through the thick tension “You’re rabbed my ass repeatedly and Patton sent you here to avoid a lawsuit”

Jerry’s eyes flash to me “The hypocrite, Raquel, is your boyfriend Why don’t you ask him what he did to your sister when his beloved Marley set his sights on her He sent me out of town? He drove your sister to the nuthouse Then he ruined her reputation w

ith all his CEO friends She couldn’t get a job in Nashville if her na Parton”

My heart is beating out of my chest I want to stand up and shout at Jerry to shut up and stop talking about things he doesn’t understand Patton would never do that Only…

Renée’s words, her strange silence when I told her I was sleeping with his my mild-mannered sister never says about anybody Oh, God, please say it’s not true

The nausea in my stomach tells me I’m afraid it is

Patton’s eyes are flinty “Clean out your desk You’re finished here”

“With pleasure I got a better offer anyith Braden”

Patton’s jaw flexes “Then why…?”

Jerry leans close, spitting the words “Because this tiet aith it” With that, he turns on his heel and strides to the door “Oh, and no realtors are co Good luck establishing your West Coast division”

He slams the door, and silence falls over the roo on the clock above the door