“They don’t have a legal leg to stand on,” Trina says vehemently. “I checked. They never sued Scarlett. They couldn’t. She never signed anything. She walked away from that deal like any author has a right to.”

“Doesn’t mean they won’t tie us up in red tape until we fold,” Casey points out. “They’re technically in charge here, even if they do leave us mostly alone.”

“At any rate, we’re going to have to get Ms. Frye in here to see if any of this can be salvaged,” Anastasios says. “Our best bet is probably to release the information ourselves, rush a release of the book, and make sure it makes enough money that JMP doesn’t have a choice but to let it go.”

I don’t like the sound of that one bit, but I sense that I’m still on thin ice because of our relationship, so I don’t speak up. Everyone starts talking at once, but I remain carefully quiet. Patting my pockets to look for my phone, I think that maybe if I can at least warn Scarlett of what’s coming, she’ll be prepared when she walks in here, but I must have left my phone in my office in my haste to get here.

Trina catches my eye and reaches a hand over to cover mine where they rest on the table. “I called her,” she says quietly. “She’s on her way. It’ll be okay.”

“How do you possibly know that?” I mumble.

“Because we’re on her side this time.” She shrugs and places her hand back in her lap. “I’m optimistic.”

I’m not. But the only thing I can do now is wait.

Chapter 32

Scarlett

“I need to tell you something, but I don’t want you to panic.”

My coffee cup—well, Ryan’s since I’m standing in his kitchen—stops halfway to my mouth as Trina’s words sink in. She’s speaking quietly, almost whispering, and she sounds exactly as panicked as she’s telling me not to be.

“That is not how you get someone to remain calm.” I indulge in a long sip of coffee. If shit is going to hit the fan, I may as well be caffeinated.

She makes a noncommittal noise, then comes right out with it. “Someone outed you to JMP, and they’re super pissed Anastasios let you sign with them. I got called in this morning for damage control, and they want you to come in, too.”

I check the time on the microwave clock. It’s barely nine in the morning. “How did you get there so fast?”

Trina makes another noise—this one sounding like it’s accompanied by an epic eye roll. “Scarlett, focus. This is very bad. They could force Anastasios to rescind your deal. This is already on social media. Ryan could lose his job—”