“Of course I liked you, admired you. Alex used to tell me he pictured the children he’d sire with you, all of them smart, talented, but with his backbone, his guts. He said he knew he’d have to toughen them up because you were so sensitive and, well, unwilling to disagree with anyone. He insisted he didn’t care you weren’t interested in politics, he told me you were so beautiful he’d be content to simply sit and look at you. He loved you, Juliet, and you broke his heart.”

Juliet spurted out a laugh. “Now that’s rich, Kent. As far as I can tell, Alex has only ever loved one person—himself. Well, maybe you think he loves you, too, so long as you keep to your place and be a good dog. But you know what? It’s easy for me to see him kicking you to the curb if he doesn’t need you anymore. Have you ever thought about that? Have you ever wondered what Alex really thinks of you? If you’re really nothing more than a doorknob to him? His little shadow who does whatever he tells you to?”

Kent sighed, a reasonable man striving to be patient, difficult with a gamer’s sword propped against his impressive desk. “Are you saying these things because Mia wants to write an exposé, make a name for herself? And she picked Alex’s career to destroy?

“Juliet, listen to me. You know none of this is true. Alex and I are best friends, have been since we were kids. There’s no big man and his shadow, that’s absurd. Yes, Alex did tell me you actually accused him of raping you and he was floored, deeply hurt. He didn’t understand why you would make such a horrible accusation. I wanted to talk to you myself, try to find out where all that was coming from, but Alex told me to stay away. He didn’t think there was any way of talking you out of this crazy idea we’d both raped you.

“I did not rape you, Juliet. If Alex did rape you, which I don’t believe for a minute, then he did it alone. I don’t know why you’ve brought me into this.” He looked at Mia. “You did this, didn’t you? It’s true, isn’t it, you want to ruin Alex and me, as well. Juliet, you can’t believe a word she says. Believe me, I know nothing about what happened two years ago.”

Juliet didn’t answer him. “Mia, he hasn’t even asked us to sit down, hasn’t offered to hang up our coats.” She turned and helped Mia off with her coat, laid it and her own on the backs of the two chairs in front of his desk.

“I hope you don’t mind,” Mia said as they seated themselves, made themselves comfortable.