Peyton Brooks becomes friends with Morgan Stone, a vivacious and fun young woman. Morgan takes Peyton to the Hamptons, where her family owns a gorgeous house. Morgan's brother, a casanova with a lot of baggage, and Peyton don't get along initially...
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Morgan came to the penthouse shortly after we got back. I was changing into one of Harry's t-shirts in the bathroom, when I heard Morgan's voice and Harry trying to calm her down. I hurried out to find them sitting on Harry's bed. Morgan looked upset and as soon as she saw me, she fell quiet. Harry turned and looked at me, his eyes worried, but his hand was resting calmly on Morgan's shoulder, as he tried to get through to her.
"What's going on?" I asked, feeling really nervous all of a sudden.
Morgan looked at me and gestured for me to join them. I sat down on the bed with them, and Harry's hand found its spot on my lower back.
"Ethan waited for me in the parking cellar," Morgan said and looked at me. The mere mention of his name sent a shiver through me.
"What did he want?" I asked in a small voice.
Morgan took a deep breath and cleared her mind for a moment. "I think he was trying to deliver a threat."
Harry's gaze snapped to her face, and she nodded confirming that he had heard her say what he thought.
I immediately felt sick to my stomach and my pulse went up.
"He said it would be a shame for our family, if the story of your past made it out in public. That it would be a scandal, if the public knew we were associating with someone like you." Morgan winced saying it, and I knew she felt as bad saying it as I felt hearing it.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Harry said and looked frustrated. Morgan shrugged at him, looking back at me.
"Peyton, I'm so sorry. Our family is very careful about what the public gets to see and know. The PR team hired by our parents, work around the clock making sure that any and every screw up is covered up. Our father's firms are all stock issued, and the shareholders are needed to ensure the capital growth of The Stone Cooperation. Every scandal is buried and left behind. My sexuality was a huge issue for the PR team to begin with when I first came out. The general consensus of the shareholders wasn't really pro-homosexuality. So I was closeted until the more conservative shareholders were ready to stand behind it," Morgan chewed nervously on her cheek while she spoke. "And even now it isn't something our parents want us to speak too loudly about."
Harry cleared his throat. "My relationship with Willow wasn't good for the cooperation either. When everything got out of control and she died, they worked hard to cover everything up. My suicide attempt was buried as well. However my playboy lifestyle was for some reason acceptable and easier for the shareholders to understand."
Morgan put her hand on top of mine and made me look at her. "What Ethan is saying is that he can end this by telling your story." She gestured between the three of us.
Part of me wanted to scream, another part of me wanted to cry. "But with the restraining order..." I started, but Morgan shook her head sadly.
"An anonymous tip to some newspaper won't necessarily be linked to him. And even if we proved it was him, the story would already be out," she took my hand and held onto it tightly. "Peyton, you know I hate to ask, but do you know what he might mean to say?"
