Scandalous 2 Page 0,23

in New York. As long as you can tolerate the crap the picketers say, I think it'll be good."

Gus huffs like they've had this conversation already. "This isn't your normal group of picketers. Brimstone has a history of violence. When they can't get things to go their way through legal channels, they get aggressive." Kate just stares at him. I kick her shin, thinking she fell asleep.

"What? We already went through this. No matter what happens, I think it's good for Jack.," Kate says.

"No, getting shot is not good for Jack," Gus blurts out. Kate gives him a look and he presses his lips together and shakes his head. I stare at him with my mouth open, trying to take in what he just said. Gus backtracks. "I mean, if it comes to that. I don't think these individuals are all armed felons waiting to hurt people, Abby, but that Wrath guy has them thinking that people like Jack are turning this country into crap. Somehow he lit a flame under every activist group there is and they're all targeting Jack. I think we should take this seriously, and not let it get out of hand."

"It's already out of hand and it just started," Cara says.

I press my fingers to my eyes. This can't be happening. It's always been horrible when I see it on TV, but when those hate slingers are aiming for us, it's worse.

"We'll manage the exhibit. You make sure Jack doesn't run over the protesters when they find this place." Kate pats my arm. "We're here for you guys." Gus and Cara nod in agreement. Everyone here is willing to protect Jack.

I nod and stare into space, thinking. I have no idea what to say. I don't know how to weather things like this. I never thought I'd be married to someone so famous and now that I am, I don't know how to protect him. I wish I could take him back to the Caribbean and erase everything that's happened since we came back, but I can't. My mind races through different scenarios, trying to figure out the best way to deal with this. Jack feels so fragile to me. He's so upset about us. I'm afraid that this mess will force a rift between us. It's already there. I feel his guilt; I see it in his eyes. Nothing I've said seems to make things all right. I can't let him go through this. But there's only one way to the other side of this mess, and it's straight through the middle.

Glancing at Kate and Gus, I ask, "What if we were the ones who dropped the proverbial match and blew it up? What if we expose whatever we have so there's nothing to dig up on me and Jack? What if we preempt them and steal their wind? I'm sure they'll try to drag out that Jack and I had an intimate relationship before we were married. What if we said it first?"

Cara offers, "It's not a bad idea."

Kate glances at Cara and Gus, then back at me. "Maybe not. But, it could go wrong and blow up in your face."

I don't like this. I wish I could stop it, but I can't. Forcing the situation to explode will make it burn out faster. I say to Kate. "It's going to do that anyway, so why wait? The longer we wait, the more stress Jack has to go through, the more time people have to blame him." I stare blankly at the coffee stains dripping down the wall. No one speaks for a moment. I keep seeing Jack throw that mug at the wall. I know what this is doing to him. That's when it hits me. Glancing at Gus, I ask, "What if I told the press that I started the relationship?"

He gives Kate a concerned look and then leans forward. "It'll shift the blame to you," Gus says, clasping his hands together. He thinks about it for a second and shakes his head. Gravely he answers, "I don't think that's wise, Abby. That might not keep Brimstone from going after Jack and it'll make you more of a target than you already are."

"Yeah, but it'll shield Jack. He's already been battered enough." I look at the pieces of cracked mug that lay on the floor. My gaze rests there as Gus and Kate discuss my idea. It's a crappy idea, I know that, but it'll spare Jack from endless hours of