Watch Me (Phoenix #1) - Stacey Kennedy Page 0,13

appreciate the latter.” Archer’s expression showed only kindness and strength as he added, “Let Rhys right this wrong in the way he can. These bastards deserve far worse.”

He’s going to right a wrong? Her head spun as she moved closer to the one-way mirror. She stared at the two men who’d ruined her life. Destroyed her in ways she never thought anyone could destroy her. Beside her, she saw Archer fire off a text, and she noticed Rhys glancing at his phone.

His gaze lifted to the one-way mirror, and she felt the power of that stare like a punch to her stomach, knocking the wind right out of her. She was sure he couldn’t see her, but it seemed like he was looking right at her, reminding her how last night had felt. To hold this man’s attention was something powerful. Something addictive. Something profound. Rhys gave a slight nod, approval shining in his eyes. Then his gaze hardened when he looked at Scott and Jake. “I have no doubt you’re wondering why I’ve asked you here,” he said, picking up a file. “Explain this to me.” He slid a photo across the coffee table between them.

One look at the paper, and Scott went ghostly white. Jake snorted and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. Zoey didn’t know what had truly happened that awful night, but their reactions now made her believe that Jake was the leader, and Scott had followed. She couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if Scott, obviously a guy with a smidgen of a conscience, hadn’t been there.

“Hot chick,” Jake said. “Should I know her?”

Something deadly flashed across Rhys’ expression. He arched a very slow and deliberate eyebrow. “Try again.”

Jake averted his gaze.

Scott bowed his head.

Rhys grabbed the photo and tossed it aside like he couldn’t stand to touch it before addressing them again. “Let me explain the situation to you. When we ran our background check on the woman in our show last night, this photograph came up.”

Jake shifted in his seat.

Scott had yet to look up.

Rhys continued, “Of course, we put this photograph through a ruthless investigation after we discovered the woman did not give her consent. I don’t think I need to tell you that, at the end of the investigation, your names were at the forefront. Do you care to explain that?”

Scott finally looked up. His skin ashen. “It’s not how it looks.”

“How it looks?” Rhys growled, his knuckles turning white around his bourbon glass. “It looks like you drugged a young woman, photographed her, then blasted lies on social media.”

“We didn’t rape her,” Jake said.

A vein protruded in the center of Rhys’ forehead as he said in a very controlled voice, “You destroyed her life. How can you possibly believe that is any less of a crime than if you had raped her?”

Something broke inside of Zoey, something raw and unexpected, flooding her with emotions she couldn’t control. Never had anyone spoken up for her like this. Even Ava and Julie had kept quiet, hiding behind her embarrassment and shame. Zoey had never let anyone in, never believed anyone would fight for her, and a bleeding spot in her heart needed this. She began shaking and couldn’t stop, wrapping her arms around herself tightly.

Archer was there, squatting next to her, but never reaching to touch her. “Tell me you want to leave, and we leave. It’s that simple, Zoey. What do you want to do?”

“No, I’m okay,” she said, wiping at the moisture on her face with shaky hands. “I want to stay.”

“Please look at me.”

She turned her head, meeting Archer’s concerned eyes. He gently said, “If that changes, tell me.”

“Okay, yes, thank you.” His kindness and trusting nature, Rhys’ strength and protection, she felt it all wrap around her like a warm blanket. She looked back at the men who’d altered her life is such a dramatic way. The men who were complete opposites of these two strangers. But she knew the control Scott and Jake had over her. She didn’t even know the woman she had been before that night anymore. The one who believed people were kind. The woman who trusted her own judgment. The one who thought bad things couldn’t happen to her.

Jake finally lifted his head and snorted. “Rhys, is this going somewhere?”

Rhys grinned as he gestured at the one-way mirror. There was nothing friendly about it. “I’ve brought Zoey here to watch this.”

Both men glanced at the window, shock on their