“Because he is a good guy! Is that what this is about? You’re jealous?”

“Bitch, please. I don’t give two shits about you,” he sneered and Mark shook with anger.

“You are about to cause a big fucking mess, Rick. Don’t show that in court. It’s a lie and you know it.”

“All I know is that bastard is raping my kid.”

Rage. That’s all Lucy saw.

“You stupid son of a bitch,” she screamed before lunging at him. She slammed her knee into her desk but that didn’t stop her. Jumping onto him, she whaled on him, slamming her fist into his face as he tried to push her away. “Benji would never,” she screamed, her fist coming down against his mouth before her father pulled her away. “How dare you? You are scum. You are worthless. You piece of shit!”

Rick laughed as he slowly got up, wiping his mouth as he shook his head. Mark’s arms held her tightly as she thrashed against him, nowhere near done. There was no way she would let him do that. Accuse Benji of something so horrible.

Not listening to her, though, he yelled, “And now I have an assault to add to the list of reasons my daughter needs to leave you, you stupid bitch.”

“Rick, I swear to God, if you don’t stop this, you will lose her. I promise you,” she warned but Rick just grinned.

“Who has the proof? This guy. Fuck you, and fuck you, Mark. See you guys in court.”

As he walked out, slamming the door behind him, Mark let Lucy go. It took everything out of her not to crumple to the ground. This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be. This was a joke. The video was a joke, but the allegation wouldn’t be good. Turning to her father, she pleaded with her eyes as she asked, “Does he have grounds?”

Mark shook his head. “That video is bogus, Lucy, we know that,” he said and she exhaled loudly. Oh, thank God. When he cleared his throat, she looked back at him and knew there was more. Shit.

“But, they’re going to investigate for sure, and that’s going to be bad for Benji. It will hit the media, I’m sure, and then everyone will know. This won’t stay quiet. Fuck, this is complicated.”

That’s what she thought. As her body went numb and the tears rushed down her cheeks, she closed her eyes. This couldn’t be happening. They were happy. They were together. Damn it. Crouching down, she covered her face as she cried into her hands.

What in the hell was she going to do?

Sitting on her and Benji’s bed, she felt the tears drip down her face as she stared down at her phone. He and Angie looked back at her, making pig noses. She’d cried the whole afternoon. When she picked Angie up, she couldn’t even look at her, only sent her to her room to pack. She wasn’t sure what she was doing, but she had to do something. After talking to her father, and his calling Rick’s lawyer, she knew it was a done deal. Rick was going forward with the video to open a can of fucking shit. Her heart was aching, her eyes hurt from crying, and she couldn’t do this to Benji. She couldn’t. She thought about calling her mother, but she knew that would lead to everyone in the family knowing, and she didn’t want anyone to know what Rick was trying.

She wouldn’t let Benji’s name be tainted.

No, she would handle this herself.

She would be okay.

She was always okay.

Dialing his number, she held her breath as she waited. When he answered, her eyes fell shut.

This was going to suck.

“You’re calling me. That’s weird,” he said, and his voice made her heart skip a beat. “Did you hit the wrong button?”

She bit into her lip as she held back the tears. “No, I’m in a rush.”

“Oh, okay,” he said slowly, and she knew he was aware of the lie she was telling. But he went with it and asked cautiously, “What’s up?”

“Um. Well…” she started, but then she couldn’t do it. She clammed up, her heart in her throat, and she just couldn’t do it. Why would she do this over the phone? And did she really want this? But she had to. She couldn’t put him through this. “I…ugh…”

“Lucy, babe, what’s going on?”

As the tears rushed down her face, she squeezed her eyes shut tightly. She had every intention of breaking up with him, but she just couldn’t. She loved him so damn much, and she just couldn’t bring herself to break his heart and annihilate hers. Losing Benji would destroy her. But what was she supposed to do? She couldn’t let Rick do this to him. To his career. Maybe if she told Rick Benji wasn’t in the picture, he would stop all this and be gone.

But wouldn’t that let him win?

What other choice did she have?

God, she just needed to fucking think!

Clearing her throat, she held in her sob as she said, “I need some time.”

“Time?”

“Yeah, to think.”

“Um. Okay? I don’t understand. What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice filling with nervousness. She hated to worry him, but she knew him. He wouldn’t let her go if he knew the truth. “You’re worrying me here, Lucy. What’s going on?”

“I’m going to go to Florida with Angie, alone,” she said then. It suddenly seemed like a genius idea. She’d go, clear her head, figure it out, come back, and let Benji go. Then she’d fight Rick by herself. The thought sucked and it hurt, but she had no choice. She loved Benji way too much to put him through that shitshow. She didn’t care how much he said he would stand by her. No one deserved that.