“I can see that,” Leo said with a snicker. “You realize, Sal is serious about cutting you off from your trust fund, right?”
I nodded.
Leo turned to Dakota. “Andyourealize that Sal is serious about ending your NHL career, right?”
“I’m well aware, thanks,” Dakota said.
“Doesn’t seem like a wise choice to me. But hey, it’s your life,” Leo said with a dismissive scoff. “What’s this got to do with me?”
“We’re not just going to let Dad wreck our lives,” I said. “We’re going to fight back.”
Leo grinned, apparently deriving amusement from that. “Oh? You are? Tell me,how?”
“The only way we can,” Dakota said.
“By telling the truth,” I said.
I explained that, if Dad was hell-bent on interfering in our lives, we were willing to go to the media and tell them our story. Thewholestory. From the arranged marriage, to the events this summer, to the threats Dad made against us both everything.
“Bold,” Leo remarked sarcastically. “So what has this got to do with me?”
“Before things get to that point, we’d like it if you went with us to speak to Dad—and stood by our side.”
“Stand byyourside? Against Sal?” He laughed. “Why would I do that?”
“Because if things get bad enough, your storywillcome out,” Dakota said. “Don’t think for a second it won’t. We’re willing to expose everything. If Sal wants to go all scorched Earth and destroy our lives, then it’s only fair we fight back.”
“Whoa, wait.Mystory? Meaning what?” Leo asked, his eyes narrowing.
“How Dad has been manipulating you ever since he caught you with Victor,” I said.
“Are you insane? Why would I talk about that?”
“Either youtell it, or we do,” Dakota said. “Your choice.”
Leo leaned back in his chair. “You’re threatening tooutme, Tavi?”
“I’d really rather not. I’ve always believed it wasn’t my secret to tell,” I said.
“That’s funny, because it sure sounds like you toldhim,” he said, pointing a finger at Dakota.
Dakota shook his head. “Actually, no, she wouldn’t tell me. I figured it out on my own.”
Leo scoffed. “How?”
“It was pretty obvious when Ottavia told me she was still a virgin, even though she’d dated you for years.” He swept his hungry eyes up and down me. “I mean … justlookat her, bro.”
Leo snickered. “Fair enough.”
“My point is,” I continued, “no, I don’t want to out you. I truly don’t believe it’s right. And I never would’ve considered telling anyone your secret before.But then I find out that you shared allmysecrets with my dad—which he then used to control and manipulate me—so why should I protect yours?”
Leo grimaced. “I didn’t tell the wholeworldyour secrets.”
“Not directly, no. But you and Dad had stories about me planted in the media. Have you looked at social media lately? Have you seen what people are saying about Ottavia Capuano, the entitled, adulterous, billionaire whore?”
Leo gnashed his teeth. “It was your dad’s idea, not mine …”
“But you didn’t stop him.”
