Chapter 55 Bradley's story
Sage's POV
The news hit the next morning.
I was scrolling through my phone trying to distract myself from Diego's deadline when I saw Bradley's face plastered across multiple news sites.
"Victim of Brutal Attack Speaks Out" the headline screamed.
My stomach dropped.
I clicked on the first article and started reading. Bradley had given an exclusive interview to some major newspaper in Manhattan. He talked about the night of the attack. About being tied to his balcony and beaten until he could barely see.
But he didn't mention Ryder's name.
He just said his ex girlfriend Sage was the reason behind his attack. That I'd brought dangerous people into his life. That he tried to help me escape my violent background but I'd chosen that world instead of the classy life he was offering me.
The interview painted me as some kind of damaged woman who couldn't leave her criminal roots behind. It made Bradley look like a victim who was caught in the crossfire of my family's business. It was a good thing he didn't know exactly what my family business was and he didn't know any names, except the town I was from.
I scrolled through more articles. They all said the same thing. Poor Bradley Hamilton, brutally attacked because of his connection to Sage Romano.
My modeling agency's name popped up in the third article. It was a quote from my former boss saying they had terminated my contract due to "safety concerns and reputation issues."
I laughed. I couldn't help it.
After everything that happened, after all the stress and fear and impossible choices, this felt almost funny. My carefully constructed New York life was crumbling and I didn't even care.
That fake world had never been real anyway.
My phone rang. Sarah's name flashed on the screen.
I almost didn't answer, but curiosity got the better of me.
"What do you want?"
"Sage, oh my god. I just saw the news about Bradley. Are you okay?"
"Why do you care?"
"Because I'm your friend. I know things ended badly between us but—"
"You fucked my fiancé in my bed. We're not friends."
There was silence on the other end. Then Sarah's voice came back smaller. "I know I messed up. I'm sorry. But this is serious. Bradley's all over the news. People are saying terrible things about you."
"Isn't that what you wanted? Wasn't that your plan all along? You first told Brad shit about me. Now he's gone to the media to spread it and you're here pretending to care?"
"You can't just ignore this. Your reputation—"
"My reputation in Manhattan doesn't matter anymore. I'm not coming back there."
"What? But your job, your apartment, your whole life is here."
"I quit my job, my apartment lease is up next month. And my life there was never real to begin with." I moved to the window and looked out at the yard. "I'm done pretending to be someone I'm not."
"Sage, you're not thinking clearly. You're upset about Bradley and your dad and—"
"I'm thinking more clearly than I have in years." I cut her off. "Goodbye, Sarah. Don't call me again."
I hung up before she could respond.
More notifications popped up on my phone as friends from New York started reaching out. Some were genuinely concerned, but most were just nosy and wanted gossip.
I turned off notifications and tossed the phone on my bed.
The weird thing was that I felt free. All those people who pretended to care about me, all those connections I built in Manhattan, they were disappearing. And instead of feeling devastated, I felt lighter.
That world had never wanted the real me anyway. They wanted the polished version. The one who wore expensive clothes and said the right things and never mentioned her biker family.
Well, now they knew the truth, and they were running.
Good riddance.
A knock on my door made me turn. Jaxon stood in the hallway looking concerned.
"You see the news?"
"Yeah."
"You okay?"
"Honestly? I don't care. Bradley can say whatever he wants. It doesn't change anything."
Jaxon studied my face. "You sure about that? This could cause problems. If people start digging into your background—"
"Let them dig. What are they going to find? That my dad ran a motorcycle club? That I grew up around bikers? None of that's a secret."
"What about the attack on Bradley? If someone connects it to Ryder—"
"Bradley's not pressing charges. He said so in the interview." I picked up my phone and pulled up the article. "See? Right here. He says he's choosing not to pursue legal action because he just wants to move on with his life."
Jaxon read the quote. His eyebrows raised. "That's convenient."
"Or smart. He threatened me first, and then Ryder threatened him. He must be really scared of him." I put the phone down. "Bradley might be an asshole but he's not stupid. He knows going to the police could ruin him if I have evidence that he threatened me first."
"So he's taking the high road publicly while trashing you in the press."
"Exactly."
Jaxon leaned against the doorframe. "This doesn't bother you at all?"
"Why would it? I never really wanted that life anyway. The modeling, the fake friends, the pretending to be someone I'm not." I met his eyes. "Coming back here was the best thing that could've happened to me. Even with everything else that's going on."
"Even with Diego?"
The mention of his name brought reality crashing back. I glanced at the clock. Nine in the morning. Three hours until Diego's deadline.
"I need to get ready," I said instead of answering.
Jaxon pushed off from the doorframe. "Sage, about Diego. You don't have to do this. We can fight. We can—"
"We've been over this. Fighting gets everyone killed."
"And marrying him kills you. Maybe not physically but—"
"I'll survive." The words came out harder than I meant. "I've survived worse."
It was a lie but Jaxon seemed to accept it. He nodded and stepped back.
"For what it's worth, I'm sorry. About all of it. The contract, Diego, this whole mess."
"I know."
He left and I closed the door.
My phone buzzed with another notification. It was another article about Bradley and his tragic attack. Then another friend from New York was checking in.
I put my phone on airplane mode and tossed it on the bed.
It was three hours until I had to give Diego my final official answer, three hours until I sealed my fate.
I thought about Ryder climbing through my window last night. About his hands on my skin and his voice telling me to run away with him.
But in three hours, none of it would matter anymore.
Because I was going to say yes to Diego. I was going to honor the contract and marry a man I didn't love or even know enough to care about.
My bedroom door suddenly burst open without warning.
Ryder stood there wild eyed and breathing hard. Blood was dripping from a cut above his eyebrow.
"We need to go. Right now."
"What happened?"
"Someone just bombed the bar.”