Free Leah's Seduction: 3 (Gianni and Leah - Leah's Seduction) by Emily Jane Trent Page A

poured out on the pages now seemed less worrisome. Months had passed, and whatever bad thing she had feared hadn’t come to pass. If anyone had found the diary, Leah didn’t know about it. And she likely wouldn’t.
    She missed the release of writing her emotions down on paper. It was like telling a friend. Walking along the aisles, Leah spotted the racks of sketch books and journals. She went over and picked them up to examine each one.
    Running her fingers along the cover of oversized book, Leah liked the feel. The leather felt rich. The pages had gold edges, and inside, the journal was filled with lined pages just waiting for her to tell them her troubles.
    The journal was a bit pricey, but Leah felt better holding it in her hands. She had to have it, along with a new pen. As the clerk ran her credit card and bagged the items, she thought of that evening. Leah planned to snuggle into her loft bed, alone, and pour out her thoughts.
    *****
    After work, Leah met Kyra at Pilates. On the way in, they chatted about upcoming fashion events they might both attend. It seemed Daniela had been doing her friend’s makeup more often to good result, and she would be at many of the shows too.
    Before class started, Kyra scrolled, then held up her phone and said, “Have you seen this?”
    “Seen what?”
    Instead of replying, Kyra held the screen up so Leah could see. There was a picture of Gianni kissing Leah. It had been at one of the fashion shows, and was innocent enough.
    But not when it was on social media. The text said: Gianni Rinaldi, One of New York’s Most Sought-After Bachelors, Hooks Up With the Competition . All she could do was stare at the picture.
    “Don’t you ever go online? How could you miss this?” Kyra said.
    “I’ve been working, not surfing the net.” Leah shook her head. “What a mess.”
    “Well, you need to pay more attention. It seems you and Gianni are news. Your relationship is no longer private.”
    “Not that I thought it would be. Gianni hasn’t tried to hide it,” Leah said. “But it is worse that I’m labeled as the competition. Now Vadim will know about us, or assume he does. It puts him on the defensive, like I’m betraying him by seeing Gianni.”
    Kyra raised her brows. “Not good?”
    “No, not good.”
    “Are you going to deny it?”
    Leah rolled her shoulder. “Who would believe me? I don’t stand any chance of that.”
    “I agree,” Kyra said. “People believe what they want. And they prefer scandal, so I don’t see any way to counter this.”
    “I don’t either.” Leah sighed. “My only option is to be quiet about it. Denying the relationship will make it worse; I’ll look guiltier.”
    Kyra raised her hands. “What are you guilty of? Dating a hot guy? I mean, what can you be attacked for?”
    “You’d be surprised. But mainly it’s just the exposure. I don’t want to feel like our picture is being taken wherever we go.”
    “Gianni must be used to it,” Kyra said.
    “I’m sure he probably is. I did a search when I first met him, and he has been seen with a lot of different women. None of them seemed long-lasting. It was an ever-changing parade of dates.”
    Kyra put her hand in the air. “They could have been escorts for all anyone knows.”
    “Right, it’s just speculation. Soon they will forget about me, just like they have forgotten about all the others,” Leah said.
    Kyra’s forehead wrinkled. “Not unless you break up with him. You’re not thinking of doing that, are you?”
    Leah’s heart fell. “No, no. I’m not thinking that.”
    “Are you worried about how Vadim will react?”
    “Some.”
    Kyra shook her head. “Well, don’t. What can he do?”
    “Fire me for consorting with the enemy?”
    Her friend looked puzzled. “I wouldn’t say you are doing that.”
    “Actually, I am.”
    Kyra raised her brows.
    Leah held up her hand. “Too much information. Forget I said that.”
    “I am not forgetting you said that.”
    Raking her