Chapter 241
CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED FORTY-ONE
AKIO
Dragon Ball Z played on the TV screen in Jamal Simmons’s small home in the slums. The room was bathed in the flickering glow of the vibrant anime characters battling on their planet. I sat on the couch next to Nicole while Jamal and his siblings lounged on the floor.
Everyone was quiet, even the world outside, and that made me … uneasy. The way Nicole had reacted earlier made it seem like she knew more than she was telling me.
Darkness flooded in through the cheap and thin drawn curtains. Jamal’s brother inched closer to Nicole’s leg, glancing up at her every so often and wiggling his brows.
Yet Nicole didn’t notice as she stared blankly at the screen, her skin a ghostly color.
Nicole’s phone buzzed, and she recoiled as if it’d hurt her. Her fingers shook as she retrieved her phone and stared at the screen. Then, suddenly, Jamal’s phone buzzed, then mine.
Message after message poured in, accompanied by a video. Marquis, Jamal’s little brother, grabbed the phone from Jamal and tapped on the video.
Nicole’s screams and pleas echoed through the room from Jamal’s phone, and Jamal quickly snapped it back from him.
“What was that?” Marquis asked.
“Nothing,” Jamal quickly said, grabbing his brother’s hand and yanking on it. He looked back at Nicole and pulled his siblings out of the room. “It’s time for bed.”
The anime faded into the background, drowned out by Nicole’s horrified silence. It was clear that someone had leaked this to the entire town of Redwood, maybe even that fucker that she called a father.
Tears welled up in Nicole’s eyes, and I quickly wrapped my arms around her trembling shoulders, pulling her close, telling her that I would do anything to protect her.
But deep inside me, fury raged.
Whoever had done this to Nicole would pay.
“I’ll kill him,” I growled into her ear.
“My father didn’t release the video,” she said. “Poison did.”
“How … how did they get it?” I asked quietly, confused.
Nicole took a shaky breath, her tear-filled eyes locking on to mine. “I gave it to them,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “I thought if they believed I was being abused, they’d help me rescue you from what happened.”
A wave of guilt washed over me. I couldn’t bear the thought of Nicole feeling responsible for this nightmare, and I certainly didn’t want anyone watching her endure this torment.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I never wanted you to go through this, Nicole. I never wanted anyone to see you like that.”
Nicole gently brushed her fingers across my cheek, looking into my eyes. “Akio, I needed this entire town to know the truth. I needed them to see what’d been happening in Redwood for so long. It’s not your fault, and it’s not mine. I know that now.”
I stared at her with both adornment and amazement at how much she had grown these past few weeks.
“We’ll expose everyone for what they’ve done to you.”
“We’ll get justice,” she said. “Not just for us, but for everyone who’s suffered.”