Chapter 25
TWENTY-FIVE
D espite my outward bravado, I’m worried.
Theo never lies, so if he says he will expose us, then he will, and it isn’t me I’m concerned about.
It’s Ry. He only just realized he likes men and that he loves me.
He has a past they will use against him, and our band could suffer.
I hate the idea of anyone else being hurt because of someone I once gave everything to.
It’s why I’m still awake. Ry snores next to me in my bed as I sit at my desk, scribbling absentmindedly in my lyric notebook.
The vibration of my phone makes me sigh. Picking it up, I expect to see more Instagram notifications, but I freeze at the words staring at me.
THATPRICK: VIDEO ATTACHMENT
My heart freezes in my chest. I know before I even open it that it won’t be good. With shaking fingers, I open the file, and a low moan fills the air as the camera turns. My blood runs cold as I watch what he sent.
It’s of him and me fucking.
He’s moaning and pushing back into me while I fuck him from behind in our old apartment. He opens his eyes and looks at the camera, his smile cruel.
He knew it was there.
He recorded us without me knowing.
Horror washes through me as I watch myself bend him over and fuck him harder, all while telling him I love him.
Another text comes through, shutting down the video, and for that, I’m thankful.
THATPRICK: Come see me right now or I’ll post this. Not even your label’s lawyers could stop this when it’s out there.
THATPRICK: And leave your toy behind. You have one hour.
Sickness rolls through me, along with violation. He took something that was between us and is using it as a threat. Running to the bathroom, I throw up, his texts lingering in my mind.
Would he do it?
Would he really lower himself to ruin both his and my reputation, just to get back at me and prove a point?
I don’t know, and that scares me, but what terrifies me more is Ry seeing that.
Knowing I was with him and seeing it are two very different things.
He would be forced to see it over and over because the internet never forgets, especially not sex.
Yes, the label’s lawyers could suppress it, but he’s right. It would still be out there.
Rinsing my mouth out, I press my forehead to the bathroom wall and glance at the clock on my phone.
It’s fifteen minutes before midnight.
The background picture haunts me. It’s of Ry and me, our hands joined.
If I tell him, he’ll go in guns blazing, and Theo might release it.
With no other choice, I haul myself up, still nauseous as I grab a coat and then stand above him.
Taking a deep breath, I lean down and kiss his head. “I’ll be back, okay? I promise.”
I hate every step I take away from him, but despite everything we said, this is my mess. I won’t let Theo hurt Ry. Not for anything.
I slip out of the house and onto my bike, and I do as I’m told.
It’s the single hardest thing I’ve ever done, driving away from Ryker, but I do it because I love him.
I arrive before the hour is up. The lights are off inside, but as I raise my shaking hand to knock, the door opens, revealing Theo on the other side. A cruel smile tugs up his lips, and he steps back without a word.
I linger in the entryway, still feeling sick. My hands itch to grab my keys and get the hell out of here, damn the consequences, but that video would destroy my reputation, our band, and probably my relationship with Ry.
“I don’t like to be kept waiting,” he snaps, and as I watch, he tugs his phone out of his pocket, showing me the screen.
The video is ready to upload to his accounts, and that sick feeling only grows.
I can handle whatever he’s up to. I have to.
I can’t let this get out and ruin everything we have worked for.
Taking a deep breath, I step inside and shut the door behind me.
His satisfied smile enrages me as he pockets his phone and turns, sweeping by as he heads into the living room. “Come on then.”
With no other choice, I follow him, but I stop at the doorway.
The change in the space since this morning shocks me.
The lights are all off except for a small lamp, candles are lit around the entire room, and pillows are piled before the roaring fire.
A charcuterie board is displayed on a side table with decanted red wine, which he pours himself a glass of before he turns to me and takes a sip.
“What do you want, Theo?” I demand. “I came like you ordered, now delete the video from every device you have it on.” When he simply stares, my fists clench at my sides. “You realize how fucked up this is, right? You’re blackmailing me with an illegally made sex tape?—”
“You think anyone will care? They’ll see it, and that’s all that matters. At the height of your career, it’s all they will remember you for.” Stepping closer, he touches my shirt briefly. “Besides, I remember you being very . . . actively involved that night.”
Smacking his hand away, I cross my arms. “I didn’t know you were recording.”
His shrug is lazy, and it pisses me off further as he turns to the wine. “Grab me another glass, will you?”
“I’m not drinking. I’m only here for you to delete the video.”
He rolls his eyes as he looks at me. “One drink and I’ll delete the video. You have my word.”
I try to find the trap, but I can’t see it, so I head over to the bar in the corner, grab a clean glass, and thrust it at him.
As soon as he takes it, I step back as far away from him as I can.
He pours the wine with his back to me, and when he turns and holds it out, I look from him to the glass.
Rolling his eyes, he grabs his own and drinks from it, then offers me that instead.
I hesitantly accept it. “One drink?” I ask. “Then you’ll delete it?”
“I promise.” He nods at my glass. “We can talk, and then you can rush back to your new toy. I won’t even stop you. Let’s have a truce for tonight.”
I debate his words, but honestly, I’m sick and angry, and I just want to be back in bed with my baby so he can make this all better and I can pretend I never loved this monster.
With that in mind, I flip his script and play him at his own game.
I turn the glass so my lips don’t touch where his were, and then I gulp the entire thing before wiping my mouth. I hate red wine, and he knows that. The bitter taste always makes me sick.
“There, one drink. Now delete it,” I order, putting the glass down on the side table as he watches me. “Theo,” I warn when he does nothing.
“Well played.” Pulling out his phone, he turns to show me as he deletes the pending post.
“In your storage too,” I order.
Muttering under his breath, he hands me his phone. “You do it then.” Sparing him an annoyed look, I navigate to his videos and delete any I see with me in them, then just to be sure, I check his texts and his email, but I don’t see anything else. “That’s it? Where else?”
“Only in my mind,” he grumbles as he grabs his phone. “You have to admit it was a good fucking night.”
“It was the only time you were happy,” I snap, “because you were using me to get what you wanted.”
He pouts. “It wasn’t all bad.”
“No, it wasn’t, and if you hadn’t ruined it, I would probably still be with you.
You did that, not me, but I have to thank you for breaking my heart.
If you didn’t, I never would have joined Sanctuary and met Ryker, and I never would have met the person I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with.
I never thought I would say this, but thank you, Theo, for breaking my heart so I could find the people I was meant to be with in the first place.
Now I’m going to leave, and if you contact me again, I will involve my agency. I don’t care about the consequences.”
My body is hot, probably due to my anger and that stupid red wine—another reason I want to get the hell out of here.
“It’s a shame you feel that way,” he drawls as I wait for his response, my phone buzzing in my pocket. I don’t dare pull it out and answer it, not with Theo here. Who knows what he will do? “I was going to be nice, but that was cruel of you, Fox. You really think I don’t have that video backed up?”
“You bastard,” I hiss. “Delete it now. We had a deal.”
“Hmm, we did, but I want a new one.” He puts his glass down as he watches me. “How are you feeling, by the way?”
“What do you mean?” I mutter, but my voice sounds odd.
Blinking, I fall back a step. My head feels fuzzy, like I drank too much, my hearing is weird, and I feel hot all over. “Delete it,” I demand, but it’s more of a slur.
His smile is cruel as he looks up at me through his lashes and takes a sip of the glass I gave him. “You should have kept this glass,” he says, and as I watch, he pulls a vial from his pocket, shaking it to show me. “You always were too trusting.”
I fall back another step. My body isn’t working right, and my legs feel heavy. Turning, I try to reach the door, but he blocks my path and pushes me back to the sofa.
I fall without meaning to, unable to stop myself, and sink into the deep cushions as I struggle to fight off whatever he gave me. “You drugged me,” I accuse.
“I did.” He chuckles as he undoes his robe to reveal nothing but some tiny boxers, and then he swings his bare legs over mine, straddling me. “I knew you wouldn’t give in otherwise—you’re too noble. This way, we can have some fun like we used to.”
“What did you give me?” I reach forward to push him away, but my hands won’t lift and my voice is odd. My head falls to the side, too heavy to keep up as the room spins.
He drags my head back around, and all I can do is blink at him.
I realize I’m paralyzed.
“Something to make you relax. Don’t worry, you’ll still feel everything we’ll do.
They promised me your body will still work, but this way I can have my fun without you fighting me.
You were always stronger than me, after all, which was something I used to enjoy, but I find it annoying now that you won’t give me what I want.
” He sweeps his tongue along my lips, making my stomach roll, and a tear squeezes from my eye.
“You should have taken me up on my offer while I was being nice. I always get what I want, Fox. You know that.” His lips press to mine in a swift kiss, and my stomach churns harder as I scream in my mind, demanding my body to move, but it won’t listen.
I can’t get away.
His hands slide down my chest as he smiles at me, my cock limp under his touch.
“Don’t worry, I have something for this if we can’t make it work.
” His mouth brushes against my ear. “I’m going to play with you all night, and I’m going to make a whole other video.
In the morning, if you report me or you don’t break up with that pretty boy, then I’m going to show the world both.
He’ll think you cheated. He’ll break up with you, your band will be ruined, and you’ll have nowhere to go but to me.
It’s perfect, don’t you think?” He bites my ear, and I feel the sharp pain stab through my heavy body.
“You always said I was smart and could do anything I put my mind to. I guess you were right.”
He leans back, rolling his hips across my thighs, his hard dick peeking from his boxers. I gag, my mouth falling open at the implication of his words.
He can’t . . .
He can’t . . .
He’s going to.
“Let’s have some fun, Fox, just like old times.”