Chapter 50
Chapter Fifty
DK
The photos are still out there. No matter how hard I pound the punching bag at the gym, it isn’t enough to burn off the fury or the frustration.
I think of Luna… of last night. Beautiful, sexy, reclaiming herself. She never ceases to amaze me with her resilience. No matter how high the obstacle, she finds a way to clear it. She said she felt free of Hollis. Maybe that should be enough for me. But it’s not.
He’s still lording those photos over her. He’s still directing character attacks from behind his page. Every hour that passes is another hour he thinks he’s winning.
A town this size doesn’t have a sophisticated cyber unit. Catching Hollis is the only way to stop those photos from ever becoming public. The only way to make him pay for what he’s done—and what he’s still doing.
The only way to get justice for Luna.
Diablo and I go over one final round of debate prep for tonight. It’s expected that there will be questions about the photos. That’s my opening.
“We need to come out stronger on this,” I say.
“Stronger how?” he asks.
“This wasn’t just a crime against Rayne. It was a targeted attack against a candidate during an active election.”
“I’m aware of that, Dakarai. The police are investigating. I’ve directed the captain to make it a top priority.”
“Not enough.” I slide a folder across his desk. “These are three specialists who handle digital investigations, burner accounts, anonymous email chains, cloud storage, and metadata. People who know how to follow a trail.”
Diablo opens the folder.
I keep talking. “Each is highly qualified, understands the magnitude of the situation, and is available to work alongside our local police force. We’re not stepping on toes or bruising egos.
You’re just providing expert resources. I spoke with Ash about the budget.
He can reallocate non-essential funds without impacting critical initiatives. ”
He flips through the printed profiles. “You’ve done your homework, as always.”
“Not for nothing, announcing your leadership on this before tonight’s debate doesn’t hurt. It shows voters you take election integrity and the right to privacy seriously.”
He closes the folder. “I’ll authorize the funds, and let Chief Murray know you’ll act as my liaison.”
“I appreciate your quick action.”
He nods, his expression hardening briefly. “I don’t care what side of the ballot Rayne is on. Somebody stole private photos and tried to use them against a woman running for office. I won’t stand for that.”
I believe him. I’m learning Diablo is a man who operates on principle. It makes withholding the truth about my relationship with his opponent more compromising.
But the alternative is a hell of a lot more volatile.
The three weeks following the debate are full throttle. Since the announcement of a cyber specialist, Diablo’s been climbing in the polls, shaving off some of the undecideds. But so is Luna.
She has the Women under fifty and the Gen Z bloc locked down. They’re fiercely loyal supporters. The Femme Magazine special edition is scheduled to publish at the end of September, just weeks before the election, which could give her another boost.
In the meantime, our campaigns are operating within striking distance of each other. Diablo leads with forty-nine percent. Luna is on his heels at forty-six. Five percent remains up for grabs. A tight race, one I suspect will tighten even further.
Between our hectic schedules, we take what we can get—heated, breathless phone sex in the quiet hours before midnight, and eventually, two flawless nights at the lake house where politics couldn’t reach us.
Behind the scenes, I stay on top of the cyber forensics investigation.
J.D. Stiles is worth every taxpayer dollar.
When the final digital knot is unraveled, I’m called to Chief Murray’s office.
The metadata from the anonymous email chain led Stiles and his team to an encrypted cloud server, which pointed directly to a dummy LLC registered in Hollis’s name.
Digital fingerprints are like DNA. They don’t lie.
Working with the Indiana State Police, investigators executed a search warrant at Hollis’s home.
Twenty-four hours later, The Bayside Herald drops a grainy image of Hollis in handcuffs, arrested outside his residence.
Serious charges are filed: felony non-consensual image distribution, election interference, and cyberstalking.
For the first time in weeks, the toxic fury beneath my skin clears. I don’t feel the urge to gloat. I just feel relief. Massive. Crushing. Relief.
I call Luna immediately.
“Hey,” she answers.
“They got him,” I say, leaning against the brick wall outside campaign headquarters.
“I saw. We’re issuing a press release. Just a thank-you to the mayor’s office and the police force for their efforts. That’s all I need. No celebration. No mudslinging.”
I track a boat pulling from the marina. “I agree. The less you say, the less attention it takes from your campaign.”
“It’s not just that. The arrest is satisfying.
It’s a step toward justice. But emotionally, I’m over it.
I don’t care about Hollis.” I can hear the relief and certainty in her voice.
“His family and friends are maintaining his innocence. I’m sure he will too.
The courts will decide it. Until then, I have an election to win.
” Her tone lightens. “Looks like you’re in trouble, Mr. Strategist. We’re almost neck and neck. ”
I grin at her cocky confidence and look down the boardwalk, wishing I could walk those ten doors to her.
“So what are you and my dad going to bond over now?” she asks.
“Good whiskey. I sent him a bottle he really liked.”
“I love that you two are becoming besties.” I hear the happiness in her voice, then she adds. “Don’t think, I don’t know you were behind convincing Diablo to hire the cyber specialist.”
“It was a campaign decision. Election tampering is a crime.”
“Mhm. I see you, DK. Working both sides all smooth and shit. Thank you, boo.”
I let my silence answer. I don’t need the recognition.
I did what was right for Luna without ever compromising my job or Diablo.
I didn’t do it because she needed to take her power back.
She’d already done that for herself. This was justice for the woman I love.
And I would do it a hundred times over again.