11. THE ONE WITH THE VIRAL VIDEO
CHAPTER ELEVEN
THE ONE WITH THE VIRAL VIDEO
Comment: I’m just here for the wedding announcement
Comment reply: Ain’t noooo way this isn’t for clout
Comment reply: Hex had her identity revealed to millions of people on the internet… Can’t imagine how stupid someone has to be to believe this was done for clout.
I throw myself down on the bed and instantly regret it, because Joey’s scent lingers on the sheets. Blackberry and something woodsy—it reminds me of the first crisp fall day in Northern Michigan.
Fucking get it together, West. She’s just a girl!
Another girl on the long list of ones I’ve already slept with on this tour.
That thought makes me go cold.
Joey isn’t just another girl I added to my list. Joey is the first girl in my entire life to leave me with this lingering feeling of what if? And that’s terrifying!
My body is telling me to get my ass up and go after her—my brain is reminding me not to be a fucking creep.
I sigh and roll myself off the bed, my left knee popping uncomfortably all the way to the bathroom where I’m determined to wash Joey from my skin.
The water’s so hot it burns, and while the soap might wash Joey’s scent from my body, nothing can get her out of my head.
The hotel water never goes cold like I’m used to, so there’s no telling how long I’ve been standing in the shower, letting last night play on repeat.
I never checked the time or my phone before hopping in, and I might have stayed in here forever if it weren’t for the fear of missing check out—not because I’m worried about what the hotel will say or do, but because Enzo would be unbearable for the rest of the day if I messed up his strict travel schedule.
Enzo and Joey are a lot alike…
And just like that, she’s back on my mind.
I turn off the water, dry myself off, and do all my normal bathroom things—brush my teeth and hair, shave my morning stubble.
With the towel strung low across my hips, I slide the barn style bathroom door and jump when Enzo’s voice greets me immediately.
“That was the longest shower you’ve ever taken.
I thought about coming in there and checking on you at one point.
” He’s sitting on the edge of the bed in the exact spot I had Joey bent over only a few hours ago.
Enzo’s gaze trails my body. “Good night?” he asks with a smug smirk, noting the scratch marks left behind.
“Dude, what the fuck?” My heart races from his unexpected intrusion. “Why do you always gotta break in?” I say nothing about where he’s sitting on the bed—he’s not stupid. He knows what went down here last night. The room smells like sex and Joey.
Enzo shrugs, already dressed and ready for the day. “I didn’t have to this time. I flirted with the front desk agent, and he finally gave me a key when I was able to prove I knew West Parker. He’s a fan.” He pauses. “We’re going to need to stop booking under your name, actually.”
I look over my bare torso in the floor length mirror, my eyes landing on the hickeys around my collarbone. I suppress a chill at the memory of Joey’s mouth on me. “I’m almost ready. What time is it?”
Enzo checks his watch. “9:48.”
I have no idea what time I fell asleep this morning, but I couldn’t have slept for more than three or four hours. “Then you’re in here rushing me, why?” Check out isn’t for over an hour.
Enzo looks at me like a fish out of water while I slip into a clean pair of boxers, letting my towel drop once they’re on. He’s not reacting to me changing in front of him—we both played sports and grew up in locker rooms. He shuts his mouth and glances around the room. “Where’s your phone?”
Actually, that’s a good question. I don’t see it in any of the normal spots. “I have no idea.”
Last night’s clothes are all accounted for—except for the shirt I can’t find anywhere.
The weight of my pants is too light for my phone to be stashed in a pocket, and I’m beginning to wonder when the last time I’d even seen it was, but I find it halfway under the bed after a couple minutes of pacing the hotel room.
Enzo stays quiet the entire time, which puts me on edge.
“You’re freaking me out,” I admit with a laugh, but when my phone screen lights up, the sound gets caught in my throat.
I’m visually assaulted with notifications, my eyes going wide.
I’ve got close to seventy texts, twenty-nine missed calls, and all my social media apps sent alerts with wording similar to each other.
You’ve got 1,000+ notifications!
You’ve got 999+ new followers!
“Yeah, I thought that’s what your face would look like.” Enzo draws my attention away from the screen. “Someone posted a video of your show last night around 2:00 a.m, and it’s currently sitting at two-million views on a single platform.”
I think my jaw unhinges. “What?”
My phone feels heavy in my hand as I click the top notification. It takes me seconds to find the video in question. It's shot from center stage, maybe the table over from where Joey and Frankie sat.
“She looks like she’d make me crawl to her,” I hear myself say, and then the video cuts to Joey, her arms crossed across her chest, the eye roll she gives clear enough to see.
My first reaction is, fuck yeah, me and Joey baby going viral, but the next hits me like a Mack truck. Oh no.
I’m on my knees. “And baby, I would if you wanted.” It doesn’t show the girl in the front row interrupting, but it doesn’t miss me telling her, “Mommy and Daddy” are talking.
It catches the first Joey baby and the crowd’s reaction, my face when I hear her follower count, and fast forwards to me jumping off stage.
It shows all the moments I’ve been replaying in my head since last night.
Me standing over Joey.
Her calf brushing my inner thigh.
Me saying, “I thought you looked a lot like my future wife.”
It cuts to the end where I literally sound like I purr, “Joey, you dirty, dirty girl.”
The video restarts, and I don’t know what to do next. I swallow.
Holy fucking shit…
I start reading the most liked and top comments.
Comment: OMG WHO IS SHE?!
Comment reply: Some masked book girl who uses her body for views
Comment reply: EXCUSE YOU! Put some RESPECT on @HexedHeroine’s name!
Comment: I'd buy literally whatever they were selling
Comment: Did anyone have a @HexedHeroine face reveal on their bingo card?! She’s soooo hot omg
Comment: Yes, more of this
Comment reply: More of this with Hex pls, IDC about anyone else
Comment: The bi panic I have right now is stressing me out!!!!!
I stop scrolling and stare at Enzo, stunned into silence. That never happens.
Joey got doxxed. Because of me. Because of Frankie.
“You’ve gotten over 100,000 new followers and your last show with available tickets sold out ten minutes ago.” Enzo’s voice feels far away.
He couldn’t care less about that right now.
“I…” have no idea what to say. “Joey.”
Does she know? She’s the only thing on my mind right now.
I ignore all the new texts in my inbox, scrolling until I see her unsaved number.
Me
Have you seen the video?
I pace from one end of the room to the other. The message never says delivered.
Me
Joey baby, I swear if you’ve already blocked me I might actually cry
That text doesn’t deliver either.
Fuck texting.
I press her number at the top of my screen and hit Call, bringing the phone to my ear.
It doesn’t ring, going straight to her voicemail.
“Hi, you’ve reached Jo Daniels with Vyce Talents.
My office hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. eastern standard time Monday through Friday. I’m sorry I missed your call—”
I hang up. She’s so out of my fucking league.
“We have to go talk to her,” I blurt out. I have no idea where she lives, where she’s at, or anything other than the fact that I will not leave this city without finding her. We can call off my show tonight in Portland for all I care.
“What?” Enzo balks.
“Think about it.” Rummaging through my overnight bag, pulling out the clean clothes I planned to wear to the gym this morning, I turn to face him.
“She’s out of a job right now.” I slip into a pair of gym shorts that cut off a few inches above the knee and tug on a clean plain-white T-shirt. “And I’m the reason she got doxxed.”
I almost feel like I owe Joey more than an apology, even if it wasn’t done intentionally.
“What if we can spin this? What if this can make us all money?” Locating my wallet is easier than my phone.
“It’s already sold out this tour. Imagine what else it can do if we use it to our advantage.
” If we show her there’s a way to make money while she’s searching for her next thing…
This might work.
Enzo stares at me like I’ve grown an extra head, but eventually lets out a long breath. “You like this girl, don’t you?”
I’m pretty sure that’s the understatement of the century.
“I’m not ready to dive into that when dollar signs and memories of last night’s mind-blowing sex are clouding my judgment,” I blurt, pulling a hoodie over my head and sliding my wallet into the pocket of my shorts.
“Her voicemail mentions the company she worked for along with her last name.” Before Enzo decided to come on tour with me as my manager, he’d been in cyber security.
I’ve seen him do really weird shit with less information.
“Not needed.” He looks up from his phone. “I didn’t like the way Franceska’s ex was talking to her last night, so I had her share her location to make sure she got home safe. She’s in a different location this morning, and I bet we’ll find a Hex with her in Salem.”
Oh, and I’m the one who’s obsessed.