The threat is for me, that’s obvious, so I’ll handle it myself. It’s probably from Brian, that bitch. Or Oscar. Hell, maybe someone else. I’m not exactly a gentle guy. I’ve made enemies.
They can threaten me all they want, but if this is how they do it, I’ve got nothing to be afraid of. Whoever it is, they’re a fuckingcoward. Not even coming at me in person, not communicating face to face.
But when I yank out the papers hidden within, I freeze. I stare.
I think I die a little.
Nausea and a wave of despair crashes over me until I’m sick with it. I stumble back against the sink.
It’s a slim stack of photos, five in total. They’re good quality, like they were taken in 4k HD or some bullshit like that.
It’s me, in the club. With Young-gi. Making out.
I take a moment to stare at the photos, and I can’t even enjoy the way Young-gi is so sexy, because these photos are damning. They’ll ruin everything I’m trying to do for Kira; they’ll implode the whole purpose of this charade.
My whole reason for being with him, the whole tenuous lie that keeps me in his orbit, in his life, is going to go up in flames. And I’ll be out on my ass, just like I always knew I would be. But I didn’t think it would happen so soon.
A letter typed out in bold black font is at the bottom of the stack and I read it, trembling with fury. It’s mostly homophobic slurs, and a promise of oncoming blackmail. A demand to wait for further instructions and a threat to show these pictures to no one, to tell no one, or they will be released to the public.
I take a deep breath, then another. I focus on counting my heartbeats. Strategies and possibilities fly through my mind, but I have very few resources. On my own, I’m ineffective. If I’m going to neutralize this threat, I’ll need help. But I have no help. There is no course of action. Only failure. This is the end. It’s time to face the music.
I shove everything back into the envelope and slip it into my inner jacket pocket, then walk out the door like nothing’s wrong.
With a smile and a chaste kiss, I return to Kira’s table. She looks up at me expectantly, but instead of sitting, I gently pull her to her feet. “We need to leave.”
I have to admit, she isn’t the kind of girl to hesitate. Maybe it’s Young-gi’s influence, but she nods and follows me to the door without a word of protest. I open the car door for her, slide in beside her.
And as soon as we’re alone together, I rip the envelope out of hiding and shove it into her hands. Doing what the blackmailer wants me to do and keeping this shit secret would play into their scheme, so I refuse.
“I’m sorry,” I say roughly. “This is all my fault.”
“Tommy, what are you talking about? What is this?” Her words grind to a halt.
Her gasp cuts me deep. I flinch, my eyes averted.
“I’m sorry, Kira, this isn’t what I wanted. That’s my fault.” And it burns because it’s true. Young-gi warned me that there might be people following me. He had his security guys watching the club that night, but a sneaky asshole with a camera went undetected. Now it’s too late to take it all back.
Kira’s voice is shocked and small. “Oh. My. God.”
I finally work up enough courage to face her. The pale shock on her face, the way she stares unblinking at the photos, makes my stomach heave. I grip the door handle as the car lurches into motion, the driver behind the partition taking us to her apartment.
A place I’m definitely not welcome anymore.
“Kira, I know this messes everything up. I’m so sorry. Our engagement story is ruined, the rumors–”
“Uncle Young-gi isgay?!” she exclaims. She jerks her head up, gaping at me, all her wide-eyed shock fixated on that instead of the threat. “Uncle Young-gi is–he’s–he’sgay? Since when? What?!”
“No–I mean, I don’t know, he’s… I think it’s just a novelty to him. Listen, that’s not–that’s not the point, Kira. Look at the letter!”
She flips through the photos, her pale cheeks going deep red, until she finds the letter. She reads it to herself, and a scowl steadily builds on her face.
I’ve never seen her scowl. It breaks my heart.
“This is all my fault,” I say again. “I’m sorry, Kira.”
“Why?”
“I–”Wait..“What?”
