My throat burned as I tried to keep the tears at bay.
“Hey, Cherry, relax. Sex tapes happen,” Cas said, brushing it off. “I have a few out there.”
“Man, shut up,” Hex muttered. “Now isn’t the time, man.”
“I’m only trying to help?—”
“You’re not. Just… stop, man,” Vic said, glancing at me as tears began to trickle down my cheeks. “Everyone this side of the fucking globe has seen your cock. Even Rosalie.”
“I-Is the whole video out?” I rasped, ignoring Vic’s comment.
“Just a clip,” Trent said, holding out his phone to me.
With shaky hands, I took it and stared down at the screen. In it, Enzo kissed me. Touched me. The sheet was around the important parts, but it was no secret what was going to happen before he moved on top of me.
I winced, bile burning my throat as the screen went blank.
My phone buzzed a moment later with a text message. I blinked rapidly and pulled it out to stare at it.
Unknown: That’s just a taste of what I can release. Give yourself to me, or I’ll release everything.
“Ani?” I looked up at him.
He snatched my phone and stared down at the message.
“What the fuck?” he snarled.
It was then that Dante finally stopped pacing.
“Lorenzo,” Dante’s cool voice called out. “We need to talk, motherfucker.”
Ryder reached out to me as Anson got on the phone again. I let Ryder hold me as I cried softly, not knowing why this was happening to me or what I could even do about it.
“It’s OK, red,” Ryder murmured. “It’s not going to be a big deal.”
“Liar,” I whispered through my tears.
I caught the eye of Trent, who looked at me with sympathy. I clung to Ryder. My phone buzzed again, and Anson handed it back to me as he continued to talk to the detective working my case.
“Evan?” I cried softly as I answered his video call.
“Ro, baby,” he said, his voice strained. “Hey, it’s OK. It’s OK. I’m going to come to you. Klaus and I. He’s packing right now.”
“No. No.” I shook my head. “Don’t. I-I don’t want you leaving Ellis.”
“Ro, you need us?—”
“I have you,” I said, wiping my eyes. “I don’t want Ellis alone, and I don’t want her here. Please, protect her. If this person finds out about her?—”
“OK, OK. We won’t come.” He sounded pained to say it. “Come home, Rosalie. Forget the tour, baby. Come home to us.”
“Then this person wins,” I said. “They’re trying to ruin me!”
“Fuck them, Ro! OK? Fuck. Them. Come home to me. Let me hold you.”
I cried harder but shook my head. “I-I am not going to back down. I worked hard for this.”
“Rosalie, it’s OK to take a break.” Klaus came onto the screen as he stood next to Evan. “A break isn’t defeat.”
