Page 62 of Payback

A stone ball of dread formed in my stomach, and I held my breath, bracing myself for digital versions of Mr. Carbuncle’s pictures.

Blake wrapped his hand around my bicep. “You can’t go with him.”

One of the bodyguards pulled out a large smartphone, tapped a few buttons, and showed pictures of a spacious, green park complete with its own pond. My brows drew together, and I squinted at the screen. The palm trees in the background indicated that it wasn’t Hyde Park or anywhere in London, and my gaze flickered up to Rudolph’s twinkling eyes.

Axel swiped at the screen, and another picture came up. My little brother and sister, Tony and Tamara.

I swallowed hard. “Why are you showing me this?”

“As I said to my devoted wife, it’s an incentive for you to listen to my proposal.”

“If anything happens to me, everyone in the academy will know you took me away.”

He inclined his head. “My men won’t stop your boyfriends from following at a distance.”

I walked the long way around the table and wrapped my arms around Edward and whispered, “I’ve got pepper spray in case things get ugly, and my phone is set to share my location.”

“Stay safe and stay quiet.” Edward drew back and cupped my face in his hands. “Listen to what he has to say, and don’t provoke him.”

With a nod, I broke away and walked at Mom’s side down the path to the main teaching block. The magnolia trees overhead provided shelter from the sun, but sweat beaded on my brow. Another guard stood at the doors to the main teaching block. He opened the doors, and we walked through the marble hallway. I tried turning around to see if the other guards allowed the boys to follow. Through the nearly solid barrier they formed, I caught a glimpse of Henry’s shoulder.

Another guard opened the door to the main entrance and guided us to a black limo that looked more like a hearse. He opened the door to reveal an L-shaped seat and a huge screen at one end of the vehicle’s interior. Playing on its screen were videos and pictures of the boys and me, mostly taken by someone outside the window of Edward’s study but some were the drunken kiss I shared with Blake and Henry at the Valentine’s ball.

Bile rose to the back of my throat. “Where did you get these?”

“A young lady at your academy was overjoyed to help me monitor your activities,” said Rudolph.

“Charlotte,” I said between clenched teeth.

Rudolph’s wrinkled face broke into a smile. “She speaks highly of you.”

Mom turned her head away from the images. “Rudolph, please, stop.”

“You have to see what kind of girl she’s become.” The old man tried to turn her head back toward the screen but wasn’t strong enough to get Mom to move.

“Get off her.” I lurched forward, but one of the bodyguards blocked me with a meaty arm.

Rudolph beckoned at another guard, who forced Mom’s head up, making her cry out. I tried shoving my way to reach Mom, but the guard holding me back was as immovable as an oak.

The old reptile sat back and steepled his fingers. “As you see, my darling, your daughter has fallen into a disorder of compulsive and indiscriminate promiscuity.”

Whoever had set up this portfolio had made closeups of the boys, so it looked like I was with more than three partners. The editor had even mixed pictures of me hugging Sergei and Andreo or getting close to other people. There were also images of Tola, from the Saturday Correspondent, helping me into my corset dress.

“I’m not sleeping with all these people,” I snarled.

Rudolph widened his rheumy eyes. “Do you mean to suggest that’s a body double or clever CGI?”

My gaze flicked to a video of Edward taking me from behind while I tried to fit both Blake and Henry in my mouth. It was from a different angle to the others, likely taken from behind the door. Charlotte must have wedged the lens of her smartphone through the keyhole.

I glanced at Mom, who held her head in her hands. Her torso shook as though she was wracked in shame and misery. The sight of her crying was like a kick in the gut. I might have implied that I was having sex with the boys, but I had neglected to share that it was at the same time.

“You need help.” Rudolph leaned over and patted my knee. “There’s a specialist in Drochia, Moldova, who deals with precocious promiscuity, and he is willing to take you on in his clinic.”

Mom’s eyes bulged. “A mental hospital?”

“Indeed.” His thin lips broke into a wide grin that revealed teeth too white and too even to be anything but dentures.

“Having three boyfriends doesn’t make me crazy,” I said.