AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That guy who works for Bosworth – Marshall. He’s claiming he has intelligence that proves you’re the one sending the threatening texts to Lindsay.”
“What? What the hell?”
“I know it’s bullshit. But the tracing report got into the hands of Blaine Maisri’s camp. They’re threatening to leak this to the press. It’s one hell of a set-up. We need to do damage control for you.”
Damage control.
My entire life is turning into nothing but damage control.
Bzzz.
My phone vibrates in my hand. Incoming text. Salma gives me a look of studied frustration. I know this is sacred space. I know I’m supposed to work on my issues.
Trust me.
I know.
But this situation just went FUBAR and the ante just got upped to the Nth degree.
I ignore Mark as he tries to get my attention, and I look at the text.
Don’t play if you can’t win, it says.
I go numb.
Another text. It’s a video. The picture has the Play symbol in the middle, a frozen image of me, naked, on my side with a mask over my head.
A video.
There’s a video of me from that night?
“Paulson,” I snap. “Full press.”
Dead air fills the line.
He hasn’t just hung up on me.
Mark’s gone to start a series of procedures that threaten to destroy everything I know.
But all in the service of saving Lindsay.
I stare at the texts. Deep breaths come out of me, involuntary, as tumblers in my mind sync, creating an orderly chain reaction.
I know what to do next.
I don’t like it, but I know what I have to do.
Then it hits me.
They’re sending that video everywhere.
Lindsay. They’ll text it to Lindsay next.
Probably already did.
“Drew!” Salma’s voice fills with a pleading horror as I stand, striding to the door with purpose. I can’t look at her. I am a shell now. Shells hold vulnerable creatures, protecting them from the dangers of the outside world.
I can’t be naked and soft. That’s for a different part of me, one that can’t come out and play right now.
