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My dad’s door to his office opens and a man in an expensive suit comes walking out with my father. They are still chatting quietly, but I barely make out something about divorce and soon-to-be-ex-wife, just before they shake hands and part ways. When my dad sees us waiting for him, he smiles.
“Come on in, you two.”
My legs shake as I walk, and if it wasn’t for Jace keeping his hand on my lower back, letting me know that he is right there, I might have actually turned around and ran from the building. This is the first time in my life that I have not looked forward to talking to my father. Just as we are sitting, Corrine comes in with a delivery bag and hands it to my dad. She winks at me when she turns to leave, and I smile back at her.
“So, what is this emergency that couldn’t wait until I got home tonight?” My father asks as he pulls his favorite turkey and Swiss cheese on a hoagie bun, out of the paper sack, along with a bag of chips.
Jace is the one to speak first, “Someone sent Ella a video this morning, and we are pretty sure that it’s to blackmail her into dropping the case.”
“Why would you think that?” My dad’s brows furrow as he studies Jace.
“Well, the video is kind of explicit, and I had been told the other day that a friend overheard Mason’s twin sister talking on the phone with someone abut Ella. Apparently, somebody has been keeping tabs on your daughter to try and find dirt on her.”
“I see,” my father looks at me concerned, “So, what’s on this video? I find it hard to believe that anybody would find dirt on you, Ella.”
“That’s what I said as well.” Jace chuckles nervously.
My father’s eyes glance at Jace briefly, and then return back to me, “What did they find on you, Ella.” My dad asks sternly.
“Before I show you, Dad, you need to keep an open mind, okay…and you need to promise not to get mad.” I plead with him.
“Hand it over, Ella.”
“Promise me, Dad…”
“I can’t promise if it’s something that is going to hurt this case!” His voice raises just a tad.
“That’s the thing, it can’t hurt the case, because it has nothing to do with the case,” I say quickly, “but it will be humiliating if it gets out onto the internet, and I think that’s what they were threatening if I don’t drop the case.”
“Hand…me…the…video.” My dad says really slow.
“Okay,” I pull up the video and start to hand it over the desk to him, “but just know that everything, and I mean everything, on this video is consensual.”
“Jesus,” my father closes his eyes as he curses because I think he now realizes what may be on the video.
His jaw ticks as he glances from me to Jace before hitting the play icon. The volume is still up, so Jace and I can hear everything, which only makes it worse as I watch my father’s expression go from bad to worse. He doesn’t finish watching it as he taps on the stop and tosses my phone onto his desk. He doesn’t say anything, just sets his elbows on his desk, clasps his fingers together, and presses his forehead against them. The silence goes on for eternity it seems like.
I glance over at Jace, and he grabs my hand and squeezes it trying to tell me that it will be okay. When my father moves, it’s only to lean back in his chair and glare at Jace. I have to give the man beside me credit, he is holding my dad’s glare very well. Jace is ready to take on my father’s wrath no matter how bad it is.
Finally, my father addresses Jace, “What do you have to say for yourself?”
“With all due respect, Ethan, what happens between Ella and I, is our business. We are not ashamed of our sexual preferences, and neither one of us will apologize for it. We brought this to you only because they are wanting her to drop the case, and also, because someone climbed up that tree and recorded a video without either of our consent.”
My father’s face is beet red when he turns to me, “So, you’re okay with him calling you a whore and treating you like a common slut off the street?”
“Dad, it isn’t like that! Jace doesn’t think that of me…and it turns me on when he says those things.” I look away from him when I say the last part, not that I’m ashamed, but I’m embarrassed that I’m telling my dad these things.
“I would never disrespect your daughter, Ethan. I love Ella, but our tastes when it comes to intimacy is a bit more…colorful than most people’s tastes.” Jace tries explaining, but it doesn’t seem to be doing any good at the moment.
“Dad, please don’t be mad at Jace, he does it because I like it.” It’s not quite a lie, because I do like it, but I didn’t know I liked it until Jace started it.
“I just don’t get this whole, what do you call it…” my dad thinks on the word he’s looking for but Jace answers for him.
“Kink lifestyle…”
“Yes, that! What is it about talking down to others like that?”
“It’s a bit hard to explain to people who don’t have the same tastes as we do,” Jace says, “but know that Ella is my world, and I know Ella’s needs and wants, and I just want to make her happy.”
