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“Yes! I need to get Carter on this immediately. I’m calling him now. Later.”
Nikolai hung up and I called Donovan.
“Dude, you know I had nothing do with that pic, right?” he said only half-kiddingly. Apparently, I had been more intimidating than I realized.
Good.
“I need you to figure out where it came from.”
“Sure thing. I would not want to be the sorry motherfucker behind all this.”
“How long will it take you to figure out who it is?”
“Probably most of the night. I’m going to have to hack into a couple of phones to find the original sender. I’ll reach out to a few people to find out who the majority of people got the picture from.”
“Who did you get it from?”
“Addison.”
My hands clenched the steering wheel as I pulled into Ava’s driveway. “That fucking bitch. I’m beginning to think I know who has been harassing me and Ava.”
“Harassing you? What are you talking about?”
“Nothing, I’ll fill you in later. Just get to work finding out who took that fucking picture.”
I looked up at Ava’s house, somewhat shocked that I had driven here as if on autopilot. I needed to be with her, needed to protect her, reassure her, comfort her, hold her. Yes, my family shit was still sitting there like a ticking time bomb in the back of my mind. None of that mattered at the moment, and I had a feeling after I saw her, I wouldn’t be letting her go again.
****
Chapter 37
Ava
I sat on bed staring at my phone in disbelief. I had just gotten a phone call from Hannah explaining that she had received a picture of me, and I wasn’t going to like it. Even though she prepared me for it, I still couldn’t believe it. I felt sick with humiliation, feeling violated in a way I had never experienced.
I heard the doorbell ring, but it only registered in the periphery of my awareness. My door banged open, and I didn’t even turn my head, although one of my parents opening my door with that much force should have definitely warranted at least a glance. I just didn’t have it in me. I was so depleted.
My run-in with Jack left me agitated, confused, hurt, and royally pissed. I found myself listening to sad music while intermittently crying, writing in my journal, and punching my pillow. Then the phone call from Hannah. It was just too damn much. I felt numb.
Someone was sitting down next to me, taking my phone out of my hand, and putting an arm around me. I snapped out of my daze when I recognized Jack’s unmistakable scent, the feel of his body, and eventually the sound of his voice.
“Ava, I’m so sorry,” he crooned softly.
I turned to him and buried my head in his chest, seeking refuge, seeking comfort, seeking escape. I wanted to sink into him completely, but a niggling thought pulled at me, stopping me from indulging myself in his warm presence.
Why was he even here?
I pulled back and stared into dark green eyes that were warmer than I’d seen them in days.
“What are you doing here?”
“Ava, I got the picture. I – we need to talk.”
I folded my arms and gave him a sardonic look. “You don’t say?”
He gave me a rueful grin and moved off my bed, suddenly full of restless energy.
“Look, Ava, I’m sorry I’ve acted like a fucking asshole. I just…my family…it’s complicated.”
