Page 36 of Perfect Sin
Any doubt I had that Jesse has been the one sending me the messages disappears with this text. It doesn’t make sense, though. There’s no way he could have known who I was or that I’d start attending the college. How would he even have gotten my number?
The picture is followed by more photos. Me bound, on my knees, tears streaming down my face as I’m forced to engage in acts I hadn’t even known existed at the time.
“I thought you said you weren’t assaulted?” His voice is gentle and not what I want at the moment. I don’t want to be treated like glass. I’ve already survived one of the worst things that can happen to a woman. Fragile is not what I am, I’m a fucking warrior.
I clear my throat. “I don’t know how to explain it, Sin. I told you what I wanted to be true. What I could handle. I didn’t mean to lie, but I honestly thought this part of my life was over.”
“What did you mean that isn’t your first message?” Sin asks.
With a deep breath I unblock the number where the first messages came from. There’s a few messages that failed to send after I blocked it, but only to complain because the texts bounced back. I hand the phone to Sin and hold my breath.
He sets the phone down on the coffee table, and I can see it’s taking an enormous effort for him to remain calm. “Why did you keep this from me?”
“I started getting them when we were apart. What was I supposed to do, dump all of this on you when you’d just been freed from an asylum?”
“Yes! You fucking turn to me whenever you need something, or when anyone comes at you. Every goddamn time!” He takes a deep breath and starts to pace around the room. “That text is clearly from Jesse. How did he get those photos, because he clearly isn’t the one in them?”
“Now that’s the question isn’t it? I’m going to that party,” I tell him.
“Absolutely not.”
“Sin, I’m going to face this my way. I need justice. Don’t take this from me.”
“It’s too dangerous.”
We stare at each other for several seconds, and he sits down next to me, having burned through his anger, at least at me. “Fine, but you don’t leave my side, no matter what. I don’t care if he threatens to expose the videos and photos if you don’t speak to him alone. You still don’t go anywhere without me,” he insists.
Lucien steps up and takes the phone from the table. After a long, awkward pause he speaks. “I agree with him. Besides, I’ve got toys. I’ll jam the cell and wifi signals so nothing can get out. We will find the original and every copy of the photos and video and delete them.”
“I don’t like this, but if you need to be there, I’ll be right beside you. Know that if anyone threatens you or tries to harm you in any way, I will kill them,” Sin promises.
“I’m not hearing this,” Holbrook says. None of us noticed him enter from the back room.
“I didn’t know you were here,” I comment.
“I’m setting up the guest room for Ted so it’s easier for him to get around. Don’t change the subject. I assume this is why you were adamant about not working with Jesse in class today?”
I nod.
“Okay, now that that’s clarified. It looks like I have to say this again, Sin, you can’t go around killing people.”
“Not people, one person. Maybe two. They’ll deserve it,” Sin replies.
“I wish you were joking, but I know you aren’t.” He walks over to Lucien and takes the phone from his hand.
“Dear God,” he mumbles as he scrolls through the messages. “How old were you in these photos?”
I open my mouth, but my throat is constricted. Trying again, I manage to force out, “Sixteen.”
He nods and hands me back my phone. “Don’t delete those. Here’s what we’re going to do. Get him to admit how he got the photos and who sent them. All the information he has, and I’ll arrest him and whoever sent them to him for peddling child pornography.”
Bile rises in my throat. “No. Please don’t. I don’t want to press charges. If I do, then those videos and pictures go into evidence. I don’t want anyone to see them.”
“I’m sorry for what happened to you. I’d like to see you get justice, but it can’t be by killing people. Find another way.”
11
The Distraction