Mama wants to lick.
Brows sink low over the chocolate brown of his eyes as he stands, stepping out from behind the table. “Stop fucking me with your eyes and answer the question, Sasha.”
First name treatment? Uh, oh.
“It’s nothing,” I say, hands trembling as I tuck my phone into the back pocket of my jeans and start slowly backing away towards the living room.
In no more than three strides, he’s on me, one arm wrapping around my back to keep me from pushing him away, while the other reaches behind me and grabs my phone.
“Hey!” I lunge, but Jax holds it high above his head.
Dammit, he’s tall.
“Give it!” I jump, trying to grab it.
Stepping back, he gently but firmly puts his palm against my chest and shoves me down onto the couch. I land with an undignified “oomph” as he quickly skips to the other side of the room, keeping the coffee table between us.
“Don’t watch the video, Jax. Please,” I plead, voice cracking with desperation.
When he glances up, instead of the playful expression I expect, it’s dead serious. Shaking his head once, he turns his attention back to the phone, thumb scrolling across the screen.
I watch in horror as his expression darkens, jaw clenching so tight I can see a muscle at his temple feathering beneath his skin. His eyes narrow dangerously as he reads the message, but doesn’t hit play.
Thank Goddess.
“What the fuck is this?” Even though his voice is low and controlled, I can hear the fury simmering underneath. “Who sent this to you?”
I drop my head into my hands. “No idea. As I’m sure you can see, it’s from an unknown number.”
“Sasha.” The way he says my name makes my head jerk up. “What’s on this video?”
My stomach churns with humiliation. “I... I’m pretty sure it’s a sex tape of Ryan and me. From when we were in college.”
His nostrils flare. “Your ex-boyfriend? The one who’s trying to get you to sell your half of Summit Studio?” The disbelief in his voice is thick with fury.
I nod, feeling sick.
“And whoever sent this is threatening to release it if you don’t what? Pay his debt?” Jax’s knuckles whiten as he grips my phone.
“I guess so,” I whisper, mortification washing over me. “I had no idea therewasa video.”
Eyes softening, anger still simmering beneath the surface, hecomes over and sits beside me, placing my phone face down on the coffee table.
Jax runs a hand over his hair, jaw working as he thinks. “This is blackmail. We need to go to the cops.”
“No!” Panic flooding my veins, I grab his arm. “You read it! If I go to the police, they’ll release the video!”
“So, what…? You’re just going to pay?” His voice rises with incredulity. “That’s fucking insane. And that...” He points to the phone. “…is extortion.”
“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” I snap, just as Jax gets a look on his face that tells me he does.
thirty
Frustrated,I rub the back of my neck. The solution that just popped into my head isn’t exactly legal. But it could be our only option.
“I might know someone who can help,” I say slowly, watching her face carefully.
Hope flickers in Sasha’s eyes. “Who?”