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“Find anything I can use.”
Zane promises to get on it right away.
I head upstairs to check on Ruby. She’s sleeping peacefully, and the urge to climb in next to her is strong, but I resist. She didn’t invite me into bed with her, and I won’t make assumptions. Instead, I watch her until my phone pings.
Zane has intel for me.
I head back to the basement and pour myself another whiskey before opening the file.
Within moments, I have the addresses, social media accounts, and personal details of the men involved, as well as links to incriminating videos of Cameron. He’s the asshole who started this, the new pin-up boy of internet misogyny. I’ll start with him.
My finger hovers over the upload button. This isn’t what Ruby asked for, but I want that asshole to know what it feels like to put someone through what he did. I want him to feel what Ruby feels.
But is this right?
I bring my tumbler to my lips, and my gaze catches on a photo on my desk. It’s me and Petra, my sister, when she was seventeen and I was back on home leave. Her smile is wide as we hold up the fish we caught on the lake. A year before, she had the light stolen from her.
If taking Cameron down helps get Ruby’s light back, then I’ll do it. I slug back my whiskey and hit upload.
Within seconds, the video is online for the world to see.
9
RUBY
The smell of coffee tickles my nostrils and draws me out of my slumber. I roll over in bed, and crisp sheets tangle around my legs. I’m in a man’s t-shirt, and this is definitely not my hotel room.
Sleep clears from my head, and memories of last night crash in, and they’re not unpleasant. Axel shattered me in the pool with his clever tongue.
“Morning, beautiful.” Axel appears in the doorway holding a tray of breakfast food: bacon, hash browns, eggs, and a big pot of coffee.
“Morning.” I sit up in bed and pull the sheets over my bare thighs.
“I had your things brought up from your room.”
He places the tray on the bedside table and indicates my suitcase in the corner. My large, floppy sunhat sits on top.
“You moved my things?” It’s annoying that he didn’t ask me, but also quite thoughtful. “Why would you do that?”
He sits on the bed, and this close, my body stirs as it remembers the things we did last night.
“I’m looking after you now.”
He says it matter-of-factly, as if I don’t get a say in the matter. It makes me bristle, but also makes little butterflies flutter in my stomach.
“You didn’t ask me.”
He pours a mug of coffee and holds it out to me. “You were asleep, and I knew what you needed.”
“Next time, ask me,” I grumble as I reach for the mug of coffee. “And I don’t need a man to look after me.”
He tilts his head and smiles. “I know you don’t, Miss B. But if you do need a man, I’m that man.”
“Wow. That’s a bit over-the-top possessive.”
Axel shrugs. “You’re free to leave anytime you like, or you can stay forever. You’re mine to look after now, mine to protect.”
The butterflies turn into a hurricane. We made out last night, and he’s talking about forever. But it was more than making out; I opened up to Axel in a way I never have before. I told him about my mom and her passing, and even had a little cry on his shoulder. Still, he should have asked before moving my things.
