Page 96 of Double Dare

“Fuck!” I pace the bedroom, hiding away from all my problems, just needing a minute to cool off.

I feel like an even bigger idiot now. I should have talked to them, asked if they were okay, and told them what was going on if they hadn’t heard yet. I love those assholes no matter how much they fight, and I need to remember this isn’t all about me. They were exposed, too.

I sit on the edge of Kade’s bed, rubbing my temples. It’s fine. Everything is going to be fine. I’ll start a new business page, apologize for the indecency, try to create a new brand and a fresh start, and hopefully everything will blow over.

My image will never be the same. I’ll always be known as that girl who had her threesome broadcasted all over social media.

“Laken?” Jed calls before knocking. “Can we come in?” I respect him so much for asking because I know if I said no, they’d leave me alone to catch my breath.

“Yeah.”

Now I’m afraid to see them. Will they be mad because this happened and I’m essentially the one to blame? Will they hate me for how I reacted earlier? Could I have been more childish?

They walk in together, Kade carrying a sweet-smelling coffee, and Jed carrying my favorite chocolate bar.

“We love you,” Kade says with defiance.

That. That’s all it takes for my anger and embarrassment to turn into tears. Every emotion I was trying to tame rises to the surface, and I bury my face in my hands to let it all out.

Jed sits beside me, his arm going around my shaking shoulders, and Kade kneels in front of me, linking his fingers through mine and holding my hand on my lap. They don’t move or say anything until I’m all cried out.

“Your dad called us. He told us what happened.” Jed smiles.

“Oh, my god. My dad saw that?” I cry all over again. My poor dad. He’s my most loyal Instagram follower, and that just cost him his sanity. He knows I’m no innocent girl anymore, but he probably didn’t need to see the nitty-gritty details. I told him I got hacked, and he knew I was stressed out, but I didn’t think he actually saw the photos. He never mentioned that.

“Come on, love. Maple booze and chocolate,” Jed says, handing me both. “We’ll figure this out.”

I grip the treats like they’re the only thing keeping me together, which makes Kade grin.

“Your dad knows you,” he laughs. “Told us exactly what to get you.”

Love that man. “Was he…upset?” Because now I’m upset. I’ve been putting off the official conversation to tell him the truth, and now that chance was taken from me.

“He’s worried, Lake. Just worried about you.” Jed squeezes my thigh.

“Did you guys see it?”

They both say no.

“Then what were you fighting about?”

“For fun.” Kade grins. “Haven’t you ever tried just knocking him out for fun? Highly recommend.”

Jed scoffs.

I fish my phone from my pocket and get it over with. They have every right to see it because they star in it, too. I screen-recorded and screen-shot everything, so I pull them up and hand my phone over. In every photo, we’re having sex or looking like we’re having sex. All three of us are naked, even though the details aren’t clear, but what is clear are our faces. There’s no denying who we are in those photos.

Kade looks behind me at the window, back at the phone, and then at the window again. “These were taken from there. In this room. Someone was fucking taking photos through the window.” He shows us, and the angle lines up.

“Who the fuck would do this?” Jed snaps. “Shit, Laken, are you okay?”

“Are you guys? It’s clearly all of us! Are you okay? Everyone is going to know about…us.”

“Who gives a fuck about that? I sure as shit don’t.”

“Me either,” Kade says, shaking his head. “I just give a fuck about what this does to you, and why the actual fuck someone would do it.” He mumbles something about murder at the end. “Let’s go find out. Hardin can do it.”

“No.” I stand up, blocking their way to the door. “This is still Hardin and Freya’s night. I shut down the account, changed all my passwords, and got a notice from Instagram for violating their terms anyway, so it doesn’t need to happen right now. We aren’t ruining their night.” I’m adamant about this. The Dares have been there for me every step of the way, and it’s my turn to be there for one of them.

---