Page 175 of Thorns of Malice

"No way!"

"Dax, Lilly's my best friend, and so is Jaxon. They're together now, and I want them to come for dinner. This issue between you and Jaxon needs to be resolved."

"What are you talking about? How are they together?" he questions.

"They're together. I hooked them up the other day. They like each other a lot."

"You're kidding me."

"No, I'm not. So I need you to do this for me. They're my only friends, and I don't want a bad relationship between you and Jaxon. Besides, it'll be fun," I insist.

Dax groans but gives in. "Fine. But if he tries to hit on you?—"

"He won't. He's with Lilly, and they're happy," I reiterate.

"He better only have eyes for her," Dax warns.

"Don't worry. He does," I assure him.

"Lilly better not suggest an orgy," he adds.

"Dax! Stop! We're friends. That's all it is and will ever be. She knows that, so don't say things like that."

He groans louder. "Fine. See you later tonight."

"Yay! Bye!" I singsong. I hang up and smile. Happiness fills me. I finally feel like my life is starting to move forward.

30

Dax

My day's flying by. It's four in the afternoon when I get another text.

Ivy: Turn on the TV.

Me: Why?

Ivy: Just turn it on.

I hit the button on the remote and sit back in my chair. There's a press conference, and Matt Montague is at the center of it. His pregnant wife stands beside him with her chin lifted, shoulders squared, and a solemn yet sympathetic expression.

Matt states,"I decided to come forward with the support of my wife, Tori. I knew if I didn't speak out, Professor Dyer and Avery Carrington would get away with what they did to me."

His wife puts her hand over his.

He glances at her, then continues,"Since this happened, I've lived in fear of this coming out. The shame of what they did to me..."

His wife steps closer.

Matt swallows hard and takes a deep breath. He declares,"I don't want my children growing up as cowards. I want them to always be strong—stronger than I've been in the past. And it's my hope that other victims will come forward as well. I wasn't the only one on that video. There were dozens of us. And while I understand that it's hard to break the silence, if we don't, they get away with it. I refuse to live with the shame of this any longer."He pauses.

Reporters scream out questions.

Matt puts his hand in the air. The noise dies down, and he adds,"Professor Dyer and Avery Carrington are rapists. They raped me. And while there's a stigma behind men being raped, that's exactly what happened to me. And I won't sleep until I get justice."

My phone beeps. I glance at it.

Dean Bramwell: You could have stopped this. His father is sick.

---