Page 109 of My Irresistible Enemy

“I—but I don’t—what?”

Tanner sighed, like I was being stupid on purpose. “Look, you were hesitant earlier, and I understand that. You didn’t want to mess up your chances on the show. So I let you stay as long as I could, and I kept quiet about your CamFans account. You can’t ask for more than that.”

“Youletme stay? Wait, you knew?”

“Aiden, sweetheart. I’ve told you before not to play dumb. It’s not as cute as you think it is.”

“I’m not playing dumb! I’m just trying to understand what happened. How long have you known about my account?”

“I’ve known about it for months. Since well before the show started.” Tanner laughed. “Are you serious? Did you actually think it was a secret? I told you I’d done my due diligence on all of our contestants.”

“So you’ve known this whole time?”

My heart sank. I’d been blaming Nolan for something that Tanner had been aware of from the start.

“I’ve known.” His smile was indulgent. “And I think I’ve been more than fair in not bringing it up until now. But come on, you were never going to win. This is a way to go out with a bang. And, you know, with abang.”

He winked, just in case I hadn’t picked up on the innuendo. My stomach lurched.

“Look, Tanner, I—I’m flattered. But I think we got our wires crossed somehow.”

I wasn’t flattered at all. I was creeped out. But right now, I just wanted to shut this conversation down. I needed to think. Needed to make sense of everything.

Needed to apologize to Nolan.

“No wires crossed,” Tanner said with a grin. “It’s really quite simple. You got your fifteen minutes of fame, thanks to me. I should get a little something in return, don’t you think? And this way, no one else can say you’re getting special treatment when I fuck you.”

He was so sure of himself. Soproudof himself. I felt like I was going to puke.

“I’m. Not. Interested,” I said through gritted teeth.

“Oh, come off it. I know you like to play hard to get. But I also know, deep down, that you need it.”

“I really don’t.”

“No? You don’t need me to tie your legs to the bedposts and fuck you ‘til you’re barely conscious? You don’t want me to call my friends to take turns on you until you can’t hold our cum inside you anymore, and it spills onto the sheets?”

My stomach dropped.

How the fuck did Tanner know those words? I’d written that post ages ago—the first day I’d arrived on Summersea. And how the hell could he have seen something on the far side of my paywall, unless…

Tanner didn’t just know about my account. Hesubscribedto it.

He took a step forward, backing me into my room.

“I think youdoneed that. And I think I’m the man for the job.” His eyes grew dark. “I’ll teach you not to be such a fucking tease. I think a little pain might help you learn that you’re just a set of holes to be used. I think youwantme to teach you that.”

He took another step forward, and I took another one back. I swallowed and heard blood rushing in my ears. The things Tanner was saying were way too familiar.

“Now, I know you don’t actually live with your stepdad,” he said. “But I’d be more than happy to play that role. Fuck my slutty stepson, then pimp you out to whoever I like. You’d just love that, wouldn’t you?”

“You’re HungTopXL,” I whispered. “You’re him. You’re the one who’s been sending all those messages.”

Tanner threw back his head and laughed. “Jesus, Aiden. Are you just putting that together now? I knew you weren’t the brightest bulb in the box, but still.”

“I—how could you—why would you—fuck.” My thoughts tumbled around my brain like sneakers in a dryer. Nothing made sense.

“You and I have played around long enough.” Tanner smiled darkly. “It’s time for you to put your money where your mouth is. Actually, I suppose it’s my money, isn’t it? It’s my show that’s been paying you all these months, after all. My money, your mouth. And other parts of you. You owe me.”

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