Sloane’s jaw drops. “You made a sex tape? With Jack! The fireman? And posted it on Dark Secrets?”
I nod, feeling my cheeks burn with embarrassment. “It was stupid, I know. We got caught up in the moment, and it seemed exciting at the time. I never thought...” I release a deep breath that comes out as a groan. “I never thought Tyler would be watching. Fuck my life.”
“Oh God,” Sloane groans, putting her head in her hands. “This is worse than I thought. If Tyler saw that...”
“I know,” I say, my voice barely audible. “I’m so screwed.”
We sit in silence for a moment, the gravity of the situation sinking in. Finally, Sloane asks, “Wait. What happened to that online watcher dude you were talking to? The one that you hooked up with at Naughty and Nice?”
“WinterWatcher and Jack are the same person,” I answer. “I know, I know. Crazy. And that’s what I came here to tell you about.”
Sloane’s eyes widen in disbelief. “Wait, what? Jack is WinterWatcher? How did that happen?”
I take a deep breath, trying to focus on the positive memory amidst all this chaos. “It’s a long story, but basically Jack figured out that BlackAsChlo was me due to my sloppy antics and showing my face. And he reached out, and well... yeah, he’s the mystery man and has been all along. I discovered WinterWatcher was Jack as we were having sex and he pulled off my blindfold. It was shocking, confusing as hell, but also hot as hell. Part of me knew I should be mad, but my body exploded in happiness it was him. I always wanted Jack deep down. I wanted him to make a move. And well... he did. In his own way.”
Sloane shakes her head, a small smile playing on her lips despite the gravity of our situation. “That’s... actually kind of romantic. In a very modern, kinky way.”
I can’t suppress a smile a little too, remembering that moment. “It was. It really was. And then we spent Christmas together, and it was just... perfect.” My smile fades as I remember our current predicament. “And now this.”
Sloane nods, her expression turning serious again. “Maybe I can convince him it’s in his best interest to drop this all together. If he tries to accuse you, he’ll have to admit he was looking at the site too. And making an untrue accusation about you is grounds for a lawsuit. I’ll try to scare him.”
“True,” I say, feeling a glimmer of hope. “And he accessed it from work, just like you did. That could get him in trouble too.”
Sloane nods enthusiastically. “Exactly. We could use that as our own leverage.”
I take a sip of my drink, my mind racing as I notice that the snow is starting to fall. “I really should get back before it gets too ugly out there.”
“Yeah, I think we should.”
“Okay, you meet with Tyler tomorrow,” I suggest, feeling a mix of hope and determination to make this right. “Make it clear that if he exposes you, he’ll be exposing himself too.”
She reaches out and squeezes my hand. “I got us into this mess, and I’ll do whatever it takes to get us out of it.”
I shake my head. “No, I am the one who took the risk by setting up the account. This is on me. But I do appreciate your help in this.”
We step out into the snowy night, the cold air biting at my cheeks. As we say our goodbyes, I can’t shake the feeling that everything is about to change. For better or worse, tomorrow will be a turning point.
On the cab ride home, my mind races with possible scenarios. What if Tyler has already told someone? What if he demands something in exchange for his silence? Should I tell Jack about this mess? He deserves to know what’s happening, especially since he’s involved now too... well sort of. He and I were extra careful to keep our faces darkened in the shadows. No way could anyone make out that my mystery man was Jack. But still... my life could explode and maybe he should be aware in case he’s not up to flying shrapnel.