“Don’t think, Chloe,” he interrupts, his eyes glinting in the dim light. “Just listen. I’m offering you a chance to keep your job and expand your extracurricular activities. All you have to do is follow my lead. Besides, I saw the video of you fucking one of your subscribers. I’m only asking for the same treatment.”
I stand up abruptly, my chair scraping loudly against the floor. “No. Absolutely not. What I do in my private life is none of your business, and I won’t be blackmailed.”
Tyler’s smile fades, replaced by a cold, hard look. “Are you sure about that? Because I’m certain Jasmine would be very interested to know what one of our top influencers does in her spare time. Not to mention your followers. How do you think they’d react if they knew their favorite jewelry expert is a fucking whore?”
I can’t catch a full breath.
“There’s a price for my silence and an even bigger one for cleaning up the mess so no one else at Moth to the Flame finds out,” he says, his voice dripping with malice.
My mind races, searching for a way out of this nightmare. First Jack, now Tyler—it seems like my whole world is crumbling around me.
“What exactly are you proposing?” I ask, trying to buy time.
Tyler’s eyes gleam with a predatory light as he steps toward to me. “It’s simple, really. You continue your work for Moth to the Flame during the day. But at night, you’ll perform for me. Private shows, tailored to my... specific interests.”
Bile rises in my throat.
“Starting with right now,” he adds as he moves closer.
“No,” I say firmly, gathering every ounce of courage I have. “I won’t do it. Fire me if you want, tell anyone who’ll believe you, but I won’t be doing that.”
Tyler’s eyes narrow dangerously. He laughs. “You think that’s really an option?” He closes the distance between us.
I back away from Tyler. “Don’t come near me,” I warn, but my voice cracks.
Tyler smirks, continuing to advance. “Come now, Chloe. We both know you enjoy this kind of thing. I’ve seen your videos, remember? The thrill of being watched, being controlled...”
“Fuck you. That’s consensual role play, not actual blackmail and assault!” I glance over my shoulder at the hallways, searching the corners for cameras.
“Of course I turned them off,” Tyler says with a chuckle, reading my desperate mind.
My back hits the wall. I’m trapped. Tyler looms over me, his breath hot on my face.
“Last chance, Chloe. Play along, or lose everything. It’ll be fun.”
In that moment, something inside me snaps. All the fear and anger from the night’s events comes rushing to the surface. Without thinking, I bring my knee up hard between Tyler’s legs.
He doubles over with a pained grunt. I shove him aside and make a dash for the door.
“You bitch!” Tyler wheezes behind me.
I don’t look back as I run down the hallway to the elevator. My hands shake as I frantically push the button. Come on, come on!
I scream as Tyler’s weight crashes down on me, pinning me to the cold floor. His hands grope roughly at my clothes as I thrash and kick, desperately trying to break free.
“Stop fighting,” he snarls, his face contorted with rage. “You know this is what you want. All your dark fantasies come to life.”
Panic surges through me as his fingers work at my zipper. This can’t be happening. In desperation, I slam my head back, feeling a satisfying crunch as my skull connects with his nose.
Tyler reels back with a howl of pain, blood streaming down his face. I scramble to my feet and run for the stairwell, but he takes hold of my ankle, pulling me back toward him.
The elevator dings and the doors slide open. I’m not sure if insanity has truly taken hold or not, because for a moment I wonder if I’m seeing things.
Jack.
Jack bursts out of the elevator, taking in the scene in an instant. His eyes lock onto mine, filled with a mix of concern and rage.
“Get away from her!” he roars, launching himself at Tyler.