Page 11 of The Passion

“You slept with Flynn Taylor, and you didn’t tell me, what the hell!” she whisper-yells at me as she comes to a stop, hands on my desk and leaning toward me. She’s obviously seen the email too, getting copies of every email that goes to my account. She’s annoyed with me but not about the video, just that I didn’t tell her. We never keep secrets, but I didn’t want to share that night with anyone.

I can’t lie to myself. It’s because to me, it meant something, and I’m still struggling to admit it to myself, so why would I tell her and have to say it out loud? And now, I’m glad I didn’t because this killed all those warm thoughts. He is dead to me.

Standing in the same stance as Harper, I lean forward, wishing I could scream my words at her like I desperately want to.

“And he is going to regret every minute of it for doing this to me! I’ll make him pay for videoing me without my permission!” Ihiss at her and thump my fist on the table, trying to get my anger under control.

“Wait, what? You think he did this? Are you out of your mind? He might be a player, but he’s not a complete dick. This will hurt him just as much as it hurts you. Surely you can see that.”

I hate that she makes perfect sense because that thought just makes this situation scarier, more real, and I can’t quite cope with that right now.

The phone on my desk ringing startles me a little since Harper is in here, and that’s how I know whoever is on the phone must be urgent. Ryan, my secretary, wouldn’t put the call through otherwise.

“What!” I yell into the receiver, already slightly unhinged.

“I’m sorry, Miss Kentwall, but he keeps ringing and told me if I don’t put the call through, he will come here and storm into your office. He sounds really pissed about something.” I can hear the uncertainty in his voice, but the caller has him rattled.

“Who is it?” But in my head, I already know.

“Flynn Taylor, ma’am. Should I alert security?” Ryan blurts out.

“Not yet. Put him through.” Pushing the speaker button, I replace the handset before it connects. I need Harper to be my witness to his reaction.

“Do you understand the definition of discretion, you asshole!” I can’t help it, I scream at the phone, all my restraint totally lost the moment I open my mouth.

“Oh, that’s rich coming from you. You set me up! Trapped me in your fucking lair and then filmed a fucking porno in your room. Just to blackmail me and try to discredit the reputation of Darby Hotels. What’s the problem? If you can’t beat us, you think you will try to destroy us instead?” The aggression in his voice would be almost frightening if I wasn’t just as angry.

“Me! Oh, that’s crazy. You think it was me. Why would I bother to film the worst sex of my life and be prepared to share it with the world? What a waste of time that would have been, just like that night was.” I throw my hands in the air in frustration at him accusing me.

“Lies!” he almost growls at me. Man, his ego is huge.

“Pfft, you are so full of yourself you can’t see reality.” I look at Harper whose hands are in the air and waving at me to stop, mouthing“listen to him.”

I’m so wound up, I lose my head and answer her out loud. “Why the fuck would I listen to him?” I slap my hands over my mouth as I realize what I’ve just done.

“Who the fuck are you talking to? Oh, great, are you recording this too! Perfect, just perfect!”

“My name is Harper, Mr. Taylor. I’m her assistant and can assure you that nothing will leave this room, and we aren’t recording a thing. And for the record, you are both idiots! Obviously neither of you did this. Why would you? Pull your heads out of your asses and think rationally.” Harper has walked over to me and pushes on my shoulders so I take a seat back in my chair.

I let out a sigh as the reality of what she is saying sinks in, and I can hear the same coming from Flynn on the other end of the phone.

“Take me off speaker.” There’s not quite as much rage in his voice, but he’s still not happy.

“Certainly,” Harper replies, picking up the handset and handing it to me.

As I press it to my ear, I hear him sigh.

“I wasn’t ringing to accuse you of anything.” His voice is already more controlled than I’m feeling. “My first thought was to check if you are okay, but I have my answer.”

My head falls back onto my chair, and I close my eyes, trying to bring my heart rate down to a level I can rationally function with.

“Let’s see, Flynn, someone has film of us both naked and vulnerable, from inside my personal room, which means someone has breached my security. Then they want money to stop the world from seeing it, and we know that means fuck all because they will probably just sell it to the highest fucking bidder anyway. So, no, I’m far from okay, to be honest.” I slowly open my eyes as I hear the click of my office door closing and see Harper has left to give me privacy.

“I know, but I need you to understand this. I would never do that to you, or any woman for that matter. Please tell me you believe me. I might be a prick at times, but I would never do this, it’s so wrong.”

Sitting here just staring into an empty room, all I can hear is his voice echoing on the words“I would never do that to you”in my head, and even though I’m still feeling so unstable, something in his voice makes me believe him.

“I do.” I don’t know what else to say. Because the reality of the situation is starting to sink in.

---