Page 88 of The Facilitator: Part 2
“Lauren, I absolutely envy you with just your mom and brother to worry about,” Gabriella said, as she joined me. “Gosh, that was super insensitive of me, wasn’tit?”
I laughed. “Yes, but absolutely true. Now sit with me for a while. I want to talk toyou.”
She sat and I poured her a glass of juice from the jug on thetable.
“I think Mackenzie should stay on here for a little while longer. I honestly believe he should spend some time with his dad. Do youagree?”
“Tricky one, though, he doesn’t want to leave you,” shesaid.
“We’re adults in a committed relationship. I’m sure we can persuade him a week apart won’t kill us. You are staying here with your mum, and I think I’d like to use the fact you are two women all alone with a loony brother on the loose to convince him,” I said, giving her awink.
“Or you could just tell him the truth, but I do like the loony brother part. A combination of the two?” she said, eyes all innocent but with a smirk that should adorn thedevil.
“A combination of the two,” I said, raising my glass to her. “Can you play the damsel indistress?”
“Oh my Lord! Sit back and watch,girlfriend.”
She switched between a South Carolina accent and something I’d expect from New York, but boy could that girl turn on the charm if needed. I laughed as she rehearsed herrole.
It took some convincing, but we didn’t really need the two women in distress part in the end. Sandra came for a surprise visit. She sat with Mackenzie and told him his father had lied to him. He had been given just a few months to live a few months ago, and although he seemed strong and able when they’d met up and at Gabriella’s party, it had taken it out ofhim.
“I think you should make some positive memories with him while you can,” Isaid.
“I can do that with you by my side,” Mackenziesaid.
“I need to get back to work. You need to spend time, alone, with your dad. You also need to make sure Vivienne and Gabriella are safe. I don’t trust Daniel not to break that court order to stay away. And no one has heard from Addison, either. This isn’t over yet.” A truer word had never beenspoken.
Later that afternoon, Mackenzie and I were back at his house. He was on his laptop and I read; we both sat on the veranda. We were due to meet with his dad and Sandra for dinner that evening. Mack had grumbled he’d need a tie. Mackenzie had assured him he could wear board shorts and flip-flops if he really wanted to. It had been entertaining to listen to thembicker.
From sitting in silence, we, all of a sudden, were surrounded by pings and beeps. I reached over for my phone as Mackenzie opened an email. I paused as I heard him gasp and thenswear.
“Baby, can I have your phone?” he asked, in a tone that had me immediately look atit.
I’d received a picture message. I opened it, something I wouldn’t normally do for fear of viruses or dick pics from Mackenzie when I was in company. I wished to God I hadn’t. I was so shocked by what I saw, I dropped the phone to the wooden decking. It landed face down and, for once, I hoped it was cracked, shattered. I didn’t want to re-see what Ihad.
I covered my mouth and turned toMackenzie.
“Oh, baby. I will find out who fucking did this, I promise you,” he said. His phone started to ring; his laptop pinged some more. My mobilerang.
“Yes, she’s seen it. It’s been sent to everyone. I don’t know how far just yet,” he said, to hiscaller.
“Ah, okay. I’ll tell her.” He disconnected hiscall.
“Everyone?” I asked. He nodded. “How many is everyone?” I asked, not really wanting theanswer.
Déjà vu flooded over me. Although the video that had been shared had been of Scott the first time, the humiliation level was the same. No, to share a photograph of me, naked, being fucked from behind by Mackenzie was off the scale. It didn’tcompare.
I picked up my phone and was dismayed to see the screen perfectly intact. I reached for Mackenzie’s laptop; he turned it for me. Someone had taken a photograph from outside the house through the window beside the front door. They’d zoomed in. Naked and bent over the arm of the couch was me. Mackenzie had his hand in my hair, my head was pulled back, my tits on full display. I had my eyes closed and my mouth open. Mackenzie had his head lowered. I knew it was him, obviously, but his face wasn’t on display and he was slightly in the shadows. Or he’d been cleverly shaded out in Photoshop. It was the perfect PornHub shot. Tears tracked down my cheeks as my phone, his, the fucking laptop alerted us to many notifications andcalls.
I couldn’t speak for minutes. I opened my mouth, but I was mute with anguish andshock.
Eventually I found my voice. “How far has this been sent?” Iasked.
“To me, you, Gabriella and Alex, Vivienne, Trymast intranet,Jerry…”
“Trymast?” Fresh tears erupted. All those who worked there would have had access toit.
“It was deleted as soon as it was detected. Security is onto it. The good thing, Lauren, there isn’t anyone in the office rightnow.”
