Page 67 of Taken Off Camera
My chest tightens as betrayal spreads across his face. “It wasn’t like that. I just needed to make sure you weren’t dangerous.”
“Dangerous?” A harsh laugh escapes him. “So you ran a background check on me, found out I’m head of security for one of the wealthiest families in the country, and thought what, exactly?”
“That you might be worth the risk,” I whisper.
Sebastian runs his fingers through his hair, mussing it further. “And my face? You knew about my scars, too?”
I swallow hard, heat climbing my neck. “The library archive had a photo from the hospital post-accident.”
The color drains from his face, leaving his scars stark white in contrast. “So the blindfold was out of pity? Indulging my insecurity?”
“No!” I reach for him, but he steps back, his hip knocking against a row of blinking equipment. “I respected your boundaries. I wanted you to show me when you were ready.”
Sebastian turns away, his tight shoulders straining his shirt. “What else?”
My mouth goes dry. “What?”
“What else did you dig up about me?” He whirls back around. “My family? My finances? My private life?”
I shrink back from his anger. “Just what anyone could find with basic research skills.”
“Basic research.” His hands form fists at his sides. “Do you have any idea how deep our security systems go? How protected our information is?”
The pride in my work flares up before I can stop it. “Not protected enough.”
Sebastian stares at me for a long moment, then lets out a slow breath. “You’re not only a cam boy, are you?”
My hands tremble, and I shove them into my pockets. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Don’t lie.” Sebastian grips his desktop, knuckles white. “Not now.”
The weight of secrets weighs on me. Years of careful anonymity, of protecting myself, of operating in shadows. All of it crumbles under Sebastian’s silent plea for the truth.
How did this turn from my rightful anger at Sebastian to being the one under scrutiny?
“I hack,” I admit at last. “I track down people who stalk and harass sex workers. People who think they can hurt us without consequences.”
Understanding dawns on his face. “People like Travis.”
“Travis isn’t the first predator I’ve dealt with. But he’s the first to slip through my defenses.” I wrap my arms around my middle, cold in the air-conditioned room. “Saint and I handle most of them on our own with anonymous tips to their employers, evidence sent to their families, and digital footprints that lead to consequences.”
The anger on Sebastian’s face vanishes beneath a guarded mask. “And me? Was I another potential threat to neutralize?”
“No.” The word bursts out of me. “You were different. You never pushed, never demanded. You paid for my time and respected my boundaries.”
“Until I Marked you without permission.” His voice cracks.
I touch the bite on my neck and shiver. “That’s different.”
Sebastian straightens, his features hardening again. “So, you knew who I was, what I looked like, where I lived. You had all this information about me while I thought I was protecting my privacy.”
Acidic guilt churns in my stomach. “I’m sorry. I should have told you.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Because I liked the fantasy,” I admit, heat rushing to my face. “The idea that we were just two people who found each other online and were getting to know each other. Blank slates.”
Sebastian’s jaw tightens. “And the Rockford name? Was it also part of the appeal?”
