Page 88 of Seductive Scoundrel

My heart stops. It actually flat lines for at least three beats. “Tell me.”

“She made a sex tape with her ex.”

“The senator?”

“Yeah. And it’s out. Someone has it, and it’s going to be released. She’s more worried about her family, but it will destroy her, too.”

“JesusChrist. Why didn’t she tell me? I was just in Kansas, and I’m assuming that’s when she found out because she told me that she ran into him. It’s like she never knows when to involve me or when to talk to me. She just wants to do everything herself.”

He gives me a pointed look. “Sounds like someone else I know.”

I scrub my hands over my face in exasperation. “Fuck’s sake.”

Dex gives me all the details he has, which are admittedly few, and my plans for hitting a punching bag fly out the window.

“Thanks for telling me. I’ll handle it.”

“I’ll leave the techie shit to you. I figured you’d be the only one who could fix this mess for her.”

“I’ll let you know when it’s done. Just tell her you did it.”

“I think it would mean more coming from you. And I’m not lying to her. Isn’t that what started this whole mess?”

“Handle it however you want then. I gotta go.”

I don’t wait for him to reply, and I’m already connected to Vladimir on an encrypted line by the time I walk to the first stop sign. My heart is racing, and I hope we haven’t missed the time-sensitive window for killing the video. I won’t be able to rest until I know it’s done.

“I need a big favor,” I tell him without preamble.

“I don’t do favors. But those pockets are deep, buddy, so if –”

“Whatever it takes.”

He immediately stops joking around and listens to what I need him to do. He’s an ex-military computer scientist who ran covert ops for the Pentagon. He left for the more lucrative private sector where he found new friends like me. He’s made countless files – and likely people – disappear without a trace.

And I don’t care if it costs me ten million dollars, that video is as good as gone.

“Does it only live on devices, or has it been posted?” Vladimir asks.

“I don’t know.”

“I’ll find out.”

“I know you will. But my guess is that it exists on the senator’s devices and whoever stole it. The person wants money for it because everything is about money. So it wouldn’t be on Porn Hub or some shit.”

“Got it. I’ll gain remote access and eliminate all the files. This is a fucking United States Senator. It’s going to cost you.”

“I don’t care. Just do it, and don’t leave any traces.”

“I never do.”

Walking back to my place burns some restless energy, but it’s not enough. I spend the next four hours alternating between pacing my apartment and responding to emails because it’s about all my brain can handle. I don’t want to distract Vladimir, but I also really want an update.

I rarely work from home and prefer to have my presence known in the office, but decide to stay put since the evening has turned to morning. Not that I’ll be getting any work done. Jacqueline is sympathetic instead of ballistic when I tell her that I’m not feeling well – which is true – so at least there’s a silver lining.

When the phone starts to rings, I answer before it finishes.

“Check your burn phone,” Vladimir tells me.

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