Page 99 of Captivated By You

“Kiana. Where have you been?”

“The police,” I said, then promptly burst into tears.

An hour later, curled up on the couch and wrapped in Mom’s favorite throw, my feet in Dad’s lap, the earlier fatigue from being interviewed for several hours faded. I’d told them everything, then listened without interruption as they’d berated me for going through it alone. They understood my reasoning for handling it by myself, even if they didn’t agree with it.

“Families are there for the bad times as well as the good, Kiana,” Mom had admonished, wagging finger and all. And then she’d hugged me and told me how proud she was, how incredibly glad that I was okay.

And I was. Truly. The video would never go away, even if a court ordered the original copy to be taken down. It had been shared too many times, and the internet was like a rabbit warren with countless offshoots. It was impossible to track every instance, and I’d come to terms with the fact that I couldn’t control who saw it. But I could control howIreacted to it, and that was where my true power lay.

My phone buzzed, and I reached over to the coffee table to pick it up, half hoping it would be Ash. He’d respected my wishes for space, sending only one text since I’d been here, one that begged for me to reach out to him when I was ready.

It wasn’t Ash.

Trepidation rolled through my stomach as I opened Johannes’s message. One never could tell what to expect with Ash’s complicated and loathsome brother.

Johannes: Well?

I couldn’t help a chuckle escaping my lips. That he’d shown any interest at all in the outcome was in direct contrast to what I’d thought I knew about the man.

“Who’s that?” Dad asked.

“Ash’s brother Johannes.”

Dad pursed his lips. “But not Ash.”

“Give him a break, Dad. I told him to respect my request for space, and he has.”

“But his brother isn’t doing the same?” Dad’s arched eyebrow spoke volumes.

“Dad, ugh. No.” I cut off his musings with the speed of a guillotine. “Trust me, Ash’s brother is the biggest jerk in the world and the last person I’d ever get tangled up with.”

“Then why is he messaging you?”

“He helped put me in touch with Jessica.”

“So you’re telling me you reached out to Ash’s brother rather than the man you profess to love and who clearly loves you, from what I saw when you both visited here.”

I scratched my cheek, a growing awareness of how it looked to outsiders pricking my insides. Would Ash feel the same? Would he see me reaching out to Johannes instead of him as a betrayal? I pushed the thought away. I’d have to deal with that when I returned to Seattle tomorrow.

“It’s complicated.”

Dad harrumphed. “That’s what people say when they really mean ‘Butt out of my business.’?” He smiled and tweaked my toe. “Message received loud and clear.”

He turned his attention back to the TV. I responded to Johannes.

Me: It’s in the hands of the police now.

I wasn’t sure whether he’d respond or ghost me now that he had his answer. Whatever. He’d helped me when I’d needed it, and hopefully, I’d see as little of him as possible.

If Ash doesn’t accept your explanation and apology, you’ll never have to see him again.

I winced at the direction my thoughts had taken. Opening the message, my eyebrows flew up at Johannes’s reply.

Johannes: Well done. That can’t have been easy.

Jesus. I bet that wasn’t easy for Johannes, either.

Me: Did that hurt?

---