Page 90 of Captivated By You

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. My gaze dropped to the number of views. One thousand, two hundred fifty-eight… and ticking up.

Over one thousand people had violatedmy fucking woman. One fucking thousand.

“Ash! Fuck’s sake. Talk to me.”

Thatbastard.The spineless, spitefulbastard.Did Kiana know? Had she been aware he’d filmed them having sex? That he’d shared it over the fuckinginternet. Jesus Christ. There was no retrieval, no way to delete it. Even if I got my best IT guys crawling all over this, there was no way to contain the damage.

“I have to go,” I croaked.

“Wait!” Johannes barked. “I’m sorry, Ash. If I’d told you, you wouldn’t have believed me. What can I do? What do you need?”

“Kiana.”

I ended the call, grabbed my keys, and raced out the door.

The journey to her apartment only took fifteen minutes, but each one drove a dagger deeper into my flesh. I tried several times to call her, but it went to voicemail. I resorted to texting, telling her to hold tight, that I’d be there soon.

Instead of waiting for the elevator in Kiana’s building, I shot into the stairwell, taking the stairs three at a time. Out of breath, I pounded on her door.

“Kiana. Open up.”

Relief weakened my knees at the sound of the chain hitting the door. Kiana’s tear-stained face greeted me, but when I took her in my arms, hers hung loosely by her sides, her body limp in mine.

“Baby, it’s okay. It’s okay.”

She fidgeted, pulling away. Eyes bleak, she shook her head with a finality that sent shards of ice into my heart.

“No, it’s not, Ash. Don’t belittle this or treat me like an idiot or make this out to be anything other than what it is. Humiliation, destruction, the ruination of my reputation, my career. And you.” She gestured half-heartedly. “Your family. I’ve dragged you all into this mess with me.”

She wavered, but as I reached out to her, she backed up. Her knees hit the couch, and her legs fell out from beneath her, and she slumped back against the bright scatter cushions that had always reflected her sunny personality yet now seemed like a cruel trick.

“Forget me. Forget my family. All I care about is you.”

I sat beside her, taking pains not to touch her, even though it killed me to watch her utter desolation play out right in front of me and not be able to fix it.

“Do you remember my biggest fear when you sprung the surprise visit to your parents on me last weekend? Embarrassment. It terrified me that I’d embarrass you in some way. That I wouldn’t be able to hold my own with your family and friends. But you reassured me that your parents weren’t like that. They might be rich, but they came from poor. They understood ambition and the desire to improve your lot in life. And the best part, Ash, is that you were right. Your parents, uncles, cousins, siblings, they’re all wonderful people. Kind people. And just look at what I’ve brought to their door.”

Her breath hitched as she swallowed a sob, her throat bobbing, tiny hands fisting the hem of her shirt.

“This isn’t your doing, Kiana.”

“You’re right. It isn’t. I had no clue Simon had filmed us…”

She blanched, unable to finish the sentence, to say the words aloud that vocalized the awful truth. He’d taken her trust and smashed it, then shared her humiliation with the world. I couldn’t name the feelings rioting thorough me, only that they were steeped in a fiery need for revenge, for him to suffer like he’d made her suffer.

And I had to take some responsibility. Not for sharing the video. That was all on him. But if I hadn’t fired him, then none of this would be happening. That tape was years old, and he’d never shared it.

Until now.

Until I’d forced his hand.

“Would you like me to accompany you to the police station?”

Her head jerked back as if the thought hadn’t occurred to her.

“Police station?”

“Yes. He’s committed a crime, Kiana. A serious fucking crime.”

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