Page 105 of Strut

Blond, smooth-skinned, with high cheekbones and a broad smile, we could’ve been twins. Apparently, Darcy had a type.

“Whoa!” Conrad grinned. “It’s like looking in a mirror. When I googled you, I saw the resemblance right away, but still. How about that? Although I don’t crack five eleven, so you’ve got the height all over me.”

Within minutes we’d connected and I found myself telling him everything, my heart lifting with every nod and sigh and emotion-filled response. Conrad knew Darcy, and he knew what I’d been through to his very bones. It was like a religious cleansing. Like someone had sat me down and said,‘Yes, this happened, he’s a bastard, and it’s not you, it never was. And I know it’s not you because it happened to me’.For all that Hunter and everyone had been incredibly supportive, sharing my story with someone who’d been through it as well meant everything. And I believed he felt the same.

“I’ve heard rumours of others,” Conrad added when he was done telling his story. “But nothing official, so I’m glad you’re doing this. Andyoumight not be able to name him right now, but I’m fucking telling everyone I know exactly who I think the posts are referring to and why, based on what happened to me.” He shrugged. “What can they do to me? I should’ve spoken up at the time, but I thought it was just me, you know?”

I nodded. I did know.

“He fucking ruined my career, Alec. I didn’t work for six months. I’ve picked up a few jobs lately. People eventually forget, right? But I’m back to walking runways for zip just to get some exposure and I’d thought those days were over. I was lucky to pick up this role on a series pilot. My mum’s Italian, which helps, and I speak like I was born here.”

“Yeah, I’ve no idea what this is going to do to me yet,” I admitted, unable to keep the worry from my voice. “But it’s not looking promising.”

Hunter stuck his head through the open bedroom door and I waved him across to introduce the two of them.

Conrad’s eyes went wide, flicking between Hunter and me. “Hunter Donovan’s your boyfriend?” Then he chuckled. “Man, I bet Darcy shit himself when he found out.”

“I can’t tell you what a pleasure that was.” Hunter fired me a toe-curling smile and the heat bloomed in my skin for fucking miles. Then he turned back to Conrad who wore a wide grin on his face. “Let me know if I can ever do anything to help out. I’d happily do a free shoot to update your book, and maybe I could drop your name with some colleagues I trust as well.”

I turned to stare at him. Then fuck it, I kissed him hard because... well, shit, kindness was so fucking sexy.

“Thanks.” Conrad beamed. “I might just take you up on that, although I could be in the same bag as Alec here after today.”

I shared anoh nolook with Hunter. “You need to look after yourself, man. Steer clear of all this if it’s gonna hurt your comeback.”

“Fuck that.” Conrad’s jaw set firm. “I only meant that after hearing what happened to you and then seeing your post and then those fucking photos and what you did with them—man, that was a ballsy move—I’ve had enough of hiding. I filed a report with the Italian police about an hour ago.”

My jaw dropped and I grabbed Hunter’s hand. “You what? Holy shit.”

Conrad’s face screwed up in an apologetic wince. “Don’t get too excited. It won’t come to much because I have about as much proof as you, although I do still have some of his texts. I’m not sure they believed me since he’d already reported me at the time, but I wanted it down as an official complaint. The more the better, right?”

“Yes. Wow. It’s exactly what we need. Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. So at least he has two reports against him. He can’t hurt me anymore, so fuck him. Oh, and I put a call into that Model Cooperative you listed on your post and let them know. And I’m sharing your posts like crazy and calling everyone I know. I, um, I did a MeToo one with your photo post and I identified my arsehole assailant as a well-known fashion photographer. I can take the heat and I’ve talked enough about this fucker to my friends that people will make the connection. Not that you need me now that Kurt Wagner and Hannah Caruthers have posted their MeToo. Two of the biggest earners in the business.”

I gaped and shot Hunter a disbelieving look. “Did you know about that?” My heart slammed against my chest.

Hunter’s smile morphed into a shit-eating grin. “Yeah, I was going to tell you when you were done. It happened about thirty minutes ago. The campaign’s going fucking nuts. And Kip’s acting like he just gave birth to the next Ru Paul.”

And there was an image I didn’t need in my brain. Conrad and I kept talking. It was easy and reassuring. We talked about anything and everything until the grey shadows lengthened in the bedroom and the streetlights switched on, painting the room in a dull gold. I didn’t notice Hunter disappear until he returned and pressed a coffee into my hand and a kiss to my lips. Conrad smiled and waggled his eyebrows, and when we signed off, I knew we had a good friendship in the making.

I closed the laptop and collapsed on the bed with the warm feeling of hope filling my chest for the first time in days. The campaign, the support, the sharing, it meant something. It didn’t solve my problems, not even close. But itwassomething. Andsomethingwas enough to start with.

The apartment buzzer jolted me back into the present and I groaned.Dear God, please don’t let it be Tim or anyone who wanted to see me.I was so done for the day. I just wanted to crawl between the sheets and sleep. Or maybe fuck. Both. Definitely both.

But when Hunter walked into the bedroom, my stomach clenched. “What is it?” I scooted off the bed and crossed to him.

He slid a hand up my jaw. “We’re about to get a visitor.”

“A visitor?” My gaze darted to the front door. “Who?”

“Best you come and see.”

I followed him to the front door, my heart jolting at the sound of a tentative knock.

I looked from the door to Hunter, then back again. He took a step back and swept his hand across for me to open it. “Go on.”

And so I did, butterflies cascading through my belly at Hunter’s odd behaviour. What the hell was going on?

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