Page 137 of Press Play

Wren

Damn,this bitch has money.

I’m surprised the doorman didn’t turn me away before I could ruin the carpet with my discount sneakers. Or that security wasn’t called when I bypassed the front desk for the elevators. So far, it’s all going to plan.

Theo is not a fan of this idea, but it has to be done. Amanda can’t get away with this, and she can’t do this to anyone else. Theo stood up for me in high school. Now, it’s my turn. I’m not sure what’s driving me—courage, nerves, or the desire to defend the man I love. Either way, I’m letting it fuel me and take control.

The elevator chimes as it stops on the twelfth floor. When the doors open, I start forward and scan the hallway for her room. I expel all my nerves with one breath, plastering a confident smile on my lips. At the end of the hall, I turn to face room 1228 and knock without another thought.

It’s precisely 8:00, the exact time Theo was supposed to be in my spot.

When the door swings open, her eyes meet mine, and her shock is palpable.

“Expecting someone else?” I huff, noting her open robe and lacy undergarments.

“Is this some kind of joke?” Her neatly trimmed eyebrow arches. “Because I’m not laughing.”

“Sorry to disappoint you, but no, this isn’t a joke.”

“Listen, I love women, but you’re not my type.”

I squint, and it takes a moment for it to click. “What? God, no. The mere thought—” I stop myself from gagging, and she purses her lips.

“Then why are you here and not Theo?” Amanda crosses her arms over her chest.

“I don’t know you or your life,” I start. “But if I were to wager that you always get what you want, I would. But not this time. Theo is someone you cannot have.”

She scoffs. “He knows the deal.”

“And so do I,” I cut in. “You thought you could ruin us. You saw what you wanted and thought you could have it, but not this time.”

She takes a step into the hall, but I don’t back away. “It’ll take one press of a button,” she hisses. “And you’ll be all over the internet.”

My phone chimes, and I can’t help but let my lips quirk into a wide grin. “I already am.” In the background, her own phone goes off, and I nod toward it. “You may or may not want to click on that link. Just know that even if you post the video you have, it won’t beat the one he and Imade.”

Her pale cheeks turn a blistered red, and her jaw snaps shut with a click. When she opens her mouth, I swiftly open my own. “Check. . . mate.”

“This isn’t over,” she growls.

“You’re right.” I smirk at her. “It’s not.”

This next piece of information is going to taste sweet.

“Did you know it’s illegal to share sex tapes? Especially without consent?”

All at once, her face drains of color.

“It’s classified as ‘non-consensual pornography’ and is punishable by law.” I keep my tone even and calm. “Have you done this before?” I tilt my head. “You did it so easily. It just makes me wonder. . .”

“You wouldn’t,” Amanda whispers. “Theo wouldn’t.”

I straighten my posture and take in a deep breath. “Why wouldn’t we? Do you know the damage you caused since messaging him your little plan? How hurt he’s been?”

She drops her eyes to the carpet. Part of me wonders if she cares for him, but it’s quickly erased because if she cared, she wouldn’t have done this. He is simply a means to an end for her. Someone she can use to give herself both pleasure and an audience boost.

“Theo isn’t a toy to be called on when you’re bored.” I lower my tone, though I’m not sure why. “I’ve seen him grow from a boy to a man. He has a beating heart and compassion no one deserves. And you nearly stole that from him.”

She curls her hands into fists and squeezes her eyes shut. “He’smine.”

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