Page 162 of Triggered By Love
“Wow, you sure change up on a dime.” Her tone was partially flirty, but mostly awkward.
“Not going to try anything, but I have to ask you a tough question.” He gently pulled her down onto the mattress and rolled next to her, holding her in a spooning position.
“I’m scared now.” Her body was stiff, and he wrapped his leg over hers, tucking her back securely against his chest.
“Nothing to be afraid of. You’re safe with me, and so is your secret.” He felt her swallow, and he caressed her to calm her like he would a skittish horse. “You told Brando, didn’t you?”
She froze, tense and still, not taking a breath. He waited. He could hold his breath longer than her.
He felt her nod before she exhaled. “Yes.”
“Who was he?”
“Do you think he knew that I told?” Her voice was tiny, barely there.
What could he say? That she was responsible for Brando’s death? That if she hadn’t told him, he’d be alive?
“It doesn’t matter what he knew, only what he believes.”
“You mean, he believed I told?”
Jason kissed the top of her head and nodded. “He probably believes you’d tell me, so it won’t help you not to tell.”
A sob choked from her, and she gripped Jason’s hands tight. “I want him destroyed. He killed my Brando. He killed what was good and true in my life. He blotted it out because he could never have what I gave to Brando.”
Jason held back from asking who. Instead, he asked, “How old were you when this happened?”
“Fourteen.”
“Did Leach take pictures? Videos?”
“Of course, he did. That’s what he’s using against me.”
“You did nothing wrong,” he whispered.
She didn’t reply.
He held her tight while she breathed hard and furious. After a minute, maybe more, she swiped at her eyes and said, “Enough with the loser tears. Let’s go get this fucker. I’m going to file a rape charge. There’s no statute of limitations in New York.”
“No, there’s not,” he said firmly. “Tell me. Who was it?”
He braced himself, hoping it wasn’t her daddy. That he wasn’t about to ruin what was left of her life.
She struggled from his arms and turned to face him. Rage twisted her lips, baring her teeth and creasing her brows. “It’s Congressman Fucking Overton.”
He wasn’t shocked. Not after his visit to Overton’s Southampton beach party. But it still killed him that Avery had been victimized at such a young, tender age.
“Let’s nail this asshole,” Jason said. “I’ll help you file the charges, but you have to be prepared. Everyone in your family will be affected. You will be torn down by the media. They will lie about you and smear you. You will find out who your real friends are. You will forever be searchable on the internet for this, and your grandchildren will discover this about you.”
“I know. It’s the reason I swore not to tell. I wanted to be successful. I traded my soul for being a star.” She bit into her knuckles. “I let them kill my lover because he chose to stand up for me. I believe he told his buddies or asked for advice. And if one of his buddies was crooked and worked for the police chief, he could have alerted the congressman. I suspect the buddy was Trent. Trent who seemed to be everywhere—with the Brooklyn Babes, with the FDNY, with Blade and Harvey at the dance class, and with my brothers at Lushpuppies.”
“What’s your take on Tatiana?” Jason asked since she also was a player on multiple game boards.
“I don’t know, but it doesn’t matter. If I’m going forward and accusing Overton, there’s no motive to kill anyone else. I know my parents will be devastated, because the entire Professor Leach thing will come out. My dad will likely lose the election, and I won’t get away scot-free. They’ll call me a whore for doing the private shows. My fashion brand will be dragged through the mud, and from now on, when someone says Avery Cockburn, it’ll always be with a suggestive sneer and a wink-wink-nudge-nudge.”
“Maybe there’s another way,” Jason said. “I can let on that I know and force him to resign.”
“And put a fat target on your back? No way.”
