He knows I lied to him.
“Did you hear what he was saying?”
I pace up and down Suze’s kitchen, suddenly glad I’m home alone.
“Something about how it can’t ever be allowed to happen. That he would rather die. God, Harley, it sounds serious. What’s he talking about?”
I lean back against the refrigerator and clasp my shaking hand over my mouth.It can’t ever be allowed to happen. He would rather DIE?
“No,” I sob, sliding down to the floor and dropping my head.
Reed knows.He knows about the video, and that they’re threatening to release it. And he would rather die than ever allow it to be released to the public. What else can he mean? This is exactly what I didn’t want to happen. I didn’t want him to know about it. It’s naïve, but I thought Griffin and I could handle it. Griffin is resourceful. I thought he would find someone who could help, and then…
And then what? Arrest them? Let the police take the video for evidence. Show it to an entire jury at trial? Let the press dissect in minute detail everything that Reed went through that night.
No wonder he sounds mad. Mad and desperate for that not to happen. These people—I’m sure it’s more than one from how their message was worded—they will stop at nothing to cause him harm. He’ll never agree to their demands. That’s why they came to me. But what happens now? If he knows about the video and the blackmail, then what happens now?
I draw in a shaky breath as dizziness threatens to take over my head. I have no idea where to go from here. What the hell do I do?
“Harley, what is it? I’m worried. What’s going on?”
“Maria.” My voice is croaky, and I cough, attempting to clear my throat, but all it does is make it drier and scratchy. “There are some people who know something that could hurt Reed. They’re threatening to share what they have on him unless he acts as their lap dog while he’s mayor. They probably suspected they wouldn’t get to him directly, so they came to me. I was the easier target.” I exhale a trembling breath as I lift my head and stare out of the kitchen window at the evening sky.
“You? Why would they… What do they have?” Maria asks, confusion evident in her voice.
“I can’t… I can’t tell you. It’s not for me to say. It’s about Reed. He hasn’t done anything wrong. It’s nothing like that. But it’s something that would hurt him if it came out. I didn’t know what to do. They were putting pressure on me to persuade him to make certain decisions, to try and influence him. But I couldn’t. I can’t do that to him. His integrity… Everything he stands for is truth and justice, and honesty…” I trail off, unsure of what I can say without betraying him.
“That’s why you moved out? So you weren’t in that position?”
“Yes.” I squeeze my eyes shut as tension spreads over my forehead. “I thought… Ihopedwe could fix it, that Reed wouldn’t get hurt.I can’t see him hurt, Maria,” I whisper as the first hot tear rolls down my cheek.
Her voice softens. “I understand, I do. But, Harley, he’s hurtingnow. Whatever these people have, is it worse than losing each other?”
I pause to allow her words to sink in.
“Yes,” I breathe. “It is worse. Because I’m scared that it will take him back to a place where he could lose himself.”
If it were me, I wouldn’t be able to handle it. I would shut down.
What if this breaks him?
“It is worse, Maria,” I say again. “It’s such a mess. I don’t see a way out of it. Whatever happens, he loses. We both do. And if this thing does come out… I’m scared what will happen. I’ve seen what can happen to people when they’re forced through difficult times. Look at my sister, Rose. She’s barely living. She’s too lost inside of herself. What if that happens to Reed?” My shoulders tremble as I sob.
“Oh, Harley.”
I can tell by the waver in Maria’s voice that she’s crying. This is what friends do. They feel each other’s emotions like their own.
“I don’t know what to do. I’m so worried about him.”
“Okay.” Maria takes a steadying breath and exhales it slowly. “Whatever this thing is that they know about Reed, they will never know him as well as you do. They will never see him like you do. You need to talk to him about it. I’ve seen the way he is with you, Harley. I don’t think being apart is doing either of you any good.”
“The second they know we’re back together, the threats will start again.” I screw my eyes shut as tears course faster down my cheeks.
“Then let them start. You said there’s no way out of this, right? What if you aren’t meant to escape it? What if you’re meant to push through it? You might not come out the same as you went in, but—”
“We’d have each other,” I finish for her.
“Exactly.”