This Cruel Love

He sprang off his chair, sending it flying and toppling to the floor behind him.

“Me? You’ve got to be fucking joking. Why the hell would you think I’d do something like this to you?”

“I don’t know. But someone got us on video, and like you said, this place…” I gestured around me with my arms out wide, “…it’s your empire, your kingdom. So excuse me for feeling slightly pissed off that I got fucked over here in the worst way. Nice touch sending it to my dad, by the way.”

I didn’t for a moment think he’d sent it. I thought he’d taken his eye off the ball at work, but that was all. Nevertheless, I couldn’t stop myself from goading him. I think all the pent up frustration from Justin, Mason, Travis, and then finding out what he thought about my dad on top of this morning’s shit show, had sent me into a spiral of craziness.

“I didn’t fucking send it. I didn’t do it. You of all people should know I wouldn’t do that. Not now.”

Something snapped inside me and I knew I had to curb my venom, or direct it at the right person. Either that or I was going to end up doing or saying something that could damage what we had forever.

“I know. Honestly, I do. But who else would’ve had access to your office to do this? I feel humiliated, Jax. I don’t think I can face those people ever again, not after they’ve seen… that. I’m so embarrassed. I feel ashamed.”

I hugged my arms around myself and wondered how I’d ever face my father again, let alone the board members.

“I don’t know what to say.” Jackson was trembling where he stood, and I couldn’t tell if it was in fear of losing me, or in fury at what he would do to whoever took that video. I guessed the latter. “I promise you, I will find out who did this, and when I do they won’t live to regret it, believe me. You have my word; I will unleash hell on them.” I believed him. From the look on his face, he was ready to unleash hell now.

“Can I watch it?” Cill piped up, gesturing to the USB on the bar with a deadpan expression on his usually cheeky face.

“Over my dead body.” Jackson grabbed the USB as if it was a priceless jewel he needed to protect with his life, and dropped it into the inside pocket of his jacket. “I can’t believe you thought I did this.” Jackson held my gaze with his, willing me to say what he needed to hear, but at the same time looking like he was dreading my answer.

“I know you wouldn’t do anything to hurt me. I trust you, Jackson. I really do. But seriously, how the hell did someone get access to your office and get away with this? They couriered it to my dad’s building this morning with instructions for when it should be played. Whoever did this knew all about the meeting. They knew I’d be there.”

“And they were probably banking on you blaming me for the whole damn thing.” Jackson banged his fist down on the bar in anger. “Travis. He did this. He wanted to break us up. He knew you’d be there this morning. It all makes sense, Ryley. It has to be Travis.”

As angry as I was with Travis, I trusted him.

“No, he wouldn’t do that. Believe me, I saw his face when we walked in to the boardroom and the video was playing. He was as shocked as I was. No, it was someone else. My brother might be an asshole at times, but he wouldn’t have it in him to do something like this.”

“Your dad then?”

“Jesus, Jackson. Enough with the conspiracy theories about my family. None of them did this, okay? This falls solely in your camp. I think you need to look at everyone you’ve pissed off recently.”

“It’d be easier to make a list of the people he hasn’t pissed off,” Cill joked, but it fell on deaf ears.

“What about Justin?” Jackson’s brain was in overdrive, trying to pin the blame on anyone linked to me.

“What about Justin?” I counter-attacked. “I don’t speak to him anymore, neither does Travis. He’d have no idea about the meeting. Anyway, how would he get access to your office? Be real, Jackson. This is an inside job. Whoever planted that video knows you. They managed to get into your office for Christ’s sake.”

Jackson turned to face Cill. “Was it you?” I shook my head in despair.

“Of course it wasn’t me! If I’d made a sexy video of Ryley, do you think I’d share it with the world? That shit would be strictly private, just for me.”

Cill had chosen the wrong time to be trivial with his answer. Jackson lurched forward to make a grab for him, but I managed to step in between the two of them.

“Jesus, mate, chill out.” Cill held his hands up in surrender and backed away slowly. “I was joking. I’d never disrespect Ryley like that. Or you, for that matter.”

I turned to face Cill. “Now that was the right answer at the wrong fucking time. Why couldn’t you have said that first? You know, you don’t have to think of a funny or cheeky answer to everything.”

“You do know all this arguing is wasting precious time.” Cill reached for his phone and started scrolling down the screen. “I think the person you should be looking for

is Ed. I know you won’t appreciate me saying this, but doesn’t it strike you as peculiar that the video Ryley got today was the exact same video you planned on making a few months ago? Only you weren’t too fussy about the male lead back then.”

“You bastard.” Jackson tried to move me to the side to get at Cill again.

“Mate, I’m not trying to cause you trouble. And Ryley, I’m sorry to drag up the past, but that is what you’d planned to do, isn’t it, Jax? That’s what Ed was paid for. To get compromising pictures and videos of Ryley to send to her father. Taint that precious father/daughter bond they had. Maybe he’s coming good on his promise, only he’s using your revenge plan against you. Turning the tables, so to speak.”

I felt sick hearing this, but I fought the nausea. It was in the past, I couldn’t get caught up in the whole revenge thing Jackson had cooked up.