Blackmailed by Her Bully

“You’re not going anywhere. You step foot out of the front door, I’ll release the tapes.”

She turned to look at him. “You know what, it doesn’t matter. Release them. I don’t give a fuck anymore. I’m tired of being trapped here with trying to get over what happened to me. Tell Grant thank you. He made me realize I wasn’t a victim anymore. I’m the one with the power, but I’m not going to stick around here and let Luke hurt me further. He’s already sneaked into my room, and there’s no way I’m allowing him to have power or you. Go ahead, let it all out. Let the world know the truth. I don’t care.”

She stormed into the house, and he followed her, a little taken aback by the sudden turn within her. She went straight to her bedroom, and using the bag she’d packed everything in, she shoved items of clothing back into it.

“You really want to risk this? I’m not joking around,” he said.

“I don’t care. I didn’t accuse you twelve years ago. I never had a reason. Our time in that classroom I was with you. You were my first kiss, and if you must know, Logan, I’d wanted you to be my first. I will warn you, Luke is not your friend. He is your enemy, and he will try to destroy you. Every single chance he can get. You’d be best to get away from him when you have the chance.” She zipped up the bag.

“I will release them, Ava.”

“Do it.” She glared at him. “I honestly don’t care. I’m … I never meant for you to get dragged into this, but I know who I reported and it wasn’t you. I’ve got to figure out what went wrong.”

He stood in the doorway, not letting her get past.

“Please,” she said.

“You really want to do this?”

“Do your worst, Logan. You think I haven’t survived worse? Leave me the fuck alone. I mean it.” She pushed him, but he didn’t budge.

He wouldn’t allow her to leave, but he was about to call her bluff. Stepping back, he let her go past, and he watched her.

“Last chance,” he said. She held onto the door but didn’t step back.

“I’m ready for whatever comes. You’ll be the one making a big mistake, Logan. Not me.”

She stepped over the threshold, and he dialed the number he had. He wasn’t going to be blackmailed or pushed into a corner.

Within the hour the videos had been sent to every single resident within Crow Valley, including her in his office. She wanted to push him, he could push back.

When Luke, Riley, and Marvin got back to the house, they were all stunned.

“We stopped off at the diner for old times’ sake. Everyone is talking about Ava—what did she do?” Riley asked.

“She left.”

“You let her fucking leave?” Luke asked.

“She wasn’t a prisoner. She had a choice, and she decided to test me. Now I’ll wait and see what she does. She’s going to be begging me before the end of the week. No one will hire her. She will have nothing, which is exactly how it should be.” He watched Luke and couldn’t get Ava’s accusations out of his head.

There was no way something happened between Luke and Ava. He couldn’t believe it. Luke was capable of many things, but raping a girl wasn’t one of them.

He wouldn’t doubt his friend, not now, not ever.

“You think she’ll be back?” Riley asked.

“Yes, I do.”

“Okay, call me stupid, but isn’t this what you wanted?” Marvin asked. “You wanted your revenge, and now you have it. Shouldn’t this be the end of it? Pack up shop, move on? You know, that kind of thing.”

“You’d think it would be that easy, don’t you? No, I want Ava to be at my mercy. I want her broken. Not only has she tried to ruin me but she’s trying to take my friends down with her. I won’t allow that. She will learn her place. Are you boys ready for the next step?” he asked. “Or are you all too chicken to stand beside me?”

“I’m in. All the way. I’ve got your back, Logan. Always,” Luke said.

“Good.”

Riley and Marvin joined in, and he held up his glass, saluting them.

Ava would pay one way or another, but it would be Logan who did the final snap. He’d waited too long. She wasn’t going to get away with her lies. He was determined to get his revenge in all areas.

He was a patient man.

This was twelve years in the making.

What was a couple of extra days or weeks? Ava could have done this the easy way, but she’d taken it out of his hands and now he had no choice but to make sure she suffered one way or the other.