Page 48

M olly and I arrive at her apartment building a few minutes earlier than anticipated. Fintan and Kieran are smoking outside, waiting for us as I pull up and park the car.

Fintan leans casually against the wall, his usual nonchalant expression softened slightly by the morning light. Kieran stands beside him, his arms crossed, a faint frown creasing his forehead. He looks tense.

Molly grips my hand as I pull up the hand brake. Her hand tightens around mine, anticipation and anxiety palpable and I shoot her a reassuring smile before we step out of the car and approach the building in silence.

She hasn’t said much since we had coffee together earlier and I get it. I wouldn’t want to face my ex, less than twenty-four hours after the breakup either.

The four of us exchange greetings before we stride into the apartment building, the morning sun casting long shadows across the lobby.

Making our way up to her floor, Molly walks ahead and unlocks her door. She gestures for us to wait inside as she lingers in the hallway, nervousness evident in the fidgeting of her hands.

When the three of us are inside, I exchange a glance with Fintan, who raises an eyebrow in silent acknowledgment, before Kieran moves to sit on the couch with a sigh. The silence is heavy, punctuated only by the distant sounds of the waking city filtering through from outside the windows.

Minutes drag by like hours as we all wait in silence until heavy footsteps announces Joel’s arrival. Molly greets him in the hall with a shaky voice before opening the door and allowing him inside the apartment.

Joel’s bored expression quickly falters when he lays eyes on me as I stand with my arms folded in the kitchen. His jaw clenches, and he shoots me a sharp look before he turns and steps toward Molly as she closes the door.

He hasn’t seen the boys chilling in the living room yet. If he has, he doesn’t acknowledge their presence.

God, I hope this wasn’t a terrible idea.

“What the hell, Molly?” Joel’s voice is low, but the frustration is evident. “I told you to meet me alone.” Molly’s eyes well with tears, her shoulders slumping, and I can see the hurt plastered over her face. “Joel, please…”

He turns to me and his gaze is instantly accusatory. “And you… what the fuck are you doing here?” I hold up my hands placatingly. “We need to talk, Joel. About Hush. You’ve been ignoring my calls and texts.”

He scoffs; his frustration palpable. “I’m not doing this with you today, Alex. Give it a rest.”

“Absolutely not! Why are you paying Hush? Do you pay the actors or were you paying to watch?” I ask the question again, verbatim.

When Joel just stares at me with a bored but angry expression, I sigh, feeling my patience run thin. “Answer the fucking question, Joel. You broke my best friend’s heart because of Hush! We all deserve to know what the fuck you’re doing on that site!”

With that, Kieran and Fintan step into view, surprising my dear cousin as he stands shocked between a broken-hearted Molly and me; furious and emotional.

Molly wipes the tears from her face as she takes a seat on the small bench next to the door and watches the situation unfold.

Fintan stalks toward me, his eyes on my cousin and his tone calm but firm. “Joel, she needs answers.” Kieran follows suit, coming to a halt next to Molly. “They both do,” he says before peeling his uneasy gaze from Joel’s back to Molly’s shuddering form. “Are you okay?”

She looks up at him and gives him a curt nod before training her watery gaze on the floor. Joel’s nostrils flare, his hands curling into fists. “I don’t owe you anything and who the fuck are you?” he yells, pointing a finger at Fintan.

Kieran steps in front of my sobbing best friend when Joel’s seething glare fixes on her again.

Kieran’s presence is imposing and protective. Watching him be kind to her warms my heart in ways I don’t think I have felt before.

“You owe Molly an explanation. She’s been dragged into this mess just like Alex has,” Kieran growls.

Joel turns to look at him, his eyes dart between us, his breathing quickening. “What the hell are you talking about? Just stay the hell away from me,” he spits, voice cracking with fury as Kieran takes a step toward him.

“Joel, just answer the question. Please!” I beg, my voice now coming out shaky and hurt.

“Why won’t you let this go? What do you know about Hush, Alex?” he questions.

“I was taken, fucked and filmed; you dick! How else would I know about it?” I cry out, the words tasting bitter on my tongue.

It’s not a lie but it’s not the whole truth either. I just want answers.

The first glimpse of guilt I’ve seen flashes over Fintan’s face while Kieran clears his throat, his brows creased as he looks down and back up again.

“What?!” Joel yells, fury burning in his eyes.

“Do. You. Work. For. Them?!” I ask again, punctuating each word as tears roll down my cheeks.

Joel’s shoulders sag slightly, and he takes a deep breath. “You were on Hush? That’s what happened to you on the night I took Molly out? Alex, I swear to God, I will find who did that to you and I will kill them!”

Don’t you dare give me that protective family crap now!

You’ve been ignoring me and keeping all of this from me.

Was he dating Molly as a cover?

Would I have ever found out about this if I didn’t take revenge on the boys?

Fintan chuckles at my side. My eyes widen at the sound, and I feel like punching him in his balls. I know he’s about to light this fuse we won’t be able to put out.

“Well, J-dog , here we are. Now, if you don’t mind, stop changing the subject and answer our little Dove’s questions,” Fintan says as he drapes his arm around my shoulders with a cocky smile.

“Little Dove?” Joel’s eyes scan the three of us. “Are you fucking kidding me? You’re screwing your rapists?” he screams, his anger directed right at me.

Molly sobs from the entryway, her voice so timid, it’s barely a whisper. “Please stop.”

“You want me to stop?!” he barks at Molly before turning his hellish gaze back to me. “Fine! Yes, Alex, I work for Hush, and I feel fucking sick knowing I paid these predators for their content. What is wrong with you? How could you fuck these guys knowing what they did?”

Time seems to slow as Joel’s confession takes its toll. Fintan’s arm drops from my shoulder and I can feel the anger radiating off him as the truth permeates the air.

“Oh my God,” I cry, stumbling back until my legs meet the edge of the kitchen stool. Taking a seat, I drop my head in my hands and sob, trying to process it all.

Joel’s jaw tightens, ticking with rage before he steps toward me, but Fintan blocks his way. “Don’t,” Fintan warns, but the tension in the room is a taut wire ready to snap.

Joel lunges forward suddenly, aiming a punch at Fintan. A loud crunching sound echoes in the small apartment as we watch Fintan’s head fling to the side, his ashen hair falling into his eyes as he licks the blood from his busted lip with a predatory smirk.

Before I can react, Kieran intercepts another blow from my enraged cousin with surprising speed. Kieran spins him around and his fist connects with Joel’s jaw. Hard.

Joel staggers back, his hand flying to his face as he glares at Kieran.

“Touch him again,” Kieran growls, “and you’ll fucking regret it.”

“Fuck you!” Joel spits, rubbing his reddening jaw.

Careful Kieran, I don’t think getting my dick hard is good for this little shitshow.

My inner monolog has me smiling wide as I observe this fine display of testosterone. I must look deranged with my bloody lip and the dull throb that spreads across my mouth. My smiling must be making it worse as the blood starts trickling from the small wound.

“Stop!” Alex cries as Kieran advances on Joel again. “Just fucking stop.” Her sobs make me angry and all I want to do is get the fuck out of here. Two crying women is too much.

Fuck, I hate it so much. I want to make it stop.

“Listen, we are going to need you to step up here and do the right thing. Alex wants to take down Hush,” I say, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

“No fucking way,” Joel scoffs. “Alex, I’m sorry you got dragged into this but that is not going to happen.” Alex practically vibrates as her crying stops – thank God – and she steps toward her cousin with a sneer plastered across her flushed face.

“I will burn your little dark web porn site to the ground, with or without your help. And you shouldn’t just apologize to me. Molly fucking loved you and you ruined that too! Joel, you are my only family, please help me put an end to this.”

Joel’s expression tightens, a mixture of anger and guilt flickering across his features. He runs a hand through his tousled hair, eyes darting between Alex’s intense gaze and the unwavering presence of Kieran and me.

“You want me to help you end this?” Joel’s voice trembles slightly, his frustration palpable. “I never wanted any of this to happen, but I can’t do that, Alex.”

Alex’s jaw clenches, tears threatening to spill again. “Why?! Help us make things right.”

I step forward, my voice calm. “Joel, she needs your cooperation. We need to know everything you can tell us about Hush. You make their content payments, correct?”

Joel hesitates, his gaze dropping to the floor. “I can’t. You don’t understand what they’re capable of. Their reach is endless and I’m not about to give up my livelihood.”

“What the fuck are you talking about? You have the club. Hell’s Playground should make you enough or am I missing something?” Alex questions in a shaky tone but I hear her beautiful anger slipping through the cracks in her sadness and confusion.

“I’m sorry, Alex. I don’t want you poking around where you don’t belong. I’m not unsympathetic to your cause but this is a suicide mission,” Joel says, raising his hand to rub his jaw again.

Kieran steps closer, his stance imposing. “You love pussyfooting around questions, don’t you?”

Joel snaps his head toward Kieran with annoyance blazing in his eyes. “Fine. Yes, I make the payments. Which means I unknowingly paid you two for kidnapping and recording what you did to my cousin, you sick fucks!” His expression twisting with disgust.

Molly, who has been silently listening, speaks up softly. “You are just as guilty for what happened, Joel. Don’t pretend that your hands are clean. How much do they pay you for what you do?”

Joel meets her gaze, guilt flickering in his eyes. “Molly…”

She shakes her head, tears still streaming down her cheeks as she moves closer to us. “Please, Joel,” she says, holding up her hand before he says anything else. “I need to know why. I need to know if that site was worth it. Worth breaking my heart into a million pieces.”

Joel’s jaw tightens, emotions warring within him. “I never wanted to hurt you, Beautiful.”

“Don’t you dare call me that!” she screams. Joel sighs loudly and lowers his head. “I couldn’t risk you telling anyone about Hush. We are contracted to stay anonymous by any means necessary.”

We all gasp in surprise when Molly advances and slaps Joel so hard, his spit flies from his mouth. I try my hardest not to burst out laughing in this obviously tense moment, but I struggle to keep it in, and Alex notices the smile I am trying to hide.

She elbows me in the gut and flashes me a warning look but damn she is making me hard.

A tense silence descends upon the room as Joel wrestles with his conscience. Outside, the city continues its morning routine, oblivious to the drama unfolding behind closed doors.

Alex rushes over to Molly and throws her arms around her friend. Kieran and I don’t take our eyes off Joel as he rubs his hands over his face, shaking his head as if struggling to filter his thoughts.

Finally, Joel lets out a heavy sigh, shoulders slumping in resignation. “Fine, I’ll help but I can’t tell you what I know. There is another way, but you won’t like it.”

Relief washes over Alex’s face, mingled with apprehension. “Thank you, Joel. What do we need to do?”

Joel nods once, his expression weary. “They won’t hesitate to come after me if they find out I’ve talked, but these two have been posting content for some time already, I imagine?”

I nod confirmation at his assumption. “You’d be correct, but what does that have to do with anything?”

Joel takes a deep breath before clarifying. “You’ll need to keep posting – a lot. Get the attention of the higher ups and I’ll put in a word to move you up. Once you’re in, you’ll have access to everything you need, but my name stays out of your mouths. Got it?”

Kieran and I warily nod as we wait for an explanation.

“I’ll meet you at your house tonight, Alex. I assume the four of you will be there. I will explain more then,” Joel says as he pulls his phone from his pocket and slips it back after glancing at the screen for a second. “I’m running late. I’ll be there at midnight.”