Page 49

A fter the intense situation this morning at Molly’s place, I went home and the boys did the same, leaving Molly to have some time by herself.

I have been pacing around my living room for what feels like hours, just trying to fathom Joel’s refusal to go against Hush and help us dismantle their site despite what it has cost me. What it cost Molly.

He shattered her heart yesterday, but it seems he cares more for her than he lets on. She lost it this morning and he practically folded and started singing like a canary.

Fuck, yesterday… How has it only been twenty-four hours?

What hurts the most is the fact that he doesn’t seem to give a shit about what his dark web pay pig has done to my life and only doled out questions and insults because I grew fond of my captors.

I’m falling in love with them.

Falling…

I’m willingly stepping off the ledge and choosing to ignore the danger of our volatile relationship. I suppose falling is just like flying except it has a more permanent destination.

So much has happened since that night, and I am not the same person I was before all of this started. They changed me. Hush changed me and while I can forgive Fintan and Kieran, I will never stop trying to destroy Hush and everything it stands for.

Even if I have to slowly work my way into their ranks and set everything on fire under their noses. I don’t care what it takes.

My mind twists and turns like this for another short while so I decide to go take a hot shower to ease some of the tension in my muscles.

Fintan and I have been drinking and talking for a few hours since arriving home from the studio. After the fiasco with Alex’s cousin this morning followed by a busy day at our real jobs, having glass after glass of whiskey seems like a necessity.

“What do you think this elaborate plan is?” I ask as I take a drag of the joint Fintan passes to me. “No clue but it can’t be good if he wants us to continue posting. Not to mention that he wants to meet up to discuss it,” Fintan says with a sigh after swallowing down the last sip in his glass.

We’re sitting in the living room and the scent of marijuana fills the air as Fintan and I continue to puzzle over Joel’s intentions.

“I don’t trust his plan, whatever it is,” I say, taking another drag from the joint. “He refused to help us take down Hush.”

Fintan nods, his eyes fixed on the flickering flames of the fireplace. “Us? Are you considering helping Alex in her quest now?”

I exhale a cloud of smoke and lean back in my chair. “Yeah, I guess I am. Joel did say that his plan involved us keeping our account and getting the higher-ups’ attention by posting more. More videos equal more money but how the fuck do we do that?”

Fintan shrugs. “Beats me. But we should probably head to Alex’s house and wait for him to show up and reveal his master plan.”

Checking the time on my phone, I nod before taking another sip of whiskey. “We’ll be there before midnight if we leave in ten.”

We pull up to Alex’s house a few minutes to midnight. Molly’s car is already parked out front, and as we step out of the vehicle, she meets us at the door.

“Hey,” she says softly, her eyes red-rimmed from crying. “Joel texted. He’s running late.”

Has she been crying all day?

We nod and follow her inside, where Alex is waiting for us in the kitchen. The scent of tequila fills the air as both of us greet Alex with a kiss on each cheek and gather around the island.

They have also been drinking all day, it seems.

Molly grabs the bottle from the fridge and starts pouring shots for the four of us. Her nerves must be fried, and I can tell she’s still hurting from everything that unfolded in the past twenty-four hours. Hell, who wouldn’t be.

We each take a shot, then another, trying to ease the tension that’s been festering since this morning’s meeting in Molly’s apartment.

Finally, Joel arrives, looking as nervous as we all feel. We start talking about his plan, which involves Fintan and I continuing to post content to Hush but more frequently and making it as interesting as possible.

It’s a sickening thought, but Joel insists that we can draw attention to ourselves and eventually move up in their digital ranks before tearing it down from the inside.

As we all sit around the kitchen island, knocking back more ice-cold tequila shots, Joel begins to explain his plan in detail.

“The idea is for you two to post more frequently and make your content as extreme and shocking as possible,” he says, his voice tense. “Draw attention to yourselves, get more eyes on your content and of course, you’ll get better payouts.”

Fintan raises an eyebrow. “Extreme and shocking? Like what?”

Joel takes a deep breath before continuing. “Think about the most outrageous things you’ve seen other creators do on Hush. You’ll need to take it to a whole new level. Get creative.”

I exchange a look with Fintan, both of us seeming intrigued about this plan but my stomach churns when I see the haunted look on Alex’s face. I don’t think I want to make content like that ever again.

“Okay, so how exactly are we supposed to do this?” Alex asks, trying to keep her voice steady but her repulsion is evident.

Joel leans forward, avoiding Alex’s direction, his eyes locked onto mine. “You’ll need to make sure your posts are unique and so shocking that they go viral on Hush.”

Molly shakes her head in disbelief and glares at Joel. Alex clears her throat after she gulps down the remaining liquid from the bottle, “Are you serious? How long do they need to do exactly what we are trying to put an end to?” Alex asks.

Joel nods firmly. “Yes, as long as it takes for Hush to notice them.”

Molly speaks up for the first time since Joel arrived.

“I don’t believe this. You are asking them to ruin more lives with these sick videos for insane people to jerk off to, all while you refuse to actually help us take them down.

Don’t you care that Alex was one of the people who nearly got destroyed by Hush? !”

Joel shrugs sheepishly. “It’s a risk you have to take if you want to bring this thing down from the inside. They know my name, where I live, they know about Hell’s Playground. I can’t risk them coming after me if I help you directly and I get caught. I’ll do what I can.”

I can see the doubt in Alex and Fintan’s eyes as they look at me, waiting for my reaction. I take a deep breath before responding.

“Alright, fine,” Alex says reluctantly before I am able to utter a word. “We’ll do it.” We all sit in stunned silence for a beat and just stare at her.

We? Oh, no Dove, that’s not fucking happening.

“Say that again,” Fintan clears his throat, his voice like gravel. Joel is visibly confused and getting worked up, so is Molly as they wait for her to explain.

“No. Not happening. We are not doing this. You are not going to make content for them,” I growl, clenching my fists so hard on the counter, my knuckles bleach.

“Excuse us,” Alex says with a forced smile as she gestures for Fintan and I to follow her down the hallway.