Page 94 of The Hardest Hit

He read the next email and then pulled out the page after it, which featured a photo of him and a girl whose name he honestly didn’t remember if he had known it at all. It was exactly the kind of photo that Fetish was supposed to guarantee never existed. Their policy was anonymity at all costs. Apparently, their policies had failed. He went back to the email.

Olivia will be returned to Georgia and you will cease to champion the healthcare bill.

“I see,” said Evan. “What are you going to do?”

“Do?” repeated Eleanor. “It’s really about what you’re going to do. You’re going to break up with Olivia.”

Evan thought about that. If the goal was to make him break up with Olivia, then that negated his grandmother’s first statement—Olivia had not entrapped him. This was all Ralph Taggert.

“And you’re going to stop your work on the bill?” Evan was skeptical.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” said Eleanor. “As always in politics, it’s about negotiation and compromise.”

“There would seem to not be a lot of leverage with which to negotiate,” said Evan.

“Leverage exists where you create it,” said Eleanor. She reached in her bag and pulled out an envelope and handed it to him. “You will break up with Olivia. Ralph will get something that he wants. And I will continue to work on the bill.”

He opened the envelope and pulled out three photos. This time the girl with him in the photos was Olivia. The Photoshop job was impeccable—it truly looked like her. His fingers jerked spasmodically and he dropped the photos.

“You did this?”

“Leverage,” she said. “If he releases his, I’ll release mine.”

“That doesn’t accomplish anything!” Evan was sweating. His heart was hammering in his chest. “All it does is hurt her.”

“Yes, particularly when I have them sent to her work. Possibly to her university. I’m sure I could get them distributed to her alumnus listserv.”

He found his hands were curled into fists and Eleanor was watching his hands with interest.

“People can say what they like about modern times, but that level of kink will still shock ninety percent of the population. And maybe you can ride it out in your profession, but it will sink her career.”

He found himself staring at his grandmother in furious, impotent rage.

“Break up with her, Evan,” said Eleanor. “You don’t have any other choices. It’s you or her.”

Evan turned around and walked out of the door.

“Hey!” said Dominique, coming in the front door, as he came out into the hall. “Where are you going?”

“To break up with Olivia,” he said.

“Wait, what?”

He walked past Dominique, ignoring her attempts to slow him down. He had to do this now before he lost his nerve. The anger at his grandmother would carry him through. He’d done worse things for stupider reasons. Pain didn’t matter much to him anyway. He just had to keep Olivia safe.

34

Jackson – At Dominique’s

“What the fuck happened?” demanded Aiden, slamming the door on Dominique’s condo. Dominique had unlocked the door when Aiden had buzzed her from the lobby. Jackson was amused to see that Max had vastly improved the quality of the front door and the front door lock.

Dominique came out of the kitchen. She was wearing her after-work outfit of leggings and one of Max’s t-shirts. She had a plate full of what looked like snacks and a bottle of wine under one arm.

“Everything was fine for Christmas do-over,” continued Aiden, angrily yanking off his jacket. “Ella and I go skiing and I come back and everything is in the shitter. What the fuck happened?”

“Grandma,” said Dominique, as if it explained everything. She handed the wine bottle to Jackson and set down the plate on her coffee table. “And do we really have to pretend you went skiing? Can’t you just say that you went out of the country for a fight?”

“What?” Aiden froze, halfway into the living room. Then glared at Jackson.