I wake up alone and sit up, instantly panicked. My heart is racing as I slip out of bed and check room after room, knowing that I wonât find Gray. I can feel it. Itâs crazy, but I can feel if he isnât home. I can feel when heâs near, and when he isnât.
I glance at the clock in the living room, my stomach tightening in worry. Itâs seven in the morning, so he must have slipped out during the night. Lately I often find Gray staring up at the ceiling by the time I wake up, but heâs always in bed with me.
This is a first, and it worries me. I walk back into our bedroom, looking for traces of him, any indication of when he might have left or where he might have gone.
I jump when my phone buzzes on my nightstand and reach for it frantically, hoping itâs Gray, but itâs not. Instead, a myriad of notifications from the Nemesis Platform pop up. I frown, confused by what could be causing this big of a commotion.
I scroll through, my heart stopping when I realize Ash uploaded a video and requested that the media team distribute it.
My hands are shaking as I press play, scared of what Iâll find. The video starts, and I instantly recognize George. Gray is sitting with his back to the camera, the two of them in an empty bar. George is clearly visible, but Grayson is mostly blurred. Not that it matters. Iâd recognize him anywhere.
âThereâs this girl,â Gray says, his voice slurred. âI think I love her, you know?â
I frown, a chill running down my spine. Whatâs going on here? Why is he with George⦠and who is he talking about?
George takes another big swig of what appears to be whiskey and nods, indicating for Gray to go on. It looks like the two of them have been drinking together for hours.
âI thought she loved me too, but she doesnât. Iâd have married her, man. Loved her with all my heart. Wanted to have fucking babies with her. But she? She was fucking around on me all along. Sheâd never let me spread those pretty legs of hers, but it turned out she spread them for everyone else.â
George laughs. âWomen are vicious creatures, boy. They play games and think theyâll get away with it. Itâs up to you to take what you want.â
Grayson tenses. Itâs subtle, and I doubt anyone but me would even notice it. I sink down to my knees on the floor, clutching my phone tightly. Part of me instantly feels betrayed, but a more rational part of me can see whatâs going on. Heâs getting a confession out of George. How did he even track him down? How did he get him drunk? Is a confession even legally admissible if he is? Iâm not sure it is, but I can see how this would sway the jury nonetheless, if Gray can get them to see it. If our media team can get this to go viral, then thereâs no way George is getting away with what he did.
âI should have. If she was going to spread her legs for all my buddies, she shouldâve let me fuck her. Iâd have done her much better than any other man could.â
âTake her,â George says, slumping over. âShe was yours first, wasnât she?â
Gray nods. âWe were dating. She made me believe she wanted me, that sheâd marry me.â
George laughs and nods. âI knew a woman like that once,â he says, gulping down more whiskey. Gray refills his glass the second he empties it, but George doesnât seem to realize whatâs happening.
âMatter of fact, she recently popped back into my life. I think she missed me because she clearly wants my attention. Maybe she regrets leaving me after all, especially now Iâm rich.â
Gray leans back and raises his arm. I canât see his face, but it looks like heâs taking a sip of his drink. âWhat happened? She did to you what my girl did to me?â
George nods and laughs. âYeah, but I aint no pussy. I wasnât going to let her away with it.â
âI donât want to let my girl get away with this bullshit, either. If nothing else, I just want a taste of her pussy, you know? If everyone else gets to have it, why donât I?â
George claps Gray on the back, a wide smile on his face. âThatâs it, my boy. Thatâs it.â
Gray shakes his head. âItâs not possible, though. She wonât even speak to me.â
George laughs and empties half his glass, quickly succumbing to the liquor. Heâs already slurring his words more than he did at the start of the video, and itâs only been a few minutes.
âShe doesnât need to speak. She just needs to spread her legs.â
Gray runs a hand through his hair, frustrated, though likely not for the reasons George thinks. âHow am I supposed to get her to do that when she wonât even speak to me?â he says, agitated.
George smiles, and even through my screen, it makes chills run down my spine. That glint in his eye⦠itâs pure evil. He glances around to check no one is listening, and then he leans in.
âIn my time I used a liquid one of my buddies got me,â he says. âPut it in her drink, and in just a few minutes, and sheâll be putty in your arms.â
âI donât know, man,â Grayson says, an edge to his tone that George misses entirely. âIâm not sure itâll be the same if sheâs just lying there.â
George shakes his head and drops his hand on Grayâs shoulder. âYouâll still enjoy it. Just knowing you still get to have what youâre owed will make it enjoyable. Itâll be even better when she eventually wakes up and starts to fight you. Just make sure you tie her up.â
I feel sick. This man⦠this man canât be Graysonâs father. They canât be related. I canât believe heâs sitting there without an ounce of remorse, telling Grayson to someone.
âYou talk a good talk, but have you ever actually done it?â
George grins, and that smile of his makes my stomach turn. He empties his whiskey glass, and Grayson refills him yet again.
âThere was a girl⦠much like yours. She told me she was mine, that sheâd marry me. Theyâre all the same, those whores.â
He lifts his glass to his lips, his expression betraying the bitterness he must still be feeling.
âSo you speak from experience then? I thought you were all talk.â
George straightens. âI told you I aint no pussy. I met her at the place I took her on our first date, a vial in my pocket. She was done for within minutes. I took her home to the bed I expected to share with her and tied her to it. She looked beautiful, lying there.â
Gray chuckles, but itâs obviously forced. George doesnât notice, though. The liquor and the memories have him distracted.
âWhat was it like?â
George smiles, his expression gleeful. âOh, it was glorious. I stained my sheets with her virgin blood the way I always knew I would. In hindsight, I wish Iâd waited for her to wake up before I did it. She cursed me, but she enjoyed it. She was so wet, her body telling me how much she wanted me even though her lips lied.â
Gray lifts his arm, taking another sip, I assume. âShe cursed you, huh? Your girl got a name?â
George nods, grinning. âIda. Oh, beautiful Ida. She cursed the hell out of me, but she wanted me. She tells me we conceived a baby that night, but it canât be true. She wants my attention. Iâve kept an eye on her through the years. If we had a baby, Iâd know. Sheâd have come for alimony years ago.â
He takes another big swig of his drink, and my stomach churns. A confession. That was a confession. Grayson just sat there and listened to his father explain how he raped his mother. He sat there, and he played along.
Heâs ensured his mother justice by doing so, but at what cost?