But Kennedy isn’t getting married. In fact, she just broke it off for good with Keith Stearns according to the dimwit I employed to keep an eye on her. Nope. She is free as a sparrow, and now that my own life imploded to the point I needed a new nest to dwell in, Lake Loveless seemed like the right answer. It’s funny how Loveless always takes me under its wing when I need it most, and just this past summer, I needed it most. But, in truth, it’s Kennedy I need most. She’s mine. I’ve simply come back for her.
“Kennedy?” I glance up to find her beautiful lips twisting with discomfort. Her hair shines like a shock of midnight against her pale neck—her lips a bright carnation pink without a touch of lipstick. My mom used to say that people from Loveless were mountain grown, cleaner, leaner, less inclined to carry the cynicism the rest of the world had on their shoulders. I’d like to think that were true about Kennedy, but, even if it weren’t, I’m still convinced she’s the perfect woman. “What exactly is it that I’m looking for?”
“My name is on the register.”
“Probably a mix up.” I’m quick to assure her. “Kennedy Slade?” I ask while scrolling through the name directory. “One thing that these amateur porn kings and queens do appreciate is notoriety. Using their real names is actually important to the perverse at heart. You have to figure there are thousands of people who share your name. Seven billion people on the planet, there’s bound to be someone just like you, same spelling, sometimes same face. I wouldn’t worry about sharing your moniker with a few exhibitionists. I bet if I look long enough, I’ll find a few fools with my own name lusting and thrusting.” I hum as I find Kennedy Slade written out in small block font, all business, and click on the link. “Shit,” I hiss under my breath unintentionally. I’m sure she was hoping for a far less visceral reaction.
There she is, her perfect, undeniably beautiful face. Next to her toothy grin lies the promise ofPussy for Hours!Along withDeep Throat Debutant,Sorority Sister Screams,Cum All Ye Faithful (Holiday Special!), Dildo Dreaming, Rough and Rowdy Anal.I shut the laptop in fear of reciting this list in my sleep, or worse, in fear of getting a hard-on while perusing the offerings.
“Did you find the fool with my name?” She lets out a tired breath. “Did you happen to notice she looks exactly like me?” Her eyes ride accusingly over my features. “It’s because she is, Caleb. Those are all videos of me, of my very naked body. You don’t need to tell me—I already know I’m the fool.”
Kennedy is out there for all perverted roving eyes to see. A burst of nausea rolls through me at the idea, and I bow my head a moment.
“What do you need done?” I contemplate this for a moment. “If you’ve taken your private life to video and you’ve suddenly decided you want to wipe the slate clean”—my thoughts scatter like pigeons as I pause an inordinate amount of time—“I think I might know a guy.” It’s all I’ve got. It’s true, though. I know a guy who can erase the Grand Canyon from the planet if supplied with the right amount of currency. He could turn you into an astronaut and have you on the space station in six months if you fill his bank account with enough cash. But Internet porn? The vagina of all canyons? That stuff proliferates like mushrooms in a dark cave. I’m not entirely sure that even he has the power to erase Kennedy’s fornicating footprint. Trying to stop something from spreading on the net is like trying to bottle a ghost.
“I’m glad you know a guy.” An ironic smile comes and goes on those beautiful lips. “I’m hoping to gainfully employ yourguy. Is there any way we can get a hold of him this afternoon? I’ve got an American Express Black Card burning a hole in my pocket, and I’m not afraid to use it.” She offers a shrug with her partial plea. “Caleb, I will do anything if you can make this go away for me.” Her eyes widen, watering on cue, and it’s all I can do to keep myself from launching across the desk to hold her.
My heart wrenches for Kennedy. I can’t help but wonder if she gave the same plea to Keith for him to take it all down. I might have recommended it as her attorney if I didn’t greedily want her all for myself. I am, after all, a convenience, the exact man for the job if you will, albeit more of a middleman in this case. Andisit too late to make this all go away? I don’t exactly have an expertise in this type of thing. Solomon in all his striped glory bounces through my mind. I suppose I could give him a call, in prison.
“Look, I’m going to be honest with you. This is going to be tough.” My eyes bear into hers a moment too long. Kennedy is beautiful, and smart, but do I really know her all that well? Her judgment seems to have taken a leave of absence.
She blinks a dry smile. “I know what you’re thinking. But I didn’t mean to star in those, at least not voluntarily.” Her gaze floats down her chest. “It turns out Keith liked to preserve the memories of our private moments for later. Much later. And, as of this morning, he thought it would be a good idea to share them with the rest of the world. He sent a link to every Greek house at Yeats. There I am, naked as the day I was born and far more developed for all to see. This is going to ruin my family, Caleb. I’ll never get into law school, never mind joining a decent practice. I’m already done, and I haven’t even gotten out of the gate.” Her gaze beams into mine with needlelike precision as if daring me to believe her.
My mind reels trying to process it all. Just the thought of having her entire future swiped from underneath her makes my blood boil. Who the hell gave that bastard the permission to hack her existence to pieces? To whittle her opportunities to nothing in some bout of juvenile revenge?
“Anything else?” I fold my hands in a show of false calm. There’s a strange sense of pride brewing in me knowing that she came to me with this.
“Yes. It’s not just up on that site. I put my name in the search engine and found those videos at dozens of different places. I want his ass brought down. I want Keith Stearns to pay for ruining both me and my family.”
“Defamation. It’s cut and dry. But he could claim you wanted these movies made, then it becomes a game of he said she said.” And it will. I’ve seen enough of these relationship battles play out in court. It never ends well—every side a loser.
Her head bows with defeat.
“Nevertheless—consider it done.” I tap my fingers over her computer before sliding it back. I won’t need it. I can work a search engine with the best of them, and I have a feeling I’ll be pouring over footage tonight. A spear of guilt knifes me at the thought. I’m the exact kind of pervert Kennedy doesn’t want watching this garbage—the kind that jacks off in the shower with those videos replaying behind my eyelids. Little does she know that’s been going on for years now. I didn’t need a play by play.
“Excuse me.” Zoey pops her head in and looks from me to Kennedy with an eye of suspicion. Zoey has made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that she is ready and willing to gift me her body at the drop of my pants. She’s tempted me far beyond the measures any normal man should bear, not that I’m not normal, but my heart and all that my pants have to offer belong to Kennedy. At least that’s what I’ve convinced myself of. Now it’s time to convince Kennedy of the very same thing.
“Warren is here.” Zoey wrinkles her nose as if he disgusted her, but I know for a fact she’s slept with him on more than one occasion. Not that Warren shouldn’t disgust people. His story is he got wasted and tried to have sex with his then-girlfriend, Reese, Kennedy’s stepsister. Her story, per her statement, is that he stormed her bedroom drunk and forced his fingers in places they shouldn’t have been just before trying to get his dick in on the action. Ace threw him out the window. Actually they flew out together, but I’m pretty sure Ace was trying to break Warren’s neck. I know I would’ve if anyone tried this with Kennedy, and they have. Keith Stearns better watch his soon-to-be-broken neck when I’m around.
“Tell Warren I’ll speak with him later.”
“You’ll speak with me now.” He barrels in past Zoey, who I’m starting to think needs a Taser to subdue the aggressive clientele. “I get a fucking ding on my parole for throwing a house party? What the hell kind of bullshit is that?”
I cut a bored look to him. We share no familiar features, no familiar mannerisms, and, for sure, no familiarity in general. Warren and I didn’t exactly hang out whenever I popped into town. He’s always had a touch of douchebag in him from as far back as I can remember. I used to wonder how much of that was because of his looks and how much his personality actually played into it. Warren is your stereotypical preppy—life-gifted-on-a-silver-platter type of an ass, but it turns out he’s got the ego to go along with his bank account so no worries to anyone who might judge him solely on the smirk he wears while driving his Ferrari. They’re most likely right. In truth, I’m the one with the Ferrari. Warren drives a Maserati.
“My guess is a public nuisance complaint. You should really check with your old man before you make any more boneheaded moves. Like breathing.”
Kennedy openly laughs at the barb, and a twinge of guilt rides through me. I shouldn’t throw Warren under the bus so easily, and in front of two women no less. It has to suck having your balls handed to you every day when you remember why you’re no longer on the Yeats rowing team, at Yeats University in general. I’m guessing it sucks to be Warren McCarthy right about now.
“Public nuisance? I’ll give them a public nuisance.” He kicks my wastebasket, and the room thunders with the crash. “Don’t just sit there. Throw some money at this, and make it go away. I need my record clean as shit. I’ve applied to Port for the spring.”
“Clean as shit it will be,” I assure him. With catchphrases like that, he’s fighting Solomon for the not-so brightest McCarthy on the block. Cellblock that is. They also happen to be the only two McCarthy’s with a criminal record. They’re two for two in many respects.
“Come on, big spender.” Zoey pulls him out by the ear. “I’ll let you buy me coffee.”
I wait for the click of the door before reverting my full attention to the beautiful creature seated in front of me, and my heart wrenches at what’s happened to her. “Now that I’ve taken you on as my client, I’ll need a few questions answered.”
“Of course—anything.”
