I knew the steps I’d have to take now. I knew I had to report it, but I also had to preserve evidence for the police.
Tears welled in Karlee’s eyes, but I had no sympathy left to give. Her fingers trembled as she navigated to the porn site. She turned the laptop so I could see the screen, and once the dashboard loaded, I saw the video. The thumbnail had our faces on it, frozen in what was supposed to be a private moment. But now it was splashed across the screen for public consumption. Seeing it like that made me want to smash her face into the glass.
But, again, I wasn’t a violent man. I’d have her pay for this in a different way.
“Were you there when she uploaded it?” I asked, glancing at Kira.
“No, I wasn’t even in town when—”
“Shut up, Kira!” Karlee shrieked. “You liar! You were right here with me.”
“But you made me do it!”
“Quiet!” I moved my gaze back to Karlee and tipped my chin at the screen. “Change it to private.”
She frowned. “Why?”
“Because I need to secure the evidence. And I need your login details.” I kept my voice low. “You’re done controlling this. I’m taking over.”
Karlee shook her head. “I don’t—Callan, you can’t—”
“You will give me your login details,” I repeated slowly. “Send them to my phone.”
Kira let out a sharp breath. “Is there nothing else we can do to make it up to you? I feel like you’re overreacting—”
I turned on her. “I’m reacting exactly right. You two filmed a private moment without consent. You uploaded it. You spread it. That’s a crime. And you’ll deal with the consequences.”
Karlee’s tears rolled down her cheeks, and she wiped them with the back of her hand. “If you go to the police…what happens to us?”
“You’ll be investigated.” I didn’t sugarcoat it. “You’ll admit to everything and live with the outcome. You wanted attention. Now you’ll get the wrong kind.”
Karlee covered her mouth and sobbed. Her shoulders shook, but it didn’t move me an inch.
“Change it to private,” I repeated, waiting for her to move her fingers over the mousepad. I watched as the mouse moved to the three dots under the video, and when the option or visibility appeared, she hovered over “private” for too long.
“Now, Karlee,” I hissed, glaring at her again.
Another sob escaped her, and she finally clicked. Next, I made her grab her phone, which she used to send me the password to her account. Once I received the message, I got up and grabbed the laptop off the coffee table.
“Where’s the charger?” I asked.
Karlee just pointed to a tangled mess of cables on the kitchen counter. I walked over, grabbed the charger, and coiled it around the laptop.
“This is mine now,” I said, holding it up. “This is my evidence. I’m taking this to the police. I’m also filing a report for revenge porn, cyber harassment, and anything else I can think of. You two will be contacted. I suggest you get a lawyer.”
I was about to turn away when another important thing popped into my head. I looked at them again. “You won’t be working with me anymore, and I will make sure that everyone knows what you’ve done.” That was enough for them to understand what it meant. They’d have a hard time finding new jobs. They had just ruined their own careers.
Karlee was openly sobbing now. Kira just stared at me, her face full of terror and disbelief.
I didn’t say another word. I turned and walked to the door, my grip so tight on the laptop I thought I might break it. I didn’t look back. I didn’t need to to assure myself that I had left them shaken. The sound of their crying was all the closure I was going to get tonight.
As I stepped out into the hallway, I was set to head straight to the local police department. It was time to start fixing this. For Lana.
34
Lana
Rocco insisted on cleaning the kitchen and told Holland to take me to the living room. He told us to turn on the TV and pick a movie. He said he’d handle everything in the kitchen, so we wouldn’t worry about the mess from his cooking. I appreciated his help, and his efforts to lift my mood. He cracked small jokes with his familiar dry humor. It worked for a moment, and I smiled once or twice. But the pressure in my chest stayed. The video sat in my mind, and nothing could push it out.
