Thomas had left his tablet on the kitchen table, and although Scott knew he shouldn’t look, although he’d promised Thomas he wouldn’t, he still picked it up.
Beauty and the Beast.
Scott didn’t look at the number of subscribers, or even the money they’d made. He went to the requests, scrolling and scrolling until he found the one he knew was from Warren.
He gasped, eyes going wide as he read. It wasn’t a request, but more a step-by-step of what he wanted to happen to Scott with a slow but sinister build-up to a violent sexual assault.
He’d offered exactly 100K for the request to be met.
“Don’t,” Thomas snapped, yanking the tablet from Scott’s hand. He’d been unaware Thomas had come up behind him, and his heart went into overdrive at the sudden action. Scott shot to his feet, tipping the chair over in his haste, and gawped at Thomas.
“You said you wouldn’t look,” Thomas hissed, then he slumped, lowering his head. “Goddamn it, Scott, you shouldn’t look.”
“Did you read it?”
“Yes.” Thomas picked up the chair and patted the back of it so Scott would sit. Scott obediently dropped into it, resting his elbows on the table; he held his face in his hands.
“He wants to –”
“He’s not going to. It’s a sick troll with nothing better to do than type horrible shit on the internet.” Thomas gripped Scott’s shoulder. “I’ve reported it like the others, but it takes a while for the site to remove the subscriber.”
Scott lowered his hands. His voice came out shaky. “More than one person wants to do that to me?”
“No,” Thomas said firmly. “It’s him. Same guy. I report him, he gets deleted, a few hours later, he’s made another profile, and he’s at it again. As I said, he’s some cowardly arsehole tappingaway on his laptop. He can’t…” Thomas paused, tightening his hold on Scott’s shoulder.
“Can’t what?” Scott asked.
“I was going to say hurt you, but that’s bullshit because he can – he has. I know. But he’s not going to touch you, Scott. I won’t let him. His sick little fantasy is going to remain in his sick little head.”
“I hope so,” Scott whispered.
Thomas frowned. “Don’t focus on the negativity. Loads of your subscribers say nice things.” He reached for the tablet. “I’ll show you.”
“I’m…I’m okay,” Scott said, pushing to his feet. “I’m…still tired.”
“Scott…”
Scott walked away, trying for a comforting smile but failing. He rushed out of the kitchen, back into the safety of his bedroom, where he locked the door.
Thomas whispered his name from the other side, but Scott didn’t let him in, instead he threw himself down on the bed and closed his eyes.
Scott still had time, and wallowing in acceptance was exactly what Warren wanted.
He had money to make, which meant he and Thomas needed to make more content.
He showered, he moisturised, brushed his teeth, did his hair, bit by bit putting his armour back on until he strolled from the bedroom, content to do something about his fate.
Thomas was in the kitchen by the sink, scrubbing a cucumber beneath the tap.
They were on the same page, apparently, with the need for more content.
“It’s not the request I would’ve chosen,” Scott remarked. “But you’ve made me enjoy everything else, minus the balloons, so let’s see how it goes.”
Thomas spun to face him, clutching the cucumber. He raised it to Scott. “I was actually considering the pineapple.”
“Pineapple!”
“I think we can do it.”
