I stare at the screen.
We haven’t been in contact since he complained about losing his exclusive. He’s been quiet ever since—which I’ve taken as a blessing.
The message reads:
I have some sensitive information that you’ll want to know about. We need to meet. In person.
My jaw tightens.
I should delete the message.
Hell, I should block his number, and go back to writing my song in peace.
But I don’t.
Because there’s something in the wording. Not his usual smug manipulation or thinly veiled threat.Sensitive information.You’ll want to know.
I shoot back a reply.Where and when?
It takes less than a minute for the dots to appear.He was waiting.
The Waverly, back room. One hour.
I sigh and set my notebook aside.
Guess I’m having lies for dinner tonight.
***
The place is dark wood and brass polish, soaked in jazz and secrets. Jake's already nursing something neat at the far booth, looking like he owns the room. His Rolex catches the low light when he lifts his glass, but it’s the smirk that sets my teeth on edge.
“I wasn’t sure you’d come,” he says, sliding a drink toward me. I don’t touch it.
“Make it quick.”
He doesn’t flinch. Just reaches into his messenger bag and pulls out a tablet.
“Fine. Let’s skip the foreplay.”He unlocks the screen, swipes to a video file, and hits play.“Because you’re being played, Max.”
That stops me. Cold.
On the screen: a clunky old fan forum.
Banner up top:Storm & Silence Forever.
The site’s a relic—bare-bones layout, glitchy fonts, the kind of place you'd expect to find grainy bootleg tour photos and fanfics typed out on someone's mom's computer.
The screen recording scrolls down—posts, usernames, dated comments.
But one name keeps repeating:Nora_D.
My mouth goes dry.
Jake narrates like a smug museum tour guide. “She was posting here for years. Always about you. Always obsessively detailed.”
The video pauses on a post with bolded text. My eyes snap to it.
If I get knocked up, that’s basically retirement.The librarian angle makes me look innocent—men like that eat it up.Volunteering at events he might show up to = step one.
