Reed drops like a stone, blood pouring from his nose, unconscious before he hits the stage floor.
The audience erupts in cheers and applause, chanting. Mason and Dylan exchange a look, then cross the stage together.
“Let us take care of the trash,” Mason says loud enough for the audience to hear.
They each grab one of Reed’s legs and start dragging him toward the stairs, his head bouncing on the stage floor.
“Wait!” Rex suddenly appears from backstage, running onto the stage with two security guards. “Stop! You can’t just?—”
Jasper steps forward. “You can be next if you want.”
The security guards actually back up, hands raised.
Rex stares at the audience, thousands of angry men now on their feet, many recording everything on their phones, all of them clearly on our side, and his face pales.
“This is assault!” Rex tries. “I’m calling the police!”
“Good,” Dylan calls back as he and Mason continue dragging Reed’s limp body down the stairs. “Call them. I’m sure they’d love to hear about the fraud, the theft, and everything else Reed’s been doing.”
They disappear backstage with Reed. He deserves every bit of pain and humiliation that’s coming to him.
I realize my hands are shaking. Adrenaline is crashing through my system in waves. So many people in the audience have their phones out, recording everything. This is going to be everywhere within hours. Reed’s career is over. His reputation is destroyed beyond repair.
Jasper appears at my side, his hand gentle on my arm. “Are you okay? We tried to get here as fast as we could once we received your messages.”
I nod shakily. “I’m fine. Just… that was intense.”
Slater joins us, immediately wrapping an arm around me. “You did amazing,” he whispers against my hair. “So proud of you. Did he hurt you? Tell me the truth.”
“My scalp hurts where he pulled my hair, but I’m okay.”
He kisses my forehead. “Let Jasper take you out of here while Mason, Dylan, and I deal with the mess. The police are probably coming. There’s going to be questions.”
Jasper takes my hand. “Come on. Let’s get you somewhere safe.”
He leads me down the stairs, and as we stroll up the center aisle toward the exit, something unexpected happens. People start clapping.
First just a few, then more, and then the entire section we’re passing through erupts in applause.
Jasper keeps moving, guiding me gently but firmly toward the exit. We finally make it outside into the cold air, and I can breathe again. The parking lot is chaos—people streaming out of the building, some on phones, probably calling lawyers or credit card companies.
Jasper leads me to the four-wheel drive, helps me into the passenger seat, and immediately starts the car to get the heat going.
“Here.” He pulls a blanket from the back seat and wraps it around me. “You’re shaking.” Then I’m in his arms, and I let myself collapse against his chest, finally processing everything that just happened.
I actually did it. It didn’t go exactly to plan, but it was so much better than I could have imagined. The truth is out. Thousands of people saw it. Thousands more will see the videos that are probably already uploading to social media.
Reed is finished.
Even if it was terrifying there for a moment when he had me by the hair, when I wasn’t sure if anyone would reach me in time, it was worth it.
“I’m so proud of you,” Jasper murmurs. “So brave and brilliant. I’ve never been more attracted to you than I was watching you stand up there and destroy him.”
I laugh shakily. After an hour, Slater comes to collect us to give statements to the police.
Three hours later, after providing copies of my video evidence, watching Reed and Rex both get arrested and led away in handcuffs is beyond satisfying.
And when it’s finally over, I feel something I haven’t felt in a very long time.
