The Exposure

   He felt light for the first time in years. “Yeah, I suppose I am. Is it that obvious?”

   Nathaniel nodded. “When I first came in here, you looked like someone had kicked your puppy. Now, all of a sudden, you look like you could go off and fight dragons.”

   “He looks blissfully in love,” Abby agreed. Her phone vibrated with an incoming text and she reached for it.

   Luke slapped his hands on his thighs. “Nathaniel. Abby. I know we were supposed to talk about the new club, but if you’ll excuse me—”

   “Looks like you may need to start fighting those dragons sooner rather than later,” Abby said. When she looked up from her phone, she was frowning.

   “Why? What’s wrong?”

   She held up her phone. “Meagan just sent a text. She figured out who was blackmailing her.”

   His heart pounded so hard, he could hear it in his head. “Who?” Tell me. I’ll fucking kill him.

   “It’s her brother.” She shook her head. “I don’t like the way this sounds. She said she’s going over to his place to confront him.”

   In a perfect world, Luke wouldn’t have to worry about Meagan talking with her brother. After all, he was family. But the truth remained. He had threatened her and the possibility existed he might follow through with his threat.

   “Shit,” Luke said. “I don’t know where he lives.”

   Nathaniel stood up. “Give me his name. I’ll find him for you.”

   * * *

   Meagan pulled up to her brother’s apartment, noting his truck was parked near the front door. She’d almost thought to call before showing up, thinking maybe he’d be working. Then she decided that it would be more likely for him to publish his book than for that to happen, so she didn’t call. Besides, she didn’t want to give anything away.

   She rehearsed in her mind what she was going to say. And, after she said it, she was going to insist he get some help. His refusal was not an option.

   She tapped her foot while she waited for him to answer the doorbell. If all went according to her plan, this visit shouldn’t take very long and then she’d work on getting Luke back.

   “Yeah?”

   It wasn’t Jake who answered the door. Nor was it his roommate, Ray. She didn’t recognize this man, but something about him looked familiar.

   “I’m here to see Jake,” she finally said.

   He stepped to the side and waved her inside. “He’s passed out in his bedroom, but you can wait for him to wake up if you want. He shouldn’t be out too much longer.”

   Waiting with a stranger for Jake to wake up wasn’t very high on her list of fun ways to spend a few hours. But she didn’t have anything else to do and now that she was at his apartment, she really didn’t want to make the trip again.

   Like her visit before, she wasn’t about to sit on any of the nasty furniture. She switched her purse to the other arm and tried to get as comfortable as she could.

   The strange guy sat on the couch, watching her with a faint amused expression on his face. It was annoying. Like he was in on a joke she didn’t know about.

   Why did he look so familiar?

   Finally, she couldn’t ignore it anymore. “What?” she asked him.

   “You,” he said. “Standing there like you’re too good to sit down.”

   “I’m sorry,” she said. “I don’t believe I caught your name. I’m Meagan, Jake’s sister.”

   He kept on smiling. “I know who you are, Meagan Bishop.”

   The hair on the back of her neck stood up. Something about this guy was off. She took a step closer to the door. “Funny. I don’t have a clue who you are.”

   “I’m a friend of your brother’s.” He nodded to the couch. “Sit down and I’ll tell you more.”

   “That couch is filthy. I’m not about to mess up my clothes by sitting on it.” The couch in question had several dark stains. They didn’t look fresh, but even if they were dry, there was no telling what else was on that thing. “Some kid could probably do a science experiment on what’s growing on it.”

   The amused expression left the guy’s face, quickly replaced by an icy stare that chilled her. “You little bitch. You think you’re better than me, don’t you?”

   “No, I just think I’m cleaner.” She tilted her head. “Scratch that. I know I’m cleaner.”

   He sat there smiling and it was, hands down, the creepiest thing she’d ever experienced. She sighed deeply and then regretted it as the smell of unwashed male assaulted her nose. And still he watched her. That was enough. She had to get out. It didn’t matter that she would have to come back later. Anything was better than staying in the nasty apartment with that creepy guy.

   “I’m going to go.” She took another step toward the door. “Tell Jake I came by and I’ll call him later.” And she’d make damn sure the next time she came by that creepy guy wouldn’t be here.

   “Are you going to see DeVaan?”

   Her hand stopped halfway to the doorknob and the uneasy feeling she had grew stronger.

   “So funny,” he said. “You see, I got this e-mail from someone I’d been corresponding with and she told me to fuck off. I’ve been spending the last few days trying to decide what I was going to do about it. How I was going to punish her. And now I don’t have to. Because she simply walked right into my hands.”

   She froze, trying to process his words. They didn’t make sense. None of it made sense. She spun around, facing the man who had to be The Taskmaster. “Who are you?”

   He stood up and she moved closer to the door, wanting to leave, but in the same breath, wanting to know why and now, even more, who.