Gavin\u2019s\u00a0POV<\/p>\n
My\u00a0hands shook\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0my\u00a0phone.<\/p>\n
Drugged??\u00a0Monty\u00a0named the\u00a0first\u00a0file.\u00a0I\u00a0looked\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0hospital\u00a0door\u00a0behind\u00a0me,\u00a0knowing\u00a0that\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0other\u00a0side\u00a0of\u00a0that\u00a0door\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0woman\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0trust.\u00a0Eliza\u00a0was\u00a0off\u00a0getting\u00a0that\u00a0paternity\u00a0test\u00a0done,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0about\u00a0to\u00a0have\u00a0more\u00a0answers\u00a0than\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0imagine\u00a0with\u00a0just\u00a0a\u00a0click\u00a0of\u00a0a\u00a0button.<\/p>\n
Was\u00a0I\u00a0ready\u00a0to\u00a0know\u00a0the\u00a0truth\u00a0about\u00a0that\u00a0night?<\/p>\n
With\u00a0a\u00a0deep\u00a0breath,\u00a0I\u00a0clicked\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0video.\u00a0It\u00a0started\u00a0with\u00a0Rachel\u00a0and\u00a0me\u00a0arriving\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0bar.\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0on\u00a0my\u00a0phone,\u00a0trying\u00a0to\u00a0find\u00a0a\u00a0ride\u00a0for\u00a0that\u00a0night,\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0I\u00a0set\u00a0my\u00a0phone\u00a0down\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0bar\u00a0countertop.\u00a0I\u00a0asked\u00a0the\u00a0bartender\u2019s\u00a0attention\u00a0and\u00a0ordered\u00a0myself\u00a0a\u00a0scotch\u00a0while\u00a0Rachel\u00a0ordered\u00a0a\u00a0classic\u00a0martini\u00a0with\u00a0an\u00a0olive.<\/p>\n
We\u00a0talked\u00a0while\u00a0we\u00a0waited\u00a0for\u00a0our\u00a0drinks,\u00a0and\u00a0my\u00a0phone\u00a0remained\u00a0untouched\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0bar.\u00a0The\u00a0bartender\u00a0brought\u00a0over\u00a0our\u00a0drinks,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0took\u00a0a\u00a0sip\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0scotch\u00a0while\u00a0maintaining\u00a0a\u00a0conversation\u00a0with\u00a0Rachel,\u00a0who\u00a0seemed\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0speaking\u00a0animatedly\u00a0about\u00a0something.\u00a0I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0remember\u00a0the\u00a0conversation\u00a0we\u00a0had,\u00a0which\u00a0meant\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0barely\u00a0paying\u00a0attention\u00a0to\u00a0what\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0saying.<\/p>\n
After\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0minutes,\u00a0I\u00a0got\u00a0up,\u00a0excusing\u00a0myself\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0bathroom.\u00a0I\u00a0forgot\u00a0my\u00a0phone\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0counter,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0realize\u00a0it\u00a0had\u00a0lit\u00a0up\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0message.\u00a0However,\u00a0Raechel\u00a0seemed\u00a0to\u00a0have\u00a0noticed.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0watched\u00a0her\u00a0look\u00a0around\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0moment,\u00a0making\u00a0sure\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0in\u00a0sight,\u00a0before\u00a0she\u00a0grabbed\u00a0my\u00a0phone\u00a0and\u00a0typed\u00a0something\u00a0into\u00a0it.\u00a0After\u00a0a\u00a0minute,\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0sliding\u00a0the\u00a0phone\u00a0into\u00a0her\u00a0purse.\u00a01<\/p>\n
I\u00a0remembered\u00a0looking\u00a0for\u00a0my\u00a0phone\u00a0that\u00a0evening\u00a0during\u00a0my\u00a0drunken\u00a0stupor,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0never\u00a0imagined\u00a0that\u00a0Rachel\u00a0had\u00a0stolen\u00a0it.\u00a02.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0clenched\u00a0my\u00a0fists\u00a0tightly\u00a0as\u00a0the\u00a0video\u00a0continued.<\/p>\n
Rachel\u00a0took\u00a0a\u00a0small\u00a0baggie\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0purse\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0pinch\u00a0of\u00a0whatever\u00a0powder\u00a0was\u00a0in\u00a0it.\u00a0She\u00a0glanced\u00a0around\u00a0briefly\u00a0before\u00a0she\u00a0sprinkled\u00a0it\u00a0into\u00a0my\u00a0scotch\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0stirred\u00a0it\u00a0with\u00a0her finger.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0bartender\u00a0was\u00a0completely\u00a0oblivious\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0actions.\u00a0By\u00a0the\u00a0time\u00a0I\u00a0returned,\u00a0she\u00a0put\u00a0the\u00a0baggie\u00a0back in\u00a0her\u00a0purse\u00a0and\u00a0acted\u00a0as\u00a0if\u00a0nothing\u00a0had\u00a0happened.\u00a0She\u00a0continued\u00a0her\u00a0story\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0continued\u00a0to\u00a0drink\u00a0the\u00a0scotch.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0video\u00a0ends.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u00a0the\u00a0actual\u00a0fuck?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0muttered,\u00a0my\u00a0brows\u00a0furrowed\u00a0as\u00a0my\u00a0body\u00a0trembled.<\/p>\n
Rachel\u00a0drugged\u00a0me\u00a0that\u00a0night;\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0why\u00a0I\u00a0got\u00a0overly\u00a0drunk\u00a0after\u00a0just\u00a0one\u00a0scotch.\u00a0It\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0the\u00a0alcohol;\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0whatever\u00a0Rachel\u00a0drugged\u00a0me\u00a0with.<\/p>\n
In\u00a0the\u00a0next\u00a0video,\u00a0Monty\u00a0labeled:\u00a0Call\u00a0for\u00a0help.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0pressed\u00a0play\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0video\u00a0and\u00a0watched\u00a0as\u00a0Rachel\u00a0excused\u00a0herself.\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0past\u00a0the\u00a0point\u00a0of\u00a0being\u00a0gone,\u00a0and\u00a0I could\u00a0see\u00a0the\u00a0bartender\u00a0was\u00a0worried\u00a0about\u00a0me.\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0practically\u00a0sleeping\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0bar\u00a0countertop\u00a0when\u00a0Rachel\u00a0walked\u00a0away.\u00a0I\u00a0felt\u00a0furious\u00a0that\u00a0she\u00a0would\u00a0just\u00a0leave\u00a0me there;\u00a0what\u00a0kind\u00a0of\u00a0game\u00a0was\u00a0she\u00a0playing?<\/p>\n
I\u00a0lifted\u00a0my\u00a0head\u00a0and\u00a0said\u00a0something\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0bartender.\u00a0He\u00a0nodded,\u00a0though that\u00a0worried\u00a0expression\u00a0remained\u00a0on\u00a0his\u00a0face.\u00a0He\u00a0grabbed\u00a0a\u00a0piece\u00a0of\u00a0paper\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0pen\u00a0and\u00a0handed\u00a0them\u00a0both\u00a0to\u00a0me.\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0surprised\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0able\u00a0to\u00a0write\u00a0down\u00a0anything.\u00a0I\u00a0wished\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0enhance\u00a0the\u00a0video\u00a0a\u00a0bit\u00a0more\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0what\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0writing,\u00a0but the<\/p>\n
bartender\u00a0took\u00a0it and\u00a0nodded.<\/p>\n
He\u00a0went\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0phone\u00a0and\u00a0called\u00a0someone.<\/p>\n
Who\u00a0the\u00a0fuck\u00a0was\u00a0he\u00a0calling?\u00a0<\/p>\n
The\u00a0video\u00a0ended.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The\u00a0next\u00a0video\u00a0was\u00a0called:\u00a0Help\u00a0arrives.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0time\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0video\u00a0was\u00a015\u00a0minutes\u00a0after\u00a0the\u00a0last\u00a0one.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0pressed\u00a0play,\u00a0and\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0shock,\u00a0I\u00a0watched\u00a0Judy\u00a0run\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0busy\u00a0crowds\u00a0to\u00a0get\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0bar.\u00a0She\u00a0said\u00a0something\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0bartender,\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0she\u00a0assessed\u00a0me.\u00a0I\u00a0seemed\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0coherent\u00a0enough\u00a0to\u00a0speak\u00a0to\u00a0her,\u00a0though\u00a0I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0remember\u00a0what\u00a0was\u00a0that\u00a0is\u00a0said.\u00a0My\u00a0heart\u00a0was\u00a0pounding\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0chest\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0saw\u00a0the\u00a0worried\u00a0look\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0face and\u00a0the\u00a0fact\u00a0that\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0looking\u00a0around\u00a0frantically,\u00a0maybe\u00a0looking\u00a0for\u00a0Rachel?<\/p>\n
The\u00a0bartender\u00a0had\u00a0said\u00a0something\u00a0to\u00a0her,\u00a0and\u00a0Judy\u00a0looked\u00a0grateful\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0moment.\u00a0A\u00a0couple\u00a0of\u00a0men\u00a0came\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0nowhere\u00a0and\u00a0let\u00a0out\u00a0a\u00a0low\u00a0growl\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0watched\u00a0the\u00a0video.\u00a0What\u00a0the\u00a0fuck\u00a0were\u00a0they\u00a0doing,\u00a0grabbing\u00a0me\u00a0like\u00a0that?<\/p>\n
Soon,\u00a0they\u00a0were\u00a0leaving\u00a0the\u00a0bar\u00a0with\u00a0me,\u00a0and\u00a0Judy\u00a0trailed behind.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0video\u00a0ended.<\/p>\n
Arbetsage\u00a0from\u00a0Monty\u00a0came\u00a0through\u00a0next.<\/p>\n
Monty:\u00a0Tas\u00a0next\u00a0video\u00a0is\u00a0hallway\u00a0footage.\u00a0It\u00a0took\u00a0a\u00a0while\u00a0to\u00a0find\u00a0the\u00a0exact\u00a0camera,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0finally\u00a0got\u00a0it.\u00a0This\u00a0one\u00a0is\u00a0outside\u00a0of\u00a0your\u00a0hotel\u00a0suite,<\/p>\n
I\u00a0pressed\u00a0play\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0video,\u00a0already\u00a0deep\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0rabbit\u00a0hole.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0video\u00a0began,\u00a0and\u00a0i\u00a0watched\u00a0as\u00a0those\u00a0men\u00a0continued\u00a0to\u00a0drag\u00a0me\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0hall\u00a0with\u00a0Judy\u00a0keeping\u00a0pace\u00a0behind us.\u00a0She\u00a0walked\u00a0up\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0door,\u00a0my\u00a0suite\u00a0door,\u00a0and\u00a0she\u00a0said\u00a0something.\u00a0I\u00a0lifted\u00a0my\u00a0thumb\u00a0for\u00a0her,\u00a0and\u00a0she\u00a0realized\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0thumb\u00a0lock.\u00a0She\u00a0used\u00a0my\u00a0thumb\u00a0to\u00a0unlock\u00a0the\u00a0door,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0men\u00a0dragged\u00a0me\u00a0inside.\u00a0A\u00a0minute\u00a0later,\u00a0the\u00a0men\u00a0were\u00a0leaving,\u00a0but\u00a0Judy\u00a0remained.<\/p>\n
3\/2.<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a054EE<\/p>\n
+25\u00a0Bonus<\/p>\n
The\u00a0video\u00a0ended.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0fucking\u00a0knew\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0with\u00a0me\u00a0that\u00a0night;\u00a0I\u00a0cursed\u00a0under\u00a0my\u00a0breath.\u00a0I\u00a0should\u00a0have\u00a0tried\u00a0harder\u00a0to\u00a0get\u00a0her\u00a0to\u00a0admit\u00a0it.\u00a0I\u00a0also\u00a0felt\u00a0a\u00a0strange\u00a0lightness\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0chest.\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0with\u00a0Judy\u2026\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0kissing\u00a0and\u00a0touching\u00a0her\u2026\u00a0not\u00a0Rachel.<\/p>\n
P<\/p>\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We Built a Kingdom From Ashes That Still Remembered Love by Aila Frost 568 Gavin\u2019s\u00a0POV My\u00a0hands shook\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0my\u00a0phone. Drugged??\u00a0Monty\u00a0named the\u00a0first\u00a0file.\u00a0I\u00a0looked\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0hospital\u00a0door\u00a0behind\u00a0me,\u00a0knowing\u00a0that\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0other\u00a0side\u00a0of\u00a0that\u00a0door\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0woman\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0trust.\u00a0Eliza\u00a0was\u00a0off\u00a0getting\u00a0that\u00a0paternity\u00a0test\u00a0done,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0about\u00a0to\u00a0have\u00a0more\u00a0answers\u00a0than\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0imagine\u00a0with\u00a0just\u00a0a\u00a0click\u00a0of\u00a0a\u00a0button. Was\u00a0I\u00a0ready\u00a0to\u00a0know\u00a0the\u00a0truth\u00a0about\u00a0that\u00a0night? […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21636","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shadow-slave-by-author-novelnozi-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21636","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21636"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21636\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21636"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21636"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21636"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}