Chapter 3

Cameron’s POV

I woke up with a jolt.

My head was pounding, my throat dry, and my entire body felt like it had been set on fire and then tossed into an ice bath. I wasn’t in my dorm. I wasn’t even in my bed. The room around me was dark, but as my vision cleared, I saw the scattered beer bottles, the crumpled-up plastic cups, and the unmistakable stink of cheap cologne and alcohol.

The frat party.

And then it hit me.

Brandon.

The kiss.

My heart lurched into my throat. Oh my God.

I shot up so fast I nearly tripped over my own feet. My breathing was shallow, panicked, my hands shaking as I wiped at my lips like I could erase what happened. What the hell did I do? What the hell happened?!

I needed to get out of here.

I stumbled out of the room, my legs feeling like jelly. My brain was a mess—half memories and half pure, raw panic. The taste of him was still on my lips. My skin still tingled from his touch. The worst part? I didn’t know if I was more horrified by what I’d done or by the fact that I didn’t hate it.

I shoved that thought aside and sprinted down the hall. The party had mostly died down, a few guys passed out on couches, empty beer kegs rolling around on the floor. No one paid attention to me as I threw open the door and ran into the cold night air.

Daniel was already outside, pacing.

His head snapped up when he saw me. “Dude. Where the hell have you been?”

I sucked in a breath, trying to pull myself together. “I—” My voice cracked. “The plan—it didn’t—”

Daniel grabbed my arm, dragging me away from the house. “Forget the plan. We have a problem.”

I stopped walking. “What?”

Daniel ran a hand through his hair, looking around like someone might be listening. Then he leaned in, voice low. “The camera is gone.”

My stomach dropped.

No. No, no, no, no.

I grabbed his jacket. “What do you mean it’s gone?! We hid it behind the beer cases!”

“I know! But when I went to grab it—poof. Gone.”

I swore under my breath. This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening.

“The footage,” I whispered. “Someone has the footage.”

Daniel nodded grimly.

I clenched my fists. My head was still spinning, my body still betraying me with the ghost of Brandon’s touch. But none of that mattered now. If someone saw what happened—if someone had proof—then everything was over.

My phone buzzed.

I swallowed hard, pulling it out of my pocket with trembling fingers. Unknown Number.

My pulse pounded as I unlocked my screen. A message popped up.

"Nice performance last night, Holloway. Want the world to see? Pay up."

Attached was a photo.

I stopped breathing.

It was me and Brandon.

My body is against his. His hands gripped my waist. My lips on his.

My knees almost buckled.

I scrolled down.

"$10,000. Send it now, or everyone finds out what kind of guy you really are."

My lungs squeezed so tight I thought I might pass out.

Daniel peered over my shoulder. His eyes widened. “Oh, sh*t.”

I couldn’t speak. I couldn't think. My entire world was caving in on itself.

I needed that footage gone.

I typed back with shaking hands.

"Who are you?"

The response was immediate.

"Not your concern. Money. Now."

Daniel cursed under his breath. “Dude, what are you gonna do?”

I was gonna fix this. That’s what I was gonna do.

I opened my banking app, my fingers moving on autopilot. I’d just throw money at the problem, like always. My father had always said money made things disappear.

I clicked into my account.

Then I froze.

Account Balance: $24.15

“What the—” I stared at the screen, my stomach twisting. I scrolled through my transactions, my pulse spiking when I saw the words in bold letters:

CREDIT CARD FROZEN.

I felt sick.

I knew why. It was the stupid election campaign. I’d blown through so much money trying to win the fraternity presidency, trying to buy votes, trying to prove I was still somebody. And now? Now I had nothing.

I turned to Daniel, my pride shriveling up like a dead leaf.

“I need to borrow money,” I said through clenched teeth.

Daniel hesitated. “How much?”

“Ten thousand.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Are you freaking kidding me?”

“I’ll pay you back, I swear.”

Daniel exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face. “This is insane.” But he pulled out his phone anyway. “I better get this back.”

I nodded, even though we both knew I had no way of paying him back.

A few agonizing minutes later, the transfer went through.

I typed out the message with cold fingers.

"Money sent. Delete everything."

A few seconds passed. Then another.

And then my phone buzzed again.

"Good boy. But we’re not done."

My blood ran cold.

"$20,000. Or the video goes viral."

I almost threw my phone across the parking lot.

Daniel saw the message and swore. “Dude. They’re playing you.”

“No sh*t!” My voice cracked. My chest was tight, my stomach twisting so hard I thought I’d throw up.

I pressed my hands into my face, forcing myself to breathe. This was getting worse. Way worse.

I didn’t have twenty grand. I didn’t even have ten.

But I couldn’t let this get out.

I couldn’t let anyone see those photos. That video.

I had to fix this.

I swallowed hard, my mind racing.

I only had one option left.

I had to find out who was behind this.

And then?

I had to shut them up—for good.