The Covenant (The Billionairess, #3)

Chapter 5: Dirty Photos

I woke up in a warm haze. As my eyes fluttered open, I squinted against the sunlight beaming from the window. I was out of the playroom and back in me and Rose's bedroom. We must have stumbled back into bed sometime after our scene.

I groaned and rolled onto my side, stretching my arm out to wrap it around Rose. But all I felt next to me was empty sheets, and instead of her golden face I was greeted by the green numbers of the digital clock next to our bed: 10:04am.

Damn, I slept in.

I threw my legs over the side of the bed and stretched. Rose had a day off from work that day, and we agreed to discuss what to do over breakfast. Although, I guess it would be brunch then.

I stood up, threw on a bathrobe, and headed towards the kitchen. There I saw Rose standing at the kitchen isle. She was dressed her long, silky red robe with her back turned to me. Her eyes were glazed down at her laptop on the counter.

A sleepy smile crept onto my face. I approached her quietly, and wrappped my arms around her from behind. I gave her peck on the cheek and said, "Good morning, mistress."

She didn't respond. In fact, she didn't even seem to be moving, completely frozen. Her eyes were glued to the computer screen.

"Mistress?" I asked. "Is something wrong?"

A beat passed, and Rose took the laptop and turned to face me.

"Thomas," she said. Her voice was breathless and her eyes are frightened. The sight startled me. I was not used to seeing my mistress afraid. "Look."

I adjusted my glasses and looked at the screen. Every sentence sent my stomach sinking further and further into the floor.

To Miss Rose Delacourt and Mr. Thomas Luxembourg

Attached to this message you will find several files. Do not bother deleting them, for I have copies of my own. If you do not wish these files and the information contained to be released into the public, you must reply to this email and follow my exact instructions.

Below the message were three separate files. I looked at Rose.

"What are they?" I asked.

She bit her lip.

"Look yourself," she said.

I clicked the first file. It was the manuscript for Aboard Poseidon, but it had my name on it, and included in the file was a confidential contract between my publisher and I—one with my real name, not my pseudonym.

In other words, proof that I was J. T. Lumas.

"My god..." I said. "How did..."

"It gets worse," Rose said. "Look at the others."

I clicked the second file. This one was a series of pictures and short clips. All of them of Rose. One of Rose in a leather corset in some dark room, whipping a man I had never seen before. Another was her with Belle and Eddie, tying them up and spanking them. Another was her exchanging cash with a man who had scars along his arms.

"These..." I said.

"Photos from my...professional dominators days," Rose said. "When I did kink professionally to pay the bills before I could get Delacourt Enterprises off the ground."

My hands were shaking on the keyboard. Dear god, how could this get worse? I clicked the last attachment. It was a video, a couple minutes long.

I watched in horror. It was the playroom. I watched as Rose and I from last night stumbled into room. You could see our faces and everything. I watched as past Rose tied up past me and started whipping me. I felt so violated. Someone has recorded us without either of us knowing.

I stumbled back until my back hit the fridge. I was shaking all over.

"They..." I stuttered. "They...have have all of that?"

Rose nodded her head and shut the laptop.

"I already checked the playroom, and I couldn't find any cameras in there. Whoever put them there must have snuck back it and grabbed them after we went to bed. I already called the hotel security as well as someone who can track the email. Whoever did this must be some high-level hacker, because any security footage or digital traces can't be found anywhere. It's all been erased."

I was shaking. I felt like I was going to vomit.

"What..." I stuttered. "What...what do we do?"

Rose let out a sigh.

"I don't know," she said. "I've called more people who can investigate into this. In the mean time...we need to figure out who could have done this."

She set the laptop aside and approached me, grabbing me by the shoulders and forcing me to look her in the eyes.

"Listen, Thomas," she said. "This person has information that could expose you as J. T. Lumas, expose my history of sex work to the public, and reveal to the world that our relationship is more than professional. All three of those things combined could be a massive scandal, and ruin both of our reputations. We need to figure out who this person is fast, or else we're both in huge trouble."

"Yeah...you're right, okay..." I said. "Then...where do we even start...?"

Rose's eyes sharpened.

"I can't say for certain," she said. "But I have an idea."