Defamed: Book Three (bxb) ✔️

Chapter Eight: Scared

Cameron Windsor

My phone wouldn't stop ringing, no matter how many times I screamed for it to stop. My brothers knew, and they wouldn't leave me be for five seconds. I went home. My new home. I was hiding in the corner of my room. I didn't realize how much damage one news story could do. And it was all because the words didn't come from my mouth. I only lived to create trauma for others while being buried underneath years of it.

Everyone knew why I turned into a monster.

Everyone knew why I no longer emitted sunshine.

Everyone knew.

My phone rang again, and a broken sob left my throat when I lifted it to see Cade's name on the screen. I couldn't avoid them, and I wouldn't worry them further than they already were. There was no doubt in my mind that they'd contacted Asher and found out that I disappeared. I'd been gone for over an hour--there was no way they didn't know. They were stuck in Korea, and I promised myself and them that I wouldn't make them worry the way they once did. They had to know that I wasn't going to commit because I knew it would be difficult after my story was leaked several weeks before it was supposed to be.

I touched the answer button and held it to my ear, my voice hardly able to cooperate. "What are the chances you were worried ab--"

"Cameron, holy shit." I leaned my head back against the wall and cried as I heard Carter's voice. "Cameron! Where are you? Are you okay?! Holy shit, I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do! Get me a ticket home! Now!" Cade said something in a rushed tone to Carter before I heard him again. "Cameron," He asked in a considerably calmer voice that didn't suit the shake that was also present. "Where are you?"

I closed my eyes, crying silently. "Home. I'm at home."

"Okay, okay. Are you alright? Physically?"

I nodded like he could see me, but he couldn't. "I'm okay, I'm okay, I promise. I'm not going to do anything, I swear."

"What do you need? What can we do?"

My eyes widened as I picked my head off the wall. I couldn't tell my brothers about Asher right now, I couldn't. It wasn't the time. But there was one person who already knew. One person who kept my secret. "Ace! Let me talk to Ace. Please, Cade. Off speaker. I'm trusting all of you. Please."

"Okay, hold on. Hold on." I heard distant voices, and I heard the moment the phone was taken off speaker. The shift in wind told me Ace had hold of the phone now, and was confirmed when I heard his voice. "Cameron?"

"You're the only one who knows, and I know my brothers are going through it right now. I know that. But they're not here. I can't...I can't do much."

"It's okay, I understand." Ace released a breath. "I'm the only one who knows what, Cameron?"

I dropped my head and pulled my knees to my chest. "It's Asher's birthday today, Ace. I made him a cake, and I was bringing it to him and Megan. Megan wanted to put the news on for the adopted dogs today, and then the story broke..."

"Shit." I heard him shift. Move. He did something. But he also lowered his voice. "You said he didn't know."

"Ace..." I trailed off, trying to catch my breath. "Ace, Asher thought I cheated on him. I was going to tell him everything tomorrow--when it wasn't his birthday. But when I told him I cheated on him, I truly thought I had, but I didn't. I didn't. I never would have, and in the back of my mind, I knew that. When I left his dorm that morning on my way to see Carter, I received an email with the video file of my assault. I never turned back. I never told him. For eight years, all he knew was that I cheated on him. Now, I'm stuck in this situation because my brothers don't know, but they know almost everything now. I can't do anything for them. I can't even do anything for Asher, and he's in the same city. The same house. How the fuck am I supposed to do this?"