“Bren,” I said slowly. “Are you okay? Have you been following the news? Do you know what’s happened?”
“Oh yeah,” she said happily, plopping herself down on a raggedy couch. “I know. It’s awesome isn’t it? I hope those DUP dipshits get their cocks cut off at the root.”
I gaped. I admit I didn’t have a good recollection of the party because of the pot I’d smoked. But my memory was that Brenda and Vera had been going at it like a couple of sluts, doing girl on girl, girl on guy, two girls on guy, gang bang in every single combination possible. And loving it, spreading their legs for all, according to my hazy memory.
But I said nothing of that.
“Bren,” I continued slowly. “Why did you talk to the reporter? Why didn’t you go to the hospital like I suggested?”
“Oh you!” she pooh-poohed. “You’re always so unimaginative, such a straight arrow. I was treated unfairly at the party and you know, those boys had it coming,” she said conspiratorially in a hushed voice. “There have been allegations of violence against some of them in the past, hazing and all that shit.”
This just confused me even more.
“But Bren, there was no hazing that night,” I said slowly. “It’s fall semester and hazing for DUP occurs in the spring. Why did the Rolling Stone article say that the rape was part of a pledge ritual?”
“God, Karina,” she huffed again, this time rolling her eyes. “Who cares about details like that? Hazing is hazing, I’m sure it’s a year-long thing even if pledging formally occurs in the spring. Plus, Vera would corroborate my story, it’s just that she’s getting married and doesn’t’ want the exposure,” she snapped.
“Vera was at the party, I remember that,” I said, shaking my head. “But you guys were talking to guys and partying hard, right? I mean, when did the alleged rape happen?”
“That night!” exclaimed Brenda, exasperated. “You were there!”
“I can’t remember much,” I said slowly. “You know that Bren.”
Turning the tables on me suddenly, Brenda said, “I can’t believe you’re not being a supportive friend,” her expression turning nasty. “You’re so concerned about yourself, your brothers, how this is going to affect YOU. You haven’t given any thought to how awful I feel. I’m the victim, you know!” she spat.
I sat back, floored at her bad attitude. Of course Brenda deserved sympathy but she was just coming off as a spoiled princess. Whatever the reporter had seen in her … I dunno, but my friend was demonstrating very little credibility right now.
“Bren,” I tried again slowly. “How did you know Cole, the dude at the party who let us in?” Cole had been the sandy-haired guy, the one who’d told Brenda to bring her friends. He’d answered the door to the room that night.
“I know, isn’t he cute?” she gushed. “Cole’s in my Anthro 1 class, I’ve had the biggest crush on him since like forever. He seemed interested, but I wanted to fast-track him, you know what I mean? To realize that I’m hot property on campus,” she giggled.
“Karina,” she continued, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “I had my old friend from high school text Cole.”
“Text him about what?” I asked confusedly.
“Oh you know, just telling Cole what an awesome catch I am, how Cole’s lucky to know me, all that kind of stuff. I expect Cole to be asking me out soon,” she said triumphantly.
That definitely wasn’t happening. Cole was probably squirreled away in a dorm room somewhere burning all his DUP stuff, trying to stay low profile. But clearly Brenda was out of touch with reality, believing that Cole was going to be pursuing a possible love interest at this catastrophic point in his life.
I sighed and shook my head. This was the most confusing, mixed-up conversation I’d ever had with anyone, bar none. I stood up to go.
“Listen Bren, I still think you should go to the police, to the student crisis center, professionals who can help you sort out your emotions,” I said bleakly. “I’m not sure you’ve realized the full import of what’s happened, how this is affecting other people.”
“Other people?” she screeched. “It’s about me, can’t you see? I wasn’t named in the article but all the right people know it was me,” she winked. “Go home Karina. You never had a sense of humor.”
Humor? This was humorous? With nothing left to say, I turned to leave.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Caden
Our sister did really well. First, she pointed out the obvious discrepancy with pledging. There was no pledging ritual during the fall, all that stuff takes place in the spring when the weather’s warm. Secondly, and more important, was Brenda’s obsession with Cole. I remembered the dude, the sandy haired one who’d been stoned during the party. What was his role?
Evidently Brenda had a crush on him and had put up a high school friend to sing her praises. This already sounded fucked up and I briefed Phipps on the issue.
“So yeah, there’s some dude that the victim was crushing on,” I said into the phone. “Some stoner dude who’s a brother in the frat.”
“I’ve got better news for you than that,” said Phipps dryly. “There’s no high school friend whatsoever.”
“What do you mean?” I asked confusedly.
“Yeah, this girl is way off her rocker,” confirmed Phipps. “She made up a third party to persuade Cole that she was worth dating. It’s fucked up. She was catfishing the poor guy, pretending to be her own high school friend.”
“But how did she do it?” I asked. “I mean, shit, that takes a lot of work.”
I could almost hear Phipps shrug over the phone.
“It’s not that hard,” he said. “She used ISPs which allow you to text without a cell. Lots of people use it to spoof.”
“Man,” I grunted. “This girl is even more fucked up than I thought. What about the married chick, what’s her role in all of this?”
“Ah Vera,” said Phipps. “Yeah, she’s basically dropped off the face of the earth as far as I can tell. She withdrew from the university and isn’t taking any calls, isn’t making any purchases, hasn’t shown her face in public ever since the scandal broke. She should have been interviewed for the Rolling Stone article, but as you can tell, not a lot of due diligence happened,” said Phipps dryly.
“Thanks,” I said, concluding the conversation. “Just send your bill to the usual address.”
I hung up and thought for a moment. As fucked up as it sounded, Brenda had likely concocted the entire scandal in order to get Cole’s attention. She had a crush on the dude, had made up a fake friend in order to convince him to date her, and now things had spiraled out of control. Now a rape scandal engulfed the university … all because she wanted a date.
I sighed. I felt sorry for the poor girl more than anything, she was so messed-up in the head. But actions have consequences and I wasn’t going to stand by doing nothing.
I picked up the phone again.
“Jake,” I growled as soon as he picked up. “I’ve got a request.”
“Anything, my brother,” said the CEO of Sterling Pharma. “We’re at your disposal.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Karina
Somehow everything’s spun around once again. Whereas the initial outcry from the rape scandal was outraged, somehow the tables have turned and Brenda’s story is slowly being discredited.
The first week after the article was terrible. There were protests in the main quad, Gloria Steinem made a speech about sexual violence on campus, and all Greek activities were temporarily suspended. Plus, the Police Department opened an investigation and all anyone could talk about in class were the horrific events of that night.
“Did you hear?” whispered a girl in back of me. “I heard that Brenda Bey’s the victim.”
“Oh really?” chimed in another, in a hushed voice. “I heard it was Vera Mack, but the Sterling twins’ involvement is what gets me. I mean, really? Plus,” she added in a scandalized whisper, “I heard that the twi
ns dance at a Vegas club in their free time. Can you believe it?” she giggled. “Billionaires dancing for dollars? Oh my god, one of them’s here!” she squealed. “Is that Caden or Caleb?”
I’d just seen Cade walk in as well, sauntering like he owned the place, his backpack slung casually over his shoulder. He wasn’t in our class – he was just picking me up.
Unaware of the girls in back of us, he leaned over to give me a casual peck on the cheek. “Hey sis, ready to roll?”
“Yeah,” I said tightly. “Come on, let’s go,” I said, refusing to even look at the women in back of us. It was so humiliating so I walked fast, refusing to look at my step, my eyes on the ground with my cheeks flushed.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked, easily keeping up, loping by my side. “Why are you so defensive today?”
I didn’t even slow. “Let’s go,” I said shortly. “Keep moving.”
“Hey hey hey,” he said, holding his hands up. “No need to act like you’re guilty. No one’s looking, you know.”
That made me stop short, gazing up at him with searching eyes.
“Cade, everyone’s talking,” I told him. “Those girls giggling when you swung by – they were gossiping about you. They knew, somehow they knew, that you guys danced in Vegas.”
That made my brother frown. “Shit, damage control isn’t doing enough,” he growled. “We’re going to have to settle this once and for all.”
When we got back to the apartment, Caleb was lounging in the love seat, desultorily looking over the school paper, which of course, was covered with news about the scandal. The headlines hadn’t improved. “SEXUAL VIOLENCE REACHES A PEAK ON AMERICAN CAMPUSES,” “DID WE DO ENOUGH FOR OUR GIRLS?” that kind of thing. I almost cried, I was so exhausted from the turn of events.
“What gives brother? Sister,” Caleb nodded, looking up as we rushed in. He flashed a million dollar smile and I melted a bit, still undone by that amazing physique, the big body imposing yet relaxed in the armchair.
“Seems like Phipps hasn’t done quite enough,” replied Cade. “We’re going to have to pull out the big guns.”
“Hold on,” said Caleb. “Jake’s called in the troops, we just need to let everything seep in. Bey’s going to pay, just wait and see.”
I was totally confused. “What do you mean, called in the troops? How is Jake involved in this?” I asked. Jake was their older brother, but he had a full-time job as CEO of a biotech. What could he do about a campus rape crisis?
Seemingly reading my mind, Caleb said, “Sterling Pharma didn’t get to where it is today through sheer luck. Jake and Matt pushed Sterling products, they know how to work the press, how to spin a story, they know all the right people to sway public opinion,” he said simply. “Trust me … the Sterling machine is already in play.”
I gasped. “But how? How are you going to disprove a Rolling Stone piece?”
Both men laughed.
“Little sis, not everything you read is accurate,” assured Cade. “You know that, there’s so much bullshit out there, the right-wing press, the left-wing ultraliberals, that sort of shit. Everyone has an agenda, and now it’s time to put our interests in the forefront.”
“But … those girls today, they knew about your stripper past,” I said slowly. “I’m not sure they knew about Lucky Paradise Two per se, but they were discussing rumors that you guys moonlighted as dancers.”
Caleb shrugged. “It’s collateral damage,” he said tightly. “Of course, we’d rather the world not know, but if it came down to stripping versus a twinsex reveal, we’d take the stripper story any day.”
I shook my head, confused. “But there’s video footage of you guys at the club, grinding on each other, right? How are you going to control it?” I asked plaintively. “This thing has a life of its own.”
“Well for starters,” drawled Cade, “There’s video of us dancing together, sure, even grinding, but nothing ever penetrates, we don’t do anything but rub. It’s a dirty rub,” he acknowledged, making me flush, inadvertently aroused by the mental picture of their cocks in banana slings, “but there’s nothing actually pushing into holes or that kind of thing.”
“Yeah,” I said slowly. “But more generally, how are you going to combat all these details that are coming out?”
“We’re discrediting Brenda,” said Cade simply. “Making her seem like a fool and pretty soon, anything associated with her is going to be bullshit,” he said. “It’s already started. We don’t want the world to know that we’re behind it, so it’s got to seem independent, but … she’s on her way down.”
“Sister,” added Caleb. “Didn’t you see that piece on the Phipps blogroll?”
I nodded. I’d seen the post but figured it was just a blip. Some journalist named James Phipps had expressed doubts about the Sandy crisis, saying that you should be “critical, in the best sense of the word” about stories that just confirm your own biases. He said that as a former editor, "something about this story doesn’t feel right," noting that it relied entirely on one unnamed source. Friends and acquaintances weren't interviewed, and the reporter apparently made no effort to contact the alleged rapists.
“You were behind that?” I asked suspiciously. “How do you know James Phipps?”
“He’s worked for Sterling before,” said Cade lightly. “And he appreciates a tip. We didn’t provide a scoop or anything like that. We just needed to get the ball rolling, and pointed him in the right direction,” he said with total command.
The fog was starting to dissipate, my eyes beginning to clear.
“So the Phipps blog post was the first in a series of strikes,” I said slowly. “What’s next?”
“You’ll see,” said Caleb cheekily. “This is going to turn out a thousand times worse for Brenda than she ever expected. Plus,” he added, “if she thinks Cole Whitehouse is going to ask her out now … she’s got another think coming.”
I knew that already. My friend, or maybe ex-friend, was so delusional about boys in general and Cole in particular, so she was totally off the reservation in that respect. But there was still another problem.
“Brothers,” I said slowly. “Does your family know now that you dance? That you’re into twinsex? That we’re together?” I said slowly. “Because if Sterling is running an investigation, then these things are going to be revealed.”
Both my brothers’ expressions grew tight.
“That, little girl, is something we have to find out,” he said. “We’re flying to San Francisco tonight to meet with the fam. God help us,” he added with a grim look. “Your mom, my dad, my brothers, your sisters, they’re all going to be there.”
Oh no, I thought, totally deflated. Armageddon was indeed coming.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Karina
It was as awful as could be. We walked into the living room of the townhouse and there sat our families, grim looks on their faces. My mom Mary was waiting, as well as the twins’ dad Harold, their brothers Jake and Matt, and my older sisters, Jenna and Tina. Thank god my younger sister Callie couldn’t make it. There were small blessings to be grateful for.
As usual, Jenna, the bitch, started up with no introduction.
“How could this happen?” she screeched. “Was that Rolling Stone story about you? Were you the one raped?”
I shook my head, exasperatedly. “No Jenna, it wasn’t me, I’m totally fine,” I reassured everyone.
But she wasn’t done yet. “Then why is Sterling a part of this? If you guys are innocent,” she spat, turning to include Caden and Caleb, “why has the family company been dragged into this mess?”
My mom intervened smoothly. “Jenna, before we start, let’s take this one step at a time, shall we? Harold and I haven’t gotten married yet, so the Sterlings haven’t technically merged with the Walshes.”
That shut my sister up. I knew she was a social climber, how badly she wanted to be associated with the wealthy Sterling brothers. But I could tell Jake and Matt
were disgusted by her. Jake, because he’d dated her casually before marrying Tina, and Matt because he was Matt. He was never going to like harpies like Jenna, no matter how skinny and blonde they were.
But Caden and Caleb could handle themselves.
“Hey everyone, we appreciate your input,” said Cade casually. “It’s been a shock, but we called this gathering to be a little more open about everything. Especially since marriage certificates are about to be signed and all that,” he added, nodding reassuringly to my mom. I was grateful for that gesture. My mom and Harold deserved to move forward with their plans regardless of what happened.
“Yeah,” added Caleb. “We want to be open and honest and establish a base of trust so that anyone can come forward with their secrets.”
“You mean you’re not actually undergrads at NYU?” asked Jenna sarcastically. “Wow, could have fooled me.”
“No, we’re legitimate returning students,” said Cade slowly. “It’s more our … other hobbies, if you will.”
Harold Sterling looked troubled. “What other hobbies?” he asked, his frown intensifying. “Why haven’t I heard of this? I thought you guys worked for the company.”
“Lighten up Dad,” said Cade. “It’s not that bad. Caleb and I were getting bored at Sterling Pharma, so we decided to take on a second job dancing at clubs in Vegas.”
The shock was immediate, silence descending on the room. “You’re go-go dancers?” cawed Jenna. “Unbelievable! Billionaire boys dancing for dollars,” she jeered.
This time, Jake couldn’t hold back. I knew he hated my sister with a vengeance, but wasn’t aware of how deep that antipathy lay. Snarling, he turned on her. “Shut the fuck up, you know nothing.”
Matt then stepped in, clapping a hand on his brother’s shoulder.
“Hey lighten up, everyone’s overreacting,” he said smoothly, although his gaze was as cold as ice in my sister’s direction. “Let’s just hear what the twins have to say.”
Double Exposure: A Dark MMF Bisexual Romance Page 20
