Glitch (Next Level #1)(50)

“Holy shit!” I hope he’s not dead. Glitch can’t go to jail for murder. I don’t know what to do! Bending down for a better look, fear spikes my bloodstream when I see blood.

“Don’t touch him, Ara.” Glitch pulls his phone out and calmly holds it up to his ear. “I’d like to report an assault.” He gives the location and steps back a few paces. I can tell he’s furious and ready to snap. He hangs up after answering several questions, and then the flashing lights appear minutes later.

Cops arrive and take our statements.

“We were on our way out when Ara’s ex came out of nowhere and attacked us.”

One cop asks, “Do you want to press charges?”

Glitch looks over at me, giving me all control. I know he’ll respect whatever I decide. My stomach clenches. I can’t believe this just happened. “Yes.”

I absolutely want to press charges. And when I see the red mark on Glitch’s face start to swell, I wish I could murder Jason for hurting him. For all the shock, anger, and nausea rolling through me, having Glitch stand strong at my side, remaining calm with the cops and being a rock for me, gives me strength.

Glitch holds the laptop under his arm as he laces his freehand with mine. His squeeze reassures me.

“I have video of the attack if you want it.” Glitch points at the surveillance cameras he has set up that I never even noticed.

“Yeah. That’ll be a help.” One of the police officers hands him a card. “Email me the clip. We’ll be in touch.”

They take Jason away in an ambulance.

And that fast, my ex is gone, and the cops drive away.

They don’t know about the stalking. They don’t know about the video clips Jason made of me. They don’t know about anything except Jason showing up and attacking Glitch. There’s a reason Glitch didn’t say anything more to those cops. And I let him take the lead on this because I’m not sure what to do and I have no clue what else Glitch saw when he’d hacked into Jason’s stuff to find him. All I know is Glitch is protecting me. From what, I’m not even sure anymore.

Fucking Jason.

I look at the laptop under Glitch’s arm. Rage consumes me and I rip it away from him. Holding it over my head, I smash the fucking thing against the curb, over and over and over. I bust it to pieces until it’s scattered over the sidewalk. Then I stomp on it. Scream at it.

It doesn’t help make this awfulness go away.

“Ara.”

I feel sick. “What did you see?”

Glitch doesn’t answer at first.

“What else did he do?” I scream.

“He had underage porn on his computers,” Glitch says cautiously. “Both at home and his office.”

Glitch’s reaction upstairs now makes more sense. All those thumbnails...were they pics of what Glitch is talking about? I fear so.

Staring at the pieces of computer all over the ground, I spit on it and stumble back. I need a shower. I feel disgusting. “What are we going to do?” We have to report it. But if we report it, we’d have to admit that we hacked into Jason’s stuff. I don’t want Glitch in trouble.

I also don’t want Jason to get away with what he’s done.

This is a nightmare and a half.

Glitch stands stiff as a board. “I’ve locked his computers both at home and office so he can’t get into them. I’m going to anonymously report him to the Cyber Tipline and give them the new password to his computers. They’ll have to investigate it and see for themselves and take it from there. I can also follow up with the Chief, just to make sure Jason doesn’t slip through the cracks and get away with anything.”

“You won’t get in trouble for hacking?”

“I’ll make sure I don’t. Since his kid comes to my shop every day after school, we’re friendly and he respects me. The Chief’s not going to bust me for this if I’m helping him put a monster like Jason behind bars, but I’ll be cautious about my report to him just in case. First, let the Cyber Tipline do their job. It might be all that’s needed to put Jason away for a good long while.”

I shake my head because I no longer trust myself to speak.

While Glitch makes the call and reports it, my heart lurches in my throat. I’m shaking and numb.

I dry heave on the curb.

“Shit.” Glitch is on me in an instant. “I’ve got you.” He holds me tight and eventually we make our way back inside his house. I just want this horror erased from my brain. At least Jason is going to jail. I hope he’s never acted on his…

I run into the bathroom and dry heave again.

Glitch barely makes a sound as he holds my hair back for me while I retch in the toilet. Once I think I’m able to stand, I splash cold water on my face while he rubs small circles on my back. “What about the video of me?” It feels stupid to ask in the grand scheme of things.

“Taken care of.”

“How?”

“Erased.”

I whole-heartedly believe him. Glitch wouldn’t lie and he wouldn’t leave any loose ends. I brush my teeth and splash water on my face again. How did this go from the best day to the worst night ever? “I’m sorry everything went sideways.”

What am I even doing?

“Ara.”