My CEO's Blackmail Tape - Chapter 24: Chapter 24

I needed to cool off—fast. I bolted to the bathroom and endured an ice-cold shower, teeth clenched the whole time. The second I stepped out, a sneezing fit hit me like a freight train.
I downed a handful of cold meds before face-planting into bed. But by dawn, I was shaking like a leaf, every joint in my body screaming in protest.
Yep. Full-blown fever.
My brain was mush, but I still managed to fumble for my phone. Three calls to Daniel Evans—all unanswered. Left with no options, I dialed Sophia Hill. She picked up on the first ring and was at my door in minutes, hauling my feverish ass to the hospital.
After an IV drip, I finally started feeling human again. Sophia never left my side, and damn if that didn't make my heart swell.
When push comes to shove, sometimes even a husband falls short. But a best friend? That's your real lifeline.
I grabbed her hand, voice wobbling. "Sophia, I don't know what I'd do without—"
She rolled her eyes so hard I thought they'd stick. "Ugh, spare me the Hallmark moment. I might puke."
We were mid-chatter when the hospital door swung open. In walked Sophia's husband, Ryan Lowell, arms loaded with two giant takeout bags.
After a quick "Hey, how you feeling?" he dumped the bags on the table and started unpacking.
"Evelyn, wasn't sure what you'd want, so I went with the 'everything' approach. You two can share."
Sophia immediately launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and smacking a loud kiss on his cheek. "Babe, you're a saint!"
They locked eyes for a charged second before Sophia rose on her toes and dragged him into a kiss so heated I had to look away, my face on fire.
Sophia had tied the knot before me, and yet here they were, still acting like honeymooners. A sharp twist of envy stabbed through me.
Uncomfortable, I turned toward the window—until Ryan cleared his throat.
"Hey, babe, my boss just called. Gotta fly down south for a work thing. Be back in three to five days."
"What? That long?"
Sophia shot me a grin. "Eat up. I'll be right back!"
I figured they were stepping into the hall. Nope. Instead, she yanked him straight into the tiny bathroom attached to my room—barely ten feet from where I sat.
Since when did bathroom breaks require a buddy system? Hilarious.
Shaking my head, I dragged myself out of bed and settled into a chair to eat.
Then the noises started.
Ryan's voice, low but unmistakable: "Baby, this is... not the place. Should we—"
"Evelyn's basically my sister. Who cares? Oh my God—you're already hard? Just—get in here! Harder, faster—ah! I swear, you're gonna kill me—it's too good!"
"Arch your back a little—yeah, like that. You'll feel it more."
"Ah! Fuck! You're like a damn animal! Trying to wreck me?"
His growls and her breathless moans tangled together. I stared at the bathroom door, half-convinced the whole room was shaking from the force of whatever was happening in there.
My face burned. My heart pounded so loud I was sure they could hear it. If not for the IV in my hand, I'd have sprinted for the exit.
The mental image was crystal clear—Sophia braced against the sink, skirt hiked up, Ryan's pants around his ankles, their bodies locked in a rhythm that left zero room for doubt.
A few more whimpers, and Sophia's voice turned ragged. "I can't—I'm close. Faster—"