Chapter 57: Scandal, and Damage Control

Dan bumped his head a couple of dozen times against the wall in the bedroom he’d been in with Ellen. The act looked funny given he was naked and sober, but so were the rest of us. He’d dropped the newspaper that repeated the story in a British tabloid about me carrying around pornographic and lewd pictures that had been sexted to me or taken by me on my cell phone. I took his head pounding as an indication that my publicist hadn’t the slightest idea how to cope with this sudden release of the embarrassing news.

Dan muttered, “If I recall, one of the cocks in several of those pictures belongs to me, along with Sean’s, as well as Nadia and PJ’s pussies. Shit man. Let me think. What have you done since you heard?”

I shrugged and told him, “Just come up here to see you – you’re the expert. Sorry to interrupt.” I think Dan and Ellen had been sleeping; however, they clearly had fooled around earlier and then gone back to sleep. Ellen had that special glow around her. She also flashed me a smile and gave me a long beaver shot as she lay in bed.

Dan threw on a robe, as Ellen picked up the newspaper and read the story; she did nothing further to hide her nudity. Her shapely figure and aroused breasts sent a lot of signals to me that I started reacting to. I felt my groin stir in response and next I knew I had the start on a boner of epic proportions. I had to force my mind back on the problem I’d come up there with.

Ellen shook her head and grinned at me, “Here we go again. A hero one day, a pervert the next.” She got off the bed, pulled me to her, plastered her naked body against my scantily clad front, and laid a tongue-laden passionate kiss on me. I could feel her excited nipples through my t-shirt, and when she ground her pussy against my thigh, I could feel the slight wiriness of her pubic hair and the sexy dampness of her slit. Now, I knew I’d have to seek Ellen out later in the day for some sexual playtime; she grinned at me; she wanted the same thing.

Dan ignored us. He paced around the room muttering, “First, the pictures are probably too racy to print in any decent newspaper without black bars over the sex organs. We’ve got to get them suppressed, and fast. You don’t want those hitting the Internet, if they haven’t already. Second, apparently someone hacked your cell phone, so shut down your cell phone. Get another with a new number. We’ve got to get Crystal, Ellen, Claire, PJ, Nadia, Terry, mine and anyone else’s phones that received or sent those photos off the air, too; turn them all off. I don’t think they can be hacked if they’re not in the ‘on’ condition. Let me think further about a response to the press. Don’t call or talk to anyone from the media - ANYONE.” He wagged his finger at me. The words were no sooner out of his mouth than I heard the house phone ring. Nadia would get it and push off anyone not on our ‘approved’ list.

A few minutes later, I went to a corner of the living room and called Margo in London on our landline, giving her the number right off. Margo was the sexy detective who had helped me outwit the ill-thought-out blackmail plot of a deranged twenty-year old I’d happen to fuck in a debutante’s orgy in Oklahoma on her eighteenth birthday. I explained to Margo the sexting news; after laughing to the point of tears, she told me she’d already seen the paper. I asked about getting her lawyer–barrister friend David Balfour to squash things over there in some way, particularly any release of the pictures.

Margo responded, “I got it. I know how to start. Be back to you. Every second counts on this one.” She hung up fast, and I could imagine the flurry of activity in her London office that my call had just kicked off.

Crystal came into the living room wearing a long t-shirt, her head down reading one of the newspaper accounts of my sexting. She looked up and gave me a weak smile, “Shit. Your ass is grass again, and mine indirectly.” She glanced up at me, shot me a wide grin suddenly, and asked, “Why do I hang out with perverts like you?”

“Because you love me, that’s why; plus, some of those explicit pictures are of you, my dearest.” Her eyes got large when she remembered some of the fun that we’d had sexting pictures around our close circle of sexually intimate friends.

Crystal added, “Dan already woke me, took my phone, and turned it off. Ellen and Nadia’s phones, too. He said he emailed Claire, telling her to shut down and just use our landline.” Claire had flown up to New York for a couple of days with Joe and Beth Mansard.

Crystal went on, “Each of us has those photos on our phones, and I know I sent a few of them to you and the others; I think I even sent one of your beautiful appendage to my mother as a memento of her last visit with us when you fucked the shit out of her. I’ll be in the soup pretty soon, no doubt. I gather you just called Margo? I heard the last couple of words of your call.”

“Yes; I’ll hear back in a while. I don’t know how long it takes to get an injunction or whatever it is we need over there. We have only the word of the paper that the story broke in the U.K. although Margo said she read about it. It might have come out of France, Switzerland, or some other European country. Many of those photos were taken and sent while we were on tour or filming scenes for our movie Downslope.”

We each picked at our breakfasts and there was little conversation around the table. Dan had taken over a corner of the living room, making phone call after phone call to his media contacts pleading with them to either not report on the ‘rumored’ story or to minimize the ‘allegations.’ I heard him promising that we’d make some kind of formal statement or interview of some kind soon. He monopolized the landline for a few hours, and then ran out of calls to make.

The landline phone rang about eleven a.m., two hours after I’d called Margo. Nadia yelled from the kitchen, “Jim, it’s Margo for you.”

Margo launched into her progress. “OK, here’s the deal. News of the Globe tabloid was the one that sprung the story. It got picked up by a couple of others who probably bought into it by paying them. David Balfour is on the case; he’s the attorney you met when we took Maddy’s deposition in your blackmail case. He’ll have an injunction any moment, plus he has launched – get this – a £50 million lawsuit against the Globe and against each of the other papers that reported on the event this morning over here. That’s more than enough to get the attention of every newspaper and editor on this side AND your side of the Atlantic. With that amount of money in sway, everyone should think long and hard about reporting on this right now until the legal landscape becomes clear.

“He’s also in touch with a colleague in the U.S., and there will be similar lawsuits launched on your side before sunset over there. Newspapers don’t like it when someone with deep pockets goes after them; they usually lose big. I know he intended to call the Globe, particularly about sitting on the photos instead of leaking them to anyone or posting them on the Internet. He’ll put the fear of God into them further, if the lawsuit hasn’t already. All this is only a stopgap measure until we see how well David actually does with the injunction, and what the fall out is within our legal system.”

I asked, “Is what they did legal? Plus, I forgot to mention earlier, if we knew which pictures that they’ve seen and haven’t seen we could tell approximately where they picked up my phone – what country.”

Margo said, “The word is ‘hacked,’ and we don’t know yet. We have seen nothing from Globe, and less from the others who picked up the story. So far, there don’t appear to be any pictures showing up anywhere. I wish you’d sent some to me, too, by the way; maybe later – oops, sorry, right now that’s probably gallows humor. Look, I’ve got to go, but I’m on this. I’ll get back to you, if not tonight then tomorrow. You might also hear from David; I gave him all your phone numbers, but for now use the landline for anything you want to keep confidential – and get a new cell phone.” She paused and added, “By the way, Caroline says hello.” My thoughts went to the pretty debutante blackmailer, and then back to the problem at hand.

After lunch, the group of us piled into Crystal’s SUV, and we drove about ten miles to a shopping mall. We found a cellular company with an outlet at the mall, and each of us picked up a new phone with a new phone number. As expected, we all used more complicated passwords this time around. I texted Margo my new cell number; I also asked her whether there was any reason to get Mils involved. I received an immediate reply, ‘Mils IS involved. Hang in there, Tiger. Love you. M.’ Mils was the detective I’d rescued in South Dakota who later introduced me to Margo. Mils and I had a great relationship, and yes, it was sexual, and next time we saw each other would likely pick up from where we left off.

We were a glum group when we got back home. Nadia brought us all beers in the early afternoon, an unusual event, since we normally didn’t start drinking until the cocktail hour around six or seven in the evening.

I got a text from Margo around five o’clock, probably ten o’clock her time in the U.K. It read, ‘Scotland Yard involved. Criminal charges expected. Shit hitting fan at Globe. Hacking like this illegal here. More tomorrow.’ I shared the message with the others.

Claire called my new cell phone shortly after Margo’s text. I noticed she had a new phone as well, so I locked in her number. “Jim, I asked Beth and Joe to see what they could do to squash things. They’re both laughing about it, but said they’d help you and Crystal. Joe knows more than he’s telling me; I think he might know some of the media people involved or something. Oh, he did help me get this new cell phone. Do you want the number?”

“I already have it.”

“Oh, OK, sure. Well, Mansard Enterprises has many contacts in the media. He sent the word out a few hours ago to all his media outlets that he’d personally shoot anybody that uttered one word about this situation, let alone printed something, leaked photographs, or reported on it. I noticed a sudden increase in his own security, particularly a platoon of his computer geeks in his offices and at the apartment. He’s worried that he’s been hacked as well, so this circle is widening. He also got swept for listening things – bugs, but he said they do that periodically anyway.”

“Thanks, and please thank Joe and Beth. I know a little about the technology from my prior line of work, so I can conjure up how the phones got hacked. Don’t toss out your old phone; we may need it as evidence.” I thought for a minute and changed the subject, “Hey, when are you coming home? We miss you.”

Claire said, “Actually, tomorrow. Joe is on his way to Europe as we speak; because of the sexting scandal he moved up his trip by a day, and Beth has to go to the west coast. Her jet will drop me off on the way across country with her. I’ll call when I know a specific time of arrival.”

“Great. That’s good news. Any change in your relationship status with Joe?” Joe Mansard’s proposal of marriage to Claire had hit me like a punch in the stomach. I loved her, and wanted her in my circle of intimate friends, not running around the country playing the role of Joe’s wife.

Claire brushed the question aside, “Oh, a little. I’ll tell you when I see you. Don’t worry. I love you – a lot.” Claire’s voice sounded a little edgy when we got on the topic of Mansard’s proposal. I knew she’d share everything with me when she got home.

I pledged my love to her, and we hung up.

Crystal had gone out in the late afternoon for a shopping trip. She arrived back at the house after the rest of us had started the cocktail hour. She looked exceptionally happy despite the awkward situation that we were in.

After dinner, I went to my office and got on my computer with Crystal looking over my shoulder. She was in a romantic mood, and kept touching me in a seductive way. I spent an hour searching for articles and pictures about our sexting on the Internet. Except for the brief articles sans pictures in the Globe, the Express, and a few other newspapers we knew, no one else had carried the stories – yet! We could find no salacious pictures on the net either, other than Crystal’s Playboy pictures from over a year prior.

Crystal massaged my neck and shoulders as she stood behind me during our computer searches. When I said I was about through, she said, “Well, you can relax. Only a few million people know you’re a pervert.” With that she dug her fingers into my sides where I am spectacularly ticklish. I freaked, jerking my elbows into my sides to protect my vulnerable spots, and practically throwing my shoulders out of joint in the reflexive action.

Crystal turned and ran, and I was close behind her. She sprinted barefoot and screaming “Oh, no. I’ve awakened the beast! The beast is after me!” She ran through the house, passing a startled Nadia in the kitchen with me close behind clomping along in my western boots, and made a loop around the dining room table. We were yelling and laughing our heads off.

Crystal bolted through the door of the master bedroom, trying to shut it behind her, but I was too close. I caught her, threw her over my shoulder, and dropped her on to our super-emperor-size bed – an accommodation that looked only slightly smaller than an aircraft carrier. Crystal screamed for help, but our laughter kept things light. She kicked her feet in my general direction.

I moved above Crystal, straddling her body, and holding her hands over her head. I leaned in and licked her face puppy dog style as she whipped her head back and forth. I kissed her, and then blew several huge raspberries on either side of her neck, evoking further shrieks of laughter from her. She had her own tickle places, too, so next my hands rapidly attacked those places as she pleaded for mercy and tried to push me from her.

She started to call me all sorts of names, “Pervert, sexual predator, sicko, degenerate prick, deviant, and porn king” to name only a few. I roared that she had no idea how much of a pervert I could be, and with that I started to strip her clothing from her body starting with her blouse.

Attracted by the noise and screaming, Dan, PJ, Terry, Ellen, Nadia, and Sean stood in the doorway to our bedroom watching my conquest of my girlfriend with their own laughter. Soon, they were all yelling instructions to either Crystal or me, depending on whose side they were on.

When I’d gotten Crystal’s blouse unbuttoned, I pulled her bra up exposing her beautiful orbs. I grabbed her hands again, and held them away from her body as I lowered my head and started to suck on her mammaries, giving them a few raspberries in the process. In the right mood, Crystal could cum just from my sucking on her breasts. She must have been in the right mood, because her squirming and wiggling under me trying to get away stopped, and transitioned to her writhing and moaning in pleasure. After only a few minutes of my oral attention to her breasts, Crystal’s eyes rolled up in her head, she let out an exclamation about an impending orgasm, arched her back, and pushed her clothed groin up into mine.

When her eyes reopened, I leaned in, and we shared a really sexy and very loving kiss. Crystal implored, “Will you PLEASE get undressed, and make love to me properly. I want to be plundered.”

I couldn’t get out of my clothes fast enough as Crystal stripped away the last of her clothing, tossing it helter-skelter to a corner of the room. She lay back and opened her legs to allow me total access to her body. The others watching us from the doorway didn’t faze her; she wanted what she wanted and right now.

I buried my face in her gooey crotch. From the amount of lubrication available, I could tell Crystal had been thinking about something like this for more than just a few minutes – maybe all afternoon. My mouth and tongue went wild on her pussy, lapping up the excess fluids, and trying to bring her to another orgasm while I focused on her clit. I added a few fingers, sawing in and out of her body as she writhed in sexual wonder in front of me.

A million taste and tactile sensations pleased my tongue and fingers, plus Crystal’s sensual female smell saturated the bedroom. I hadn’t seen her this worked up in quite a while.

When I brought Crystal to a second orgasm, I got an unusually large flood of sex juice that splattered across my face and chest. She was on some really large sexual high for her to do this so early in a lovemaking session.

With her pleading with me to penetrate her, I moved to straddle her chest with my tumescent erection right at her mouth level. Crystal latched onto my shaft with her mouth making me moan when her tongue lapped around my glans, and she tried to vacuum the cum from deep inside my body. I hardened rapidly. When Crystal felt I was ready, she pushed me down her body and pleaded, “OK, now fuck me!” Wow, she really was especially eager.

I backed up on her body, dragging my legs along her sexy hips until I could reposition between her legs. I took my cock and effortlessly sank it all into her body, sliding in until our groins mashed together and the head of my cock brushed against her cervix. Crystal locked her legs around my waist and used her hips to urge me to drive deep into her with my shaft. I loved it when she did that, but this seemed exceptional for some reason.

I thought Crystal’s enthusiasm for our sexual romp was a little over the top. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but there just seemed to be more than her usual enthusiasm for making love.

Crystal’s sweet little love box gushed still more girl juice as we fucked. I could feel her thick pussy lips reaching to grab the sides of my prick and pull it ever deeper into her. She wouldn’t be satisfied until our bodies, minds, and spirits merged into a heavenly mass. Her body writhed all around me demonstrating her eagerness to feel and even intensify every aspect of our sex act.