Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 66997 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66997 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
I stare at the words.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then laugh.
Low.
Dangerous.
Because suddenly I know two things.
First?
Whoever is behind this list isn't stupid and wants me to know.
And second?
They know exactly who I am, thanks Dad, targeting me early I see.
And more importantly, who my enemies are, mainly enemy number one. Lilah. Who else could they be talking about?
I fold the paper carefully and slip it into my pocket, I’ll add it to the stash back at my apartment. I’m suddenly even more curious about what Lilah’s note says.
"No fucking problem," I mutter. “It was the plan all along you idiot, keep her close, make her pay.” If my dad really is behind it and I’m ninety nine percent sure he or someone he works for is, then this just got a whole lot more fun, now I just need to make sure she’s out of his pocket.
I head upstairs. Because for the first time all week, I'm not thinking about revenge. I'm thinking about the look on Lilah's face, I was only planning on staying in the apartment until I could find a house to buy or even crashing with my cousin but maybe I’ll stay longer, maybe this was the better plan all along.
I shoot him a quick text.
Me
Change of plans, I’m staying at the apartment, not getting drunk at your place. Raincheck?
AMONEY
Just crash at both places when you need space, got your room ready, oh and don’t be late for COCKtails.
Me
Mature.
AMONEY
Glad you’re back bro, I missed you. Also, was afraid you’d lowkey burn the building down with your dad in it.
Me
I was in Boston, hardly the other side of the world.
AMONEY
Right, but you’ve been avoiding the family like the plague.
Me
The Family is the devil, your uncles a good one though, hope he stays clean.
He doesn’t respond right away and then.
AMONEY
Nobody is clean in this world, least of all The Hales.
True.
But even as I read it a chill runs down my spine. “What, has he gotten you into?” I wonder out loud. And how far does my dad’s reach stretch, and how much collateral damage are we looking at when I crash my car into his empire and watch it burn.
10
“Vengeance is patient. It sits beside you at dinner. It learns your favorite song.” The Count of Monte Cristo
LILAH
I’m already annoyed by the loud music when I walk into the club. Okay, not just annoyed, freaking paranoid about everything around me. Every dark corner feels like it could be a set up and every guy with dark hair makes my stomach drop for half a second before logic catches back up with my racing heart and my brain reminds me that it would be crazy for him to be in every space I’m in.
Right?
“Sorry.” Someone shoves me, dark hair, similar build, his brown eyes blink a few times, he smells like whiskey and seems to be one drink away from barfing or just collapsing altogether. A bit early. Pass. “You’re pretty.”
“Thanks.” I sidestep him and shake my head, only to have him reach for my hand like I was offering it or something. I jerk away only to have him grab at me again.
“You want my number?” He smirks, I think he’s going for the whole sexy look but all I smell is sour whiskey and French fries.
I shake my head. “No thanks, I’m here with someone.”
I keep weaving through the bodies of people when my hand is tugged. “Hey! Bitch! I said you want my numb—”
I turn around to yell at him to leave me alone but he’s released my hand and the crowd kind of takes over. He’s gone in a sea of people, like someone took him out or maybe he did really fall or collapse into a dark corner. Weird. That was fast. And instantly the lingering sensation is back. My eyes quickly scan the club before I once again shake it off and make my way through. I send a text to Charlie. “Here, where are you?” And keep making my way to the back where a few tables are scattered along the wall.
A wave of dark hair greets me again, followed by another. Do blondes even exist on this campus anymore or is it just me? Shit. At this point Jude’s basically colonized my nervous system and I resent the hell out of him for it. I’ll never be free of him.
Past me would’ve loved the attention.
The obsession. Watching him watch me, wondering if this is going to be the moment we finally hook up, when we finally confess what we’ve been circling for years. I used to dream of it and then when it was so close, it was snatched away from us.
The way he used to look at me like I was the only person in the room is its own sort of addiction, to have those eyes trained on you is nothing short of euphoric.