Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 38804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 194(@200wpm)___ 155(@250wpm)___ 129(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 194(@200wpm)___ 155(@250wpm)___ 129(@300wpm)
“But nothing.”
“I said fine. Okay? You help me first because after what you made me do last year, there’s no way I’m letting you burn me again. You help me first and then I’ll get you into Mac’s computer.”
“If you don’t…”
“You blackmailed me.” Maren cut out briskly. “My father went to prison. You knew my family was struggling. My little sister overdosed, and you told me that if I didn’t end things with Cris Chavez, you’d post everything going on in my life for everyone to read and you’d insinuate in some way that Cris was involved. You told me flat out that you would ruin his life as well as mine, and you had no problem doing that. I am not stupid. If I don't follow through, you’re vindictive enough to come after me again. So fucking tell me how to ruin this girl’s life because that’s what you do, isn’t it? You ruin people’s lives and you get off on that shit.”
Both went quiet. I couldn’t see Maren’s face, but I heard her harsh breathing. Kellie’s eyes narrowed, and she was glaring at Maren. They were in a standoff, but then as if coming to a decision, Kellie shook off the glower and a very slow, very cruel smile appeared again.
She sat back down and crossed her legs. “This is what you do.”
She told her.
I sat there, stunned, because she was laying everything out there.
How to get information on her target.
How to find her target’s weaknesses.
How to analyze which angle to take for the maximum effect with the least amount of exposure.
She was happy to spill, and the longer she spoke, the more she said, and the faster she spelled it out. Troy was right. She wanted to boast. She was getting off on it all over again.
Maren and I listened to her talk for two hours.
Two complete hours we sat there and just let her tell us who she was.
After she slowed down, she blinked a few times, as if coming out of a trance. “Is that enough? Does that help you?”
Maren didn’t move. I didn’t know if she could, because I was feeling the same thing, but Maren coughed. “Uh, yeah.”
That was my cue.
I left my car and began heading into Kellie’s apartment building. We’d already talked about the plan to get inside in case I would need to be buzzed in, but at that moment, a couple guys walked outside so I caught the door and slipped inside easily.
It was meant to be.
“Listen,” Maren’s voice went somber.
I checked the monitor and she had moved closer to the door, which had been our plan. If I couldn’t have gotten in, I was going to buzz her apartment. Maren would’ve let me in, and if Kellie had questioned her, she would’ve acted impatient, saying something like, “I don’t know who that was. A fucking pizza delivery person. Who cares? They won’t bug us again.” And she would go right into the next segment.
This time, I paused just coming up to the third floor where Kellie lived because I knew Maren was about to go real. I heard her say, “I need to know what you’re going to do when you get into Mac’s computer.”
I stilled, in mid-step and waited, my heart starting to pound.
I watched the monitor.
Kellie started to roll her eyes, a dramatic sigh coming from her.
Maren snapped, “She’s been my only friend here.”
“She’s not your friend. Like I haven’t watched you? Like I haven’t watched her? You’ve barely seen her since starting school this year. The two of you are not friends. Not anymore. And she’s weak.”
Pain sliced me.
“You don’t want someone like her as your friend. She’s nothing but weak. Crying. Saying how sad she is. I did you a favor, cutting someone like that out of your life.”
Oh, this bitch.
Willow was not happy.
I almost snorted, because she had no idea. She truly had no fucking idea.
I’m going to enjoy enlightening her, Sis.
I started forward again, and as I did, Willow didn’t respond.
Kellie was going to learn how very wrong she was, and I was so going to love that I would be the cause of her fall. It was such sweet karma.
And I approached her door, hearing their voices as a low murmur through it, my own sense of euphoria began to spread through me. It was as if the universe was on my side, helping me.
Maren finally broke out, her voice strained, “I’m going to do it, but I just need to know why? What are you going to do?”
Kellie yelled, “What do you think I’m going to do? I get in there and I’m sure she’ll be like most people. Her passwords will probably be automatically saved and I can get into any program of hers I want to. Her social media. Her email. I know who her therapist is and I know that there’s a program her therapist had coded. It’s an online journal where she can get access to what her clients read. Again, what do you think I’m going to do with your roommate? I’m going to find all her dirty little secrets.”