Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 86883 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86883 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
“Live your life, only better. You didn’t deserve what was handed to you on a silver platter. But I do. I paid my dues. All those years I endured being your poor, not-quite-good-enough friend. I’m owed this.”
I feel my chin quiver as the reality of what is happening sets in. The hurt is enormous and so gut-wrenching I can barely breathe.
“You did this because you wanted to be rich?”
“I did this because I want to be you,” she spits. “You’re a spoilt fucking bitch who didn’t deserve any of it.”
Her words gut me like a knife, and I can barely get the words around the cold lump in my throat.
“What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to enjoy every moment of watching you die. And then I’m going to help Massimo get over your death.”
“Massimo won’t fall for it.”
“Of course he will. I’ll be there when he needs comforting. It won’t take long; I’m sure a man like him has a strong sex drive. He’ll want to forget the pain of losing you. I’ll make sure he does.”
I don’t know what hurts more.
The fact my friend stole all my money because she resents me, or because she wants to kill me so she can actually be me.
The fact she wants to steal Massimo is the cherry on top of this shitstorm sundae.
Anger tears up my spine and burns at the nape of my neck. She’ll get her thieving hands on my man over my dead body.
I pull out my gun and point it at her.
But the last thing I want to do is shoot someone who used to be my best friend, and my hand shakes slightly.
Her eyes narrow. “I’d think twice about that if I were you.”
“But that’s the thing, you aren’t me and you never will be. Even with all my money, even with all my belongings, hell even with Massimo, you will never be me.” She wants to play this game, then game on, bitch. “You’ll always be plain little mousey Jules who only ever got what she got because she was my friend.”
Her expression sharpens to pure hatred. But she shakes it off, revealing the ace up her sleeve.
“You think I didn’t expect you to point a gun at my face?”
Fear tingles at the base of my spine.
She tilts her head. “Did you check to make sure it’s loaded?”
I hide my unease well, but I’m feeling it like a full-blown anxiety attack. “It’s always loaded.”
“I know. When you went to the bathroom at the gas station I looked.”
Fuck.
She doesn’t have to say it. I already know.
She emptied the clip when I used the restroom.
I drop my aim. I don’t need to check to see I’m right, but I do anyway.
The clip is empty.
I raise my face to look at her. It’s something my father taught me. Don’t bow your head to the enemy. Look them right in the face so you can see what they have planned as it’s coming.
“So how is this going to play out?” I ask, sounding braver than I am.
An impending doom has settled on my shoulders, acknowledging I might be dead by the time this is done.
Which becomes very apparent when Jules produces her own gun from the pocket of her hoodie.
Double fuck.
“You die, and I barely get away with my life.”
“No one will believe you,” I say, with more calmness than I feel.
“I think we’ve already established that I’m a good actress. I’ll say we came here to talk. You were upset over your breakup. Your boyfriend had stolen your money and I was comforting you. It was a tweaker, officer. He shot at us. Poor Bianca.” She sobs, then just as quick, her face clears and the hatred returns to her expression.
“And you think you’ll be happy even with me dead?” I shake my head. “You can’t escape what you are.”
“But that’s where you’re wrong, Bianca. I can be whoever I want to be, and I’ve decided I want to be you. So I’ll be living your life. Spending your money. Fucking your man.”
“I don’t think so.” The voice comes from out of nowhere.
Massimo.
I swing around, and there he is, cautiously walking toward us, Nico beside him. Both with their guns drawn.
I’ve never been so relieved in my life.
“Don’t come any closer, Massimo,” Jules warns.
“Or what, you’ll shoot us all?” he growls.
Clearly not realizing that killing everyone is kind of her thing.
“If I have to,” she says, her eyes sharp. “But I’ll start with her.”
She aims at me, and I know she’s going to fire. I feel it in my bones. So does Massimo, because he launches himself in front of me as he fires off a shot and shoots Jules in the arm.
The world slows. Massimo falls. Jules falls. I drop to the ground where Massimo is clutching his shoulder. Nico kicks Jules’s gun across the gazebo and aims his gun at her, ready to fire.