Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 117010 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 585(@200wpm)___ 468(@250wpm)___ 390(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117010 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 585(@200wpm)___ 468(@250wpm)___ 390(@300wpm)
It’s petty as hell and something that shouldn’t work with someone who has more than two brain cells, but I know it’ll work on her because she’s weak. The only thing left to do is to show her that if she stays on the same boat as Becky, they will both sink. I have no doubt she’d jump ship, especially if it means she can keep the life she has now. In short, I’m going to use her to destroy her own mother, and I have no qualms about that shit.
I’ve had Gianna send texts to her dad, letting him know she was okay and having a good time. She’d questioned me at first and didn’t want to since she was still a bit salty with him, but I’d convinced her and even got her to call a time or two because I know Victoria would listen in to those calls. She does a whole lot of muttering to herself since there’s no one for her to talk to now that her friends have deserted her.
I know from her murmurings that she was escalating; her obsession with Gianna and I was sending her over the edge. I learned too that she and Felix hardly ever spoke to each other; in fact, he spent more time talking to the portrait in his living room than anyone else, and some of his words led me to question his actions towards his daughter in the past decade or so.
He talks to Adrienne as if she were here, asking her for guidance, apologizing for letting things get this far with their daughter. It’s as if he really hadn’t noticed anything wrong until I came along and tore the blinders off; whatever. I refuse to make any excuses for him, but I think there’s some deep-rooted shit going on with him, something I hadn’t picked up on until I eavesdropped on his conversations with his dead wife.
“What you up to now, puppet master?” Lance caught up to me on the dock as we began to board the yacht behind the girls who had gone ahead chattering away with excitement.
“Why are you calling me that?” He snorted and looked at me side-eyed.
“Because I know you. You’ve been on that computer the whole time we’ve been here, and I know it’s not for school. Tasha has been broadcasting every little thing you and Gia do online until I want to bury her in the sand, and you haven’t stopped her. I know how much you hate that shit, so I came to the conclusion that you’re up to something.”
He’s another one I have to keep at arm’s length. If he knew what I was up to, he’d stick his nose in my shit and make my life difficult. I hate the thought of leaving him almost as much as I do her, but I’m going to make sure they’re both taken care of no matter what, so hopefully, that will make up for it.
“Lancelot!”
“What’s up, brother?” I slung my arm around his shoulders.
“You know I love you, right?” He stopped walking and stared at the side of my head while I dragged him along beside me.
“What’re you planning?” The worry in his voice almost made me regret giving him those words.
LANCE
I couldn’t wait to get back home. Ever since Gabe made that statement, something dark and ugly has been gnawing away at my gut. I’d spent the last day on the island pretending for the girls’ sake, but my mind was in turmoil. As soon as we landed, I hot-footed it to his house in search of Unc. I had to wait for the reunion to end before I could get him alone, and by then, I was a mess of nerves.
“Gabe’s up to something. Do you know what he’s planning?” Even I could hear the panic in my voice.
“What did you see?”
“Nothing, as usual, he keeps everything hidden, but I get the sense that he’s about to make a move. He had his special computer with him on the island.” That got a rise out of him.
“So it’s not about Gia? It’s about the other thing?”
“Looks like it.”
“Why are you so stressed all of a sudden? You knew about the secret computer long before this.”
“Yes, but… he told me he loved me. Although I know it, Gabe isn’t one to say it like that just out of nowhere. It’s as if he was saying goodbye.” I hated having to tell him this; I hated the look of almost fear that came into his eyes.
“Let’s not panic, let’s not panic, we have time. Shit, I knew this was going to happen.”
“What? What’s going to happen?”
“Lance, you’re coming to Paris with us. I’ll talk to your dad. I was going to invite you anyway; somebody has to escort one of the twins since Gabe will be with Gia, and I’ll be with the other.