Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 125121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
“Why would anyone believe I got the truth about Piper and Everleigh from your messages, but the rest I pulled out of thin air? Pretty sure they figured out I got the pill addiction, the cousin-loving, and everything else from those messages too.”
Saylor didn’t waver. “They believe me because they know me. And because you’re insane.”
“They do know you, don’t they? They know you get what you want by any means necessary. Like, for example, telling Ahmed that Piper cheated on him while she was in Aspen.” Piper’s jaw slackened in sync with Saylor stiffening. “I don’t know why you texted him that or if it’s true, but I’m guessing that’s why he ran to Katie and said they were broken up. He thought they were, and he wanted payback by hooking up with her best friend.”
“That’s not true!”
“She did what!”
Piper and Katie sounded off at the same time.
“Saylor would never,” Piper carried on. “Fuck’s sake, you can’t quit lying for a—”
“I’ve got the screenshots ready to show you at any time, but who says you have to believe me? Just ask Ahmed.”
Katie whirled on her. “Saylor, is it true? Did Ahmed say they were broken up because you told him they were? Piper and I were fighting over a problem you created in the first place?”
Saylor was very still—her gaze darting between them.
“I bet she got a kick out of it,” I said. “You both being oblivious, then her getting to whip it out and use your sex secret against you when you pissed her off, Katie. From what I read, it’s kind of her thing—”
“Shut up.”
“She’s the puppet master behind the scenes—pulling strings, ruining lives, messing up relationships—and no one knowing she’s behind it.”
“I said shut up!”
“Lizzie Duka,” I announced.
A girl to the left of Levi jerked, surprised to hear her name come out of my mouth.
“Did you ever wonder why your parents’ seemingly happy marriage suddenly ended with screaming, lawyers, and you forced to move out of Regalia with your mom in your junior year?” I shone a beaming smile on Saylor. “Look no further than her. She sent your mom photos of your dad with hookers—plural—when it looked like you were going to beat her out for the highest GPA that year.
“I bet she thought the stress would tank your grades. Worked out even better for Saylor because you left school, and she became valedictorian.”
“What?” Lizzie breathed. “That can’t be true. My mom cried herself to sleep for months. She stopped going to work and the board replaced her as CEO of her own company. Her whole life fell apart!”
I threw up my hands. “Well, that’s what happens when someone’s in Saylor’s way—”
“Shut the fuck up, Sinclair,” Saylor screeched. “I never sent a thing to her mother. It’s just more of your lies. More of your fakes! Whatever screenshots you think you have, you pulled out of your ass.”
“That’s your answer to everything. Tell that to Shane Montgomery. After he got a girlfriend and stopped being your go-to secret hookup, you paid a girl to scare her off by saying Shane left her with an STD, and a kid.”
“Are you kidding me?” cried a gruff voice. “I searched for months, tracking down every hookup and one-night stand. You made me think I had a son out there!”
“Didn’t happen,” Saylor said. “Why are you idiots listening to her? I never—”
“Ava Bell,” I sliced in. I fixed on a girl with big green eyes and a polka-dot dress. “Saylor was the only one who knew what happened to you at the cabin you guys all rented over winter break. You thanked her over and over again for being there for you and listening to you while you processed the trauma, but what you didn’t know is—”
“That’s enough!”
“—she invited you on the trip and arranged the whole thing so that she could be your shoulder to cry on. Her dad needed your dad’s support for his campaign. Saylor used you as an in, and if that didn’t work, she would’ve blackmailed you both. Saylor and her friends actually laughed about what an easy mark you were.”
Ava gaped at Saylor. I wasn’t messed up enough to reveal Ava’s story to the entire crowd, but it was clear that if it benefited her in the slightest sense, Saylor would without blinking. She certainly felt no remorse over tracking down Ava’s birth mother and paying her to show up unannounced at the cabin.
A terrible surprise for Ava because she didn’t know that she was adopted, or that her mother was her dad’s sister—the aunt/mom who gave birth then ran away to escape her older brother’s repeated rape and domination.
“That’s not... Who would do such a...?” Ava’s face crumpled. “You... You... You bitch!”
Tearing across the deck, Ava launched at her, popping Saylor off her feet with a truly impressive tackle. I ignored the screaming, wailing tangle of limbs and turned on my audience.