Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 56107 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 224(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56107 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 224(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
Lucky charm strikes again.
“Thank you, Skippy,” I say. “I should be done with the equipment by next week.”
“Use it for as long as you like,” he says.
Sofie shows Skippy to the door while I tinker with the app. A few moments later, she plops down next to me on the sofa. “Okay. That’s done. Now we have to plan what sorts of interactions we want to have with Carter.”
“And Logan,” I add, smiling devilishly. “We need to catch him pretending to be two different guys.”
“I think you should start by calling Logan. Have him come here. Play the damsel in distress.” Sofie presses the back of her hand to her forehead, pretending to be me with a high-pitched voice. “Oh, Logan…your crazy brother filmed me. He used me. I feel so violated.” She drops her hand, speaking normally. “And then you get all serious and say you spoke to your lawyer and they’re urging you to go to the police. Watch him squirm.”
“Logan will try to talk me out of it. He’ll try to advocate for Carter—aka himself—and attempt to have me meet with ‘Carter’ to work something out.”
Sofie nods. “I predict that Carter will come up with some big persuasive argument and try to convince you to let him release his documentary. That’s when you string him along. Tell him you’ll think about it.”
“Then what?” I ask.
“Once we have about a solid hour of condemning footage, we release it online and out this fucker for the liar he is.”
I nod. “The only downside is I have to spend time with him while he pretends to be two men.” I pause. “What if he catches on? I mean, I’m not the best actress.”
“Just think about how he humiliated you, Mila. Think about the poor person he targets next time because he sees some sort of golden statue in his future.”
“But what if he catches on?” I ask again.
“If he does, then you come clean and be sure you film his reaction. That alone should be enough to ruin him.”
“Is it bad that I don’t feel guilty?” I ask.
“No. It means you finally feel like you’re not a doormat. You deserve respect. Not only as a woman, but as a person. He doesn’t.”
Yeah. Fuck Carter and Logan. Fuck these nuts. Who are really just one nut with two nuts.
CHAPTER TWENTY
I call Logan and ask him to meet me at my place after work on Tuesday. I check and recheck the cameras to ensure I don’t botch this up.
Around eight o’clock the doorbell rings, and my nerves rear into action. Okay, you can do this, Mila. Just act natural.
I smooth down the front of my gray workout shorts and answer the door with a smile. “Hi, Logan. Come on in.”
I step aside and let him enter. He looks gorgeous, of course, in his sleek black suit and cobalt blue tie that matches his eyes. His light brown hair is combed neatly back, accentuating his beautiful cheekbones.
God, this man really does it for me. Even now, my stomach flutters in his presence. I really wish he weren’t a phony.
“Did you wear glasses before?” he asks.
“Oh, uh. These are new.” I push the frames back up my nose.
“They look nice.”
“Thanks.” I gesture toward my khaki couch. “Can I get you some water? A glass of wine?”
“Thanks, but no.” He takes a seat and stares up at me, all seriousness. “I was getting worried. Why didn’t you answer any of my calls?”
Because I needed to prepare your trap. He actually called twice over the past two days.
I get ready to turn on the waterworks. I walk over and sit next to him, ensuring I don’t block the camera stuck to the knob on my funky ’90s Kmart floor lamp.
“Logan, I-I don’t know what to do. Your brother was filming me the entire time for some documentary.”
“What?” He raises a dark brow.
I nod. “He had a camera on his shirt button.” Unlike the high-tech, state-of-the-art stuff I have. “There was a cameraman in the tree across the street, too. He even had fake police come to my house and fake arrest him.”
Logan stares for a long moment and then laughs with a booming voice.
“What’s so damned funny?”
“He’s done some crazy things before, but this really takes the cake.”
“Logan, your brother came inside my home and recorded me without permission. He pretended to like me. Then he did a bunch of really messed-up things to me like steal money and trash my car.”
“Which I paid you back for.”
I knew Logan would do this. I mean—I knew Carter would do this: tell me there’s no real harm done.
“I’m filing charges, Logan. I spoke to a lawyer, and he recommends a restraining order, too. After that, I’m taking Carter to court to stop him from ever releasing any of that footage. Plus, I’ll be seeking a few million in damages.”