Page 83 of Such A Bad Girl

Now, I was just doing whatever I needed to do to get back to Everleigh. I didn’t mean to be so cruel. But I had a plan and if my intuition was correct, I’d be back in Ev’s arms soon.

“And yet, you followed me around like a fucking puppy dog, didn’t you, Jill?”

I kept going. I had a plan, but I was also pissed these two fucking losers had caused all this damage and chaos in our lives.

Avett treated Harlan like a dog. And he was trying to avenge his death? Seriously?

“Look, I know you don’t care about Avett. He hated you, Harlan. So, what’s this really about? Can we move it along? Do you need more money?”

The look that passed between them chilled me to the bone, but I didn’t let on. Their silence was meant to break me. I’d never let that happen.

Wild and feral, Jill’s eyes were full of rage.

Harlan sat in a chair in the corner, his face in the shadows as he watched. My aggression had only riled them up, especially Jill, who was now standing over me and ranting relentlessly about the past.

“I was in love with you,” she whispered. I tried not to roll my eyes at her ridiculous comment. I’d barely known her. Fuck, it had taken me a while after seeing her in the coffee shop that day to even remember the time we spent together in high school.

Everything was overshadowed by my life with West and Everleigh. Once we left Texas, I let those memories stay in a dusty corner of my mind, rarely ever acknowledging them.

Now, here was one very insignificant memory that’s come to life and spitting words at me like an overly dramatic preacher.

“Everyone wanted to be a part of your little clique, and you doled out your attention like breadcrumbs, making us all think we had a chance.”

“I was just a kid, Jill. So were you. What’s the point of all this?”

I’d been begging for a solution to all of this. I’d offered money. Hell, I was even willing to throw in a mansion or two, but they weren’t budging, giving me no indication of what their true plan was.

“I held up my end of the deal. You said you wanted money to avoid going to the press. So, will you finally fucking answer me?” I was shouting now, my voice booming through the room.

Harlan stood up again, slowly walking over to me, evil storming in his eyes.

Chapter Fifty-Eight

EVERLEIGH

Ilet Violet in and she wrapped her arms around me, holding me tight.

“Girl, I don’t know what’s going on, but I got you.”

“Thanks for coming over,” I said. “I didn’t want to be alone.”

“Still no word?”

“No,” I said, waving my phone in the air. “He’s not replying or picking up. Neither is Rian. It’s been hours since West woke me up. Theo said he’d come over this morning and he didn’t show up.”

“Well, it’s not even noon yet. Could they be partying together?”

“No, of course not. I called West and Kaylee back and told them what I figured out last night.”

“What?”

“I was looking through some old year books and I think I know who kidnapped me. I think it was an old schoolmate of ours. If she has Theo, too, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Tears sprang to my eyes and she rushed over, putting her arms around me.

“Alright, it’s time to gather the troops and end this shit, once and for all.”

Chapter Fifty-Nine