Page 60 of Ready Or Not

I freeze. My entire body goes completely still. Love? Manson doesn’t love me. My mom loved me. Noel said he loved me. I’ve seen what love does to people.

For some reason, I don’t want Manson to be on the same level as them.

My chest feels like all the air has been vacuumed out of it. It’s quiet out, just the sounds of a dog barking far off.

I try to suck in a breath. “No, he isn’t.”

“Really?” Rachel’s voice is just a whisper now. “Because I’ve never seen anyone who doesn’t care just a little act like this.”

I tremble slightly, and it makes more anger rush through me. Hot, saving anger that jerks me from my frozen state. The words come out of the depths of my chest. “If he loves me, I’ll kill him.”

We stand in the dark woods, and I feel murderous. Why does Rachel always bring out the weakness in me? It’s like she has a knack for it. She’s hit me in all the spots Manson has been aiming at for years, and she hardly even knows me.

I narrow my gaze at her. Is she working with him? Did he send her with me just to spy and report back to him?

My vision darkens around the edges. “Were youtryingto run to Manson?”

Rachel sputters. “What?”

I take a step toward her. “That’s the only reason you’d run. Surely, you knew you couldn’t escape him. So maybe you were running to him.”

Rachel sputters. “Fuck no.”

I shake my head. “Do you need a better idea of what he’s like? You said I’m worse than he is.” I grab the phone out of my back pocket. “So call him.”

“What?” Rachel takes a step back. “No. I just want to go home.”

I’m shaking with anger. This is a bad idea, but she needs to learn. I dial him, then hover over the call button.

“Riley…” her voice has lost the bravado.

I raise an eyebrow. “Your move.” Then, I press call.

31

When The Darkness Comes - Jeris Johnson

I’ve just pulled into the lot when my Bluetooth kicks in with a call. I park and check my phone. It’s the blocked number again, and I immediately answer.

“Riley.” I grin. If she’s where I think she is, this call is coming right on time.

Silence.

“Riley.”

There’s a sound, and then Rachel’s voice comes across the line.

“Manson.”

Immediately, I still. I didn’t expect Rachel. I’m not sure what their dynamic is at this point, but if Riley is good at her job, which she is, Rachel is deep in the grips of Stockholm right now. Probably thinks she knows Riley and that Riley likes her.

Part of me wonders if Riley does like her, and that thought makes me mad. What does Rachel have that I don’t?

Nothing. The answer is nothing, and Riley is just doing this to piss me off.

Riley’s voice comes across the line. “Rachel wanted to tell you where she was. Says you can come pick her up since you’re less dangerous than I am.” Her tone is mocking.

“Oh yeah?” I watch the traffic move across the street in front of me. “It’s a bit of a drive out to Noel’s place. Not sure I want to come get her.”