Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
I dove for it, tearing it open. Please, don’t need a password. Please, don’t need a password. Please, don’t—
The laptop booted up to the home screen. I was in.
You’re a cruel, raggedy bitch sometimes, Fate, but then there are nights like tonight when I love you.
“Okay,” I said softly. “You pretty much confirmed that you have a way to see the real identities of the club members. I promised I’d bring it all crashing down on your pretty little head. I keep my word.”
The lights returned. Everleigh flipped the breaker. She’d be back soon.
I opened the browser and navigated to the history. I didn’t have to remember that long string of nonsense that was the club’s web address. If Everleigh didn’t password-protect her laptop, she didn’t delete the history either.
It has to be here somewhere.
I scrolled through the day’s history. Then the week’s. Then the weeks’ before.
“Come on,” I gritted. “Where is it!”
Creak.
I slammed the laptop shut and rolled, dropping flat on the carpet. Hallway light spilled into the room, trailing Everleigh inside.
My lungs crawled up into my throat, strangling any chance of making a sound. Of breathing.
I scuttled under the bed, clutching my chest. My heart thundered so loud there was no way she wouldn’t hear it.
My eyes followed her bare feet’s path. Slowly, they padded around the bed—coming nearer, nearer, closer, closer. They stopped right next to my head.
If it comes down to a fight, I’m ready. Everleigh doesn’t know I’ve got Cato for backup. This won’t go down the way she wants.
Everleigh turned and walked out.
I held still, not moving in case it was some kind of trick.
A minute passed.
Two minutes.
Three.
Grabbing a weapon and coming back to attack me wouldn’t take that long. I was safe. She didn’t see me.
I scooted out from under the bed and reached for the—
My hand fell on downy sheets. The laptop was gone.
I dropped my head on the covers and screamed. I was wrong. Fate was still a fucking bitch.
Shoving away, I marched out the door. I’d had enough of the bullshit. I was trying to get in and get out with the laptop so that Everleigh didn’t have a chance to defend herself or even know she was in danger before the fire started.
But that was just me being nice. It worked just as well for me to kick her ass, take the laptop, and leave her out cold on the ground while the fire raged around her. The same end she planned for me.
I stormed through the hall, not bothering to duck down or hug the wall. Let her see me coming and know all her planning, scheming, tricks, and plots were for nothing.
A hand snatched my wrist. I didn’t have a chance to think about screaming before I was pulled into the dark.
Cato spun me around and pressed me against the door. “Luna.”
I never heard such urgency in his voice.
“Look.”
“Look at what?” I asked. “What’s wrong?”
I took out my phone and tapped the flashlight again. Lifting it overhead, my eyes bugged.
Right then, I understood the real reason Everleigh kept this place so secret, she refused to let her best friends know about it.
We were inside the mind of Everleigh Starling.
Photos, scribbles, newspaper clippings, article printouts, with blue string connecting it all even from across the room.
I ducked the string, getting closer to the far wall. Of course it drew my attention. Smack-dab in the middle of all the crap she pasted to the wall was a picture of a young Alistair. Below him were pictures of me, my mom, and Winter. I squinted, reading the information she put under our names.
“Fucking hell,” I breathed. “She’s even got the full names and birthdays of my old friends from Catholic school. There’s stalking and then there’s this.”
“Over here.”
I went to Cato, drawn to where he pointed. I scanned the wall up and down, trying to make sense of what he wanted me to see. It was a mess of interwoven string that made it hard to read.
“But this looks like... Oh my gosh.” My phone slipped through my fingers. “I need to speak to Saylor. Now.”
I TUMBLED OUT OF THE car, running to the guard booth. My good friend, Frank, raised a brow at my banging on the glass.
“Can I help you, miss?”
“Frank, let me in. I have to speak to Saylor.”
He blinked lazily. “I’m afraid that won’t be possible.”
“Look, I know it’s late, but it’s an emergency. Raise the gate.”
“Miss, I cannot let you onto the grounds. You’re no longer on the approved-guests list.” I blew back. What? I was removed that fast?
“Okay, fine.” I rebounded fast. “Then, wake her ass up and tell her I need to speak to her. Trust me, she needs to hear this.”
“I’m afraid not. The Burkhardts do not allow strangers to disturb their sleep with demands for entry any more than they allow them to wander about their property.”