Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34560 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 173(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34560 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 173(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
“I’m sorry, Auds. I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to be dragged into this.”
“You didn’t tell them to behave like sociopaths. But what is this? Why are you under some kind of gag order?”
“I honestly don’t know how to explain this in a way for you to understand.”
“I bet I would get it more than you would like me to. I’m on your side no matter what.”
“Even if I helped bury a body?”
“What kind of best friend would I be if I turned on you over something like that? Girl, I’m your alibi.”
I was trying to make light of this situation. Maybe it was a mistake to tell a joke that wasn’t a joke because her reply wasn’t as sarcastic as it should’ve been if I succeeded.
“Rhia…did you kill someone?”
“What? No!”
She angled her body so that she was fully facing me. “I won’t tell, I swear.”
“Audrey,” I stated firmly. It wasn’t a huge misconception but at least with this, I could tell her the truth.
“I have never killed anyone.” I just helped bury a body and didn’t stop my ex from being tortured.
“If it’s not then what is it?”
Before I could reply, Judas began approaching to let me out. Audrey gave my hand a reassuring squeeze as Gavin did the same on the opposite side of the car.
“I’ll text you, okay?” she murmured.
“Yeah.”
“Promise you’ll reply.”
“I swear.”
Judas opened my door and as I slid from the backseat, I saw he had the satchel I’d completely forgotten about wedged beneath one of his arms. I went to take it from him, and he turned so it was out of my reach.
“Can I have my bag?”
“Get in the car first, it’s unlocked.”
I shouldered past him and walked over to the Mercedes. Since it had been sitting in the sun all day the inside was like a mini sauna. I kept the door open and climbed in, careful not to press my skin against the heated black leather.
Judas and Gavin went to stand in front of the SUV, continuing their conversation out of earshot. He didn’t give me his car key and my cell was in my bag, leaving me with nothing to do but wait for him to finish. I reached up and pulled the visor down to further torture myself.
What I saw made me cringe. This morning I’d made myself passably cute. By the time lunch rolled around I had still managed to look presentable. Now? I could’ve been an extra on Z Nation.
Spotting Judas approaching in my peripheral, I shoved the visor up and pulled the car door shut.
He got in and wordlessly dropped my satchel onto my lap. We didn’t speak to one another. Our stalemate continued long after I watched Gavin’s SUV go one way as we went another. I knew then that he was taking me home, which dredged up a whole new set of emotions. What would be waiting for me there?
“Are you planning to play the silent game the whole drive?”
“I don’t particularly want to talk to you right now.”
“Sulking isn’t going to undo what just happened.”
His nonchalant delivery was an amplifier to my irritation. I shifted in my seat so that I could fully see his face. “This isn’t sulking. This is me trying to figure out what you’re hoping to achieve by dragging Audrey into this.”
“I thought Gavin explained the situation pretty well. I don’t feel like repeating the same conversation in kindergarten terms.”
Did he always have to be such an asshole? This seemed to be a natural habit of his considering he did it with almost every breath he took.
“You’re making Audrey some kind of collateral? Why? Is this a ploy to take my only friend away? Drive us apart so you don’t have to worry about her getting in the way of your master plan?”
He barked out a laugh. “Your delusional if you think that I would be concerned over someone like Audrey fucking up anything I have in store for you. It’s kinda cute. You’re way off base, though. If I wanted to get her out of the way I would’ve done so already.”
“You wouldn’t do that to Gavin,” I protested.
“Gavin finds her entertaining and fun to fuck. Don’t confuse that with how I feel about you.”
I didn’t hate the way his last sentence evoked a tingling in my chest, but I hated that it did. I couldn’t shut off the part of me that wanted Judas to feel remotely how I felt for him when I knew I shouldn’t. Unwilling to get caught in another whirlwind of emotion, I disputed his words.
“How you feel, huh? Do you mean you wanting to fuck and kill me?
“Yes--No.”
“Yes, or no? Which one is it?”
“Sometimes I want to make you bleed just so that I can run my fingers through your blood. I’d use it to paint my name on every inch of your skin,” he switched lanes more aggressive than necessary, “Fucking you is the next best thing. I love making you beg and scream my name. It’s become an addiction I’m not looking to be cured of.”