Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 119152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
My eyes widen, and I groan, fighting to sit upright. “What does that mean?” I hold her stare, desperate to find a sliver of humanity. All I see is a crazed person lost in a demented fantasy. I suck in a shallow breath. “You think you’re going to. . . what? Kill me and get away with it? Live happily ever after? This isn’t the movies, Jenny—or whatever the hell your damn name is. This is reality. In reality, you get caught—ahhh!” I scream as the golf club slams against my ribcage, and I fall to the side.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about. You think I’m dumb? I’m not going to just off you. Clearly, that plan hasn’t worked for me.” She swings the club again, barely missing me. “You see, this all worked out perfectly. My Christopher is going to think you’re the crazy one. You lured me here—a place you know I’m familiar with, and in a jealous rage, tried to kill me. I take a few hits—it’ll suck self-inflicting them—but in the struggle, I get a hold of the gun—the one Christopher keeps in his safe that you unlocked and had pointed at me. And while fighting for my life in self-defense, I shoot you.”
I shake my head. “No one will believe that.”
“Oh, they will. Christopher will run to my aid, confessing his love for me, and that will be that. You’ll finally be dead, and I’ll have everything I’ve ever wanted.”
I sit up, clutching my torso. Agitating her more may not be how I live through this, but I have to try something—give myself a chance to tackle her and fight her off. . . without using my hands.
I need to make her doubt her plan. Buy some time for help to get here. “You forgot the most obvious part,” I say.
“What’s that?” She smiles down at me.
I shrug, a cunning smile spreads across my face. “That you picked me up from work. I made sure to let Mary know I was leaving with you. When all this comes out, people are going to know who you are. You know, my new buddy? You think no one’s going to bat an eye at the random girl who just showed up next door to me and is now dating my ex-husband? That I played coy until I found the right time to kidnap you with plans on murdering you?” I burst into hysterical laughter, choking at the pain in my ribcage. “So many plot holes, my friend. Hope you wanted your happily ever after to be in jail, ’cause that’s the only place you’re—”
She swings the club. Once. Twice. I fall sideways and huddle my knees to my chest to block her. On the third swing, the tip of the club crushes against my forearm and I scream out in agony as my skin splits open. The ringing of her phone causes her to pause. She drops the club and looks at her phone, her brow creasing. Declining the call, she shifts to slip it into her pocket when it rings again.
“Shit. . .”
My stomach churns as I sit up. Blood oozes from the gash on my arm. The pain is so intense, I think I’m going to be sick. I wheeze out an agonizing breath. “What’s your plan B? Letting me go sounds like a good idea—”
“Shut up!” she snaps. Her phone rings again. “Ugh,” she groans and leaves the room. I force myself back into an upward position as she returns. “Don’t even think about it.” She tears off a piece of duct tape and slaps it over my mouth. “You even attempt to make a sound. and you’ll regret it.”
She stands back up as her phone rings once more. Taking a deep breath, she answers. “Christopher, hey!”
Twenty-minutes earlier. . .
Ben
“Wait, say that again?” I better have heard him wrong.
“Yeah, that’s him. I remember him from the photos Hannah showed me of their wedding. Question is, why is she in a picture with him? I thought she didn’t know Makayla before this—”
“Because she was the one sleeping with him. What the fuck are those two up to?” None of this makes sense. I got the feeling Jenny—Rebecca—was bad news, but for them to be in this together is fucked up. “Something’s not right. Mak would have called me. She wouldn’t have gone with her.”
“With who?”
“Jenny! She left work with Jenny. Her phone’s off. Something’s not right. And this shit? Her ex was harassing her. Fuck, man—I’m going to the neighbor’s house.”
“Ben, don’t do anything—”
“I gotta call you back.” I end our call and storm out of my apartment, dialing Steve.
“Hey, Ben—”
“My gut was right. She did it. And she’s not working alone. I need you to call this in.”
“Wait—slow down. What do you mean she’s not—?”