Total pages in book: 148
Estimated words: 135517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
“Why are you so tired? Isn’t your husband on tour? Besides, we don’t have time for one of your naps; we’ve got work to do.” Noel looked at her sister with that ‘I have a secret’ look that they always share and gave me the willies. What the hell do they know?
I so wish I could tell them to get the hell out of my house, but if I did that, everything would be over. Then again, maybe not. No, better not risk it. I’m sure that monster would figure out a way to harm me and still get what she wants if I was rude to her bitch daughters. Though I’m still not sure what that is.
I refuse to believe that my dad paid her or had enough to pay her off for a job this big. There was no way that, with all her millions, she needed the few thousand he could afford. It’s times like this I wish I had someone to talk to, someone I could trust. But it’s only now that I’ve come to realize that those people don’t exist.
I never really had any friends. Even the people I knew in high school, who I thought were my BFFs, wanted nothing to do with me. Not that they ever did, but because of that Elena person, they’d all turned their backs on me. It’s like the whole damn country had been hypnotized by her. What the hell is so great about teenage love anyway? It’s not like the shit was going to last forever. Some adult romances don’t make it that long.
I got so carried away in my thoughts that I almost forgot those two were here until Noel started to talk. I never understood how as the youngest, she was the one who always seemed to be in control of the situation. I guess what the tabloids say is true; she is Mary’s favorite. And the pampered princess baby.
“So, this is what we’re going to do. You see these?” Noel turned her phone screen towards me, and I immediately felt better.
“Oh, those are good. Are those real?” On the screen were pictures of Elena looking less than appealing. “I’ve got to get Ryder to see these somehow.” Just that quick, I felt renewed energy, and what happened in the next few hours only helped to make me feel a thousand times better.
“That’s all for tonight; we’ve got some work from Matt and Mom to take care of. Mom’s going to get the ball rolling on this, but this is just the beginning. Here, why don’t you do a line of this? It’s really good stuff, pure.”
I looked at the lines of coke she cut on the glass tabletop and realized that I’d been so caught up in this mess that I hadn’t had a hit in days. I make it a point never to get high unless I’m in my happy place because things can get out of hand otherwise. I don’t count the pills I take to help me get through the day as drugs because, well, they’re prescribed, duh.
“What do Matt and Mary want me to do?”
“It’s easy. We know Elena has a weak-ass mind; we’re just going to give her a little nudge over the edge.” I was starting to feel even better. Anything that had to do with hurting her makes my day.
Chapter 17
*Elena*
Why did this have to happen now? “I thought you said I was in the clear?” Don’t panic, don’t panic, don’t panic. Huh, easier said than done. At least the shock wasn’t as bad as the first time I’d heard those dreaded words. I wonder how most people handle stuff like this.
The first time around, the fear had been so great I was sure there was no way I was going to make it. That time had come at the darkest time in my life when everything had been turned upside down, and I didn’t really want to live until I was almost certain that I would die. Then my life became the most precious thing to me, and I would’ve done anything to hold onto it.
Things were much different this time around. It was the complete opposite situation. I was finally able to see the light at the end of the tunnel; I was finally coming back into my own. I’d found that sweet spot between loving life and not giving a fuck. Now once again, that news was dropped into my lap like a hot potato that nobody wanted.
“Yes, but we also warned you that there was a slight possibility that it might come back again. The good news is that we caught it just in time; we’ll just get you on the right medication and keep an eye on it.” That didn’t sound so bad. Not like they had to cut me open again, which is something I fear greatly.