Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 125121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Giovanni threw up his hands. “It’s the reason all of this started. T.O.D. Truth or dare.”
“What about it?”
“It was a dare, okay? Someone dared me to date your sister, string her along for a while, then brutally dump her.”
“A dare?” Bile rose in my throat. “A dare club? Is that what sick fucks like you do? Make a children’s game out of people’s lives! Dared you to break my sister’s heart? Why didn’t you say no!”
“Because the penalties for saying no are worse than anything I could’ve done to her,” he shouted. “People get dumped every fucking day, Sinclair. How was I supposed to know what was going on?”
“Is that how you justify what you’ve done?” My nails pierced my palms. “Lots of people get dumped, so I can lie and manipulate my way into the pants of a sweet, innocent person.”
“I didn’t say I deserve a medal for it,” he said, jabbing a finger at me. “I only did it because the reward was insane. More than has ever been offered for a dare in the history of the club. I had a feeling something wasn’t right, but it was too much to turn down.”
Closing the distance, I punched him in the face. “Argh!” Howling, Giovanni hit the floor, covering his eye.
“If you justify what you did to Winter one more time, I swear. You’re a monster, Natale!”
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you! I didn’t mean to be!” He staggered to his feet, nearly tripping into the pool. “This is the kind of shit you do in T.O.D., Sinclair. You fuck with people—play pranks. It’s not a club for pussies.
“I took the dare, but it wasn’t until after...” Giovanni squeezed his eyes shut. “After I did what I did that I noticed Winter was getting it too hard. Too many dares were about her. Someone was in her face every day. When that video of her attack in the dorm went viral, I realized she wasn’t just another Dreg who became the club’s favorite that month. Someone wanted to teach her a lesson. I figured out what that lesson was—”
“—after she killed herself.” I stumbled back, feet tangling and nearly sending me to the floor. “Someone in your little... club... dared you all to bully Winter till you drove her over the edge.”
“I didn’t know Winter’s death was the goal, but they did.” Giovanni spat the sentence. “They came to me after she died. Owen, Levi, Wesley, and Ashton. Said they all got specific dares like me, telling them to do something horrible to Winter for a huge prize.
“They had an idea who was behind it, but they needed me to get the proof. If we were right, we could demand so much more.”
My lips peeled back from my teeth.
“Yeah, I went along with it, but it’s not what you think,” he cried. “I just wanted to know the truth. Someone made me a part of driving a girl to kill herself! Winter never did anything to me. I didn’t want her dead.”
“What does that matter now?” Wetness soaked my face. “Tell me you found out who started this. Give me their name!”
“No, no.” He resumed his pacing—rubbing his eyes and tossing his head. “Who did it isn’t nearly as important as why, Sinclair. It’s about the secret Winter discovered.”
I jerked. “Secret? You know what it is?”
“It’s big,” he breathed. “She found out and they used the club as their own personal hit squad. Now it’s happening to us. Winter was bullied until she lost it. Now everyone who knows why is getting fucked up. Bomb in my car. Money stolen. Humiliated. On the edge of being expelled. I lost Gabby and Annika. It’s happening to me, just like it happened to Winter.
“They got in his ear.” Giovanni slapped himself, smacking his ears. The man was unraveling before my eyes. “Convinced Ashton to get rid of us and claim it all for himself. Now he’s dead too, and they’re not even sorry! That’s just one less person who knows. But you.”
I stepped back as he flew at me, finger in my face. “You can end all of this. Once you go public, it’s over. There’s nothing they can do.”
“Giovanni.” I held his face still, forcing his darting orbs to lock on mine. “Focus. You’re all over the place. Give me a name, then tell the secret. Name and secret—the only words that you need to say.”
He licked dry, chapped lips. “If I tell you, will you protect me?”
“Yes.” I didn’t have to think about it. “After you tell me, the attacks on you stop. No one will mess with you again. You’ll be safe.”
“Okay.” Shutting his eyes, he took a deep breath. “The name is... Sinclair.”
“Wha—?”
“Sinclair, look out!”
I heard the footfalls behind me much too late. Electricity surged through my muscles, trapping them rigid. I crumpled, collapsing at the edge of the pool.