Looking down at my phone, I go to my contacts. I sent Austin a text, giving her my address, but I did it from Deke’s phone instead of mine. I wanted to remind her she was outnumbered. And alone.
Celeste is forcing my hand. Not that I didn’t want to play with the feisty brunette with striking green eyes, but I wanted to do it my way. Now I need reinforcements. Of the female kind. I don’t have any friends who are girls. Hell, I barely have any guy friends. If they’re not a shark, I don’t pay them any mind. And even the women I fuck, I stay clear of. No need for conversation afterward.
Scrolling through the contacts on my phone, I go to the one name I know who owes me a favor. I just didn’t think I’d get to cash in this soon.
Becky Holt—the girl that my best friend Deke is in love with—just happens to owe me a lot. We never speak. Never hang out. Not anymore. We keep our distance and for a good reason. One of the last times I saw her, she had tears running down her face, smearing her flawless makeup. Her shirt was torn, and she had blood on her hands. I told her to run. And she did just that.
I quickly send her a text, knowing she’s here tonight. I saw her downstairs earlier. And that’s why Deke has decided to fuck Sara Logan tonight—to try and make Becky jealous.
Me: Ready?
It shows read immediately. I see the three dots bounce around and then disappear. My smile widens.
They bounce around again before my phone vibrates in my hands.
B: ?
Me: A friend of mine is coming tonight. You would make a great friend for her too.
Her response is instant.
B: You don’t have any girls who are friends.
Touché.
Me: Her name is Austin. Brunette. Green eyes. Probably wearing something red. Text me when she gets here.
B: And why do you want to know that?
Me: It’s time to pay up! Then I send the devil emoji.
I lay my phone on my leg. I told my new toy ten, and it’s thirty minutes past that now. Kids actually started arriving at nine, but I wanted to make sure the house was full of people before she showed. I knew she’d arrive late. She wants to prove she’s not afraid of me and that she still holds all the cards. I like that.
“Bennett?” I call over to him.
He unwraps himself from his nightly fuck and comes over to me. I look up at him from my lounge. “Do you have the video from my father’s warehouse?” I made her steal a car with me last night. Her daddy’s car. Just more insurance. And she has no idea I’m going to use it against her. Fuck, it’s going to be so easy to break this girl. She’ll be in tears and begging me from her knees in no time. My cock is hard just thinking about it.
He nods. “Yes. And I sent it to Deke’s phone. It’s good to go.”
Perfect!
Kellan jumps to his feet. “I don’t understand why you want her so badly.”
“You don’t have to understand,” I say.
His jaw tightens. I feel my phone vibrate. I look down to see it’s from Becky.
B: She’s here. Kitchen.
I don’t respond.
Showtime.
“Only One King,” by Tommee Profitt, Jung Yong begins to play, and a smile spreads across my face. Game on, sweetheart.
I look at Kellan. “Our guest has arrived. Go get her. She’s in the kitchen. And Kellan? Don’t touch her,” I warn. She’s all mine.
He just stands there for a few seconds and then marches out the door, slamming it behind him. I lean back, crossing my ankles, and prop my head up with my hand behind it and wait.
Austin Lowes wants me. I saw the way she looked at me. And it’s unfortunate for her that I want her too. Just in a completely different way. And the thing about the GWS is that they always get what they want. No matter who they have to hurt, blackmail, or kill. They win.
“The moment she walked back into the kitchen with you, I about had a heart attack.” Becky shakes her head, interrupting my thoughts. “I thought maybe you guys knew each other. But when you walked away, I asked her how she knew you, and she said you had just met.” She lets out a long breath. “I should have told you no. Then you kissed her …” She begins to pace. “I should have never helped you use her.”
She has no idea about half the shit I’ve done to Austin. “I fell in love with her.” I sigh. “I know, Becky. I’m a horrible human being, and I’ve done some really shady shit in my life.”
She stops pacing and looks up at me. “And what? Austin is how you redeem yourself? You think if she sticks around that you can make it better over time?”
“No. I—”
“Did you kill Kellan?” She interrupts me.
Fuck! This is starting to sound like the conversation I had with Shelby over Jeff. “Yes,” I admit. What’s she going to do? She can’t prove it. No one ever will.
She begins to pace again. “Were all of you involved?” she asks me, biting the tips of her nails.
“I can’t answer for the others—”
“I’m asking if Deke helped you kill him,” she shouts, interrupting me.
“No,” I answer.
She looks me in the eyes, and I will her to believe me. I’m not lying to save Deke’s ass. I didn’t tell her the truth to keep her in the lie she’s been in since she started dating him. He’ll never show her the real him. He showed her what he wants her to see, and I’m not going to take that away from her.
Not knowing is bliss. The truth would be crippling.
She falls to her ass in the middle of the closet and pulls her knees to her chest. Obviously, my lie wasn’t believable enough. “I know why you did it.” She sobs. “I know why he would help you do it.” She starts rocking back and forth.
I lean my shoulder up against the door and cross my arms over my chest. Fuck, this day started out great, but it sure has taken a turn for the worst.
She pulls her face from her knees and looks up at me, blue eyes full of tears. “I was so afraid for Austin. I thought she was …dead.” She sobs.
Me too. “She’s gonna be okay. She’s strong.”
Becky nods once. “She is.” Then she gives a weird hiccupping laugh. “She managed to tie you down.”
I smile and agree. “She did.” My phone begins to ring in my pocket. I answer and place it on speakerphone when I see it’s Shelby, allowing Becky to hear whatever update she has to give us on Austin.
“Hello?”
“Cole?” she whispers. “Where are you? Get back here! Austin is freaking out.”
I snatch the laptop off the bed. Becky and I are already walking out of the room by the time she stops speaking. “Why? She okay?”
“The police are back here to talk to her. I tried to tell them no, but she said it was okay. Well, once they mentioned something about a recording of what happened at the Lowes’ residence, she started bawling, so I told them to give her a few minutes to calm down.”
“Do they expect her to listen to it?” I demand. That’s the last thing she needs to hear. She’s already lived it once.
“They haven’t got that far. Deke is in there with her right now—”