Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 103431 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103431 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
“No!” She shouts. “I will not listen. I won’t pretend to understand the inner workings of y’all’s relationship. Y’all’s banter used to be entertaining, but lately, you’ve been downright cruel. I’m tired of it and I’m sure Scarlet is, too. No one deserves to be spoken to the way you do to her. She deserves better and I… I thought you were better. You… you need to figure out your issues, Ellis.”
“We don’t have a relationship.” My reply is lame, because holy shit, she may as well have stabbed me in the heart with those words.
“Ellis.” She pinches the bridge of her nose and leans into Atlas for comfort. “You’re testing me. You are both so, so important to me. I refuse to choose between the two of you. So, I mean it, figure out a way to get along with her or…”
“Or what?” I ask, my heart beating a hundred miles a minute.
“Or maybe you’ll be the one absent from family dinner.”
I rub at my chest as her words sink in. She’s dead-ass serious, and while everything I did tonight was to protect Scarlet, it blew up in my face and now I have to figure out a way to clean up the epic mess I’ve made. “Got it.”
FOURTEEN
SCARLET
“I need a night out,” I murmur to Fefe. “Especially after the bullshit family dinner at Nora’s last night.”
Fefe arches her back as she looks up at me before burrowing beneath my duvet.
“Yeah, yeah.” I glide my hand down her back, and she wiggles her butt. “I know you think I should stay home.”
A small part of me wants to, but a larger part of me feels like that’s letting all of the asshole men in my life win, which is something I refuse to do. I’m not going to stay home and sulk because Ellis Wilder hurt my feelings or cower because of some stalker. I will however be safe when I go out tonight. A two-drink limit, no drinks from strangers, pepper spray on my keyring, and I’ll share my location with either Cara or Nora.
With a renewed sense of determination, I slide out from under the covers and pad into the bathroom.
Fefe, the stage-five clinger that she is, is hot on my heels. She zooms around the bathroom a few times before grabbing a sock from my laundry basket and darting away to hide it one of her many stash spots.
“Little weirdo.” I can’t help but smile as I section up the top of my hair so I can curl it. Thanks to a decade or so of practice, I make quick work of styling my hair into long, effortless waves.
My makeup, on the other hand, takes up the bulk of my primping. I take my time… covering, contouring, and blending, until I look filtered—you know, minus the actual filter.
I’m sure Ellis would have something shitty to say about the whole process. It’s stupid, but I really thought we’d turned a corner. But last night, he was right back to being an a-hole supreme.
Honestly, it’s my fault for expecting him to change. Our little rivalry used to be fun, but ever since Nora was taken, well, let’s just say the fun no longer exists. Our banter turned to barbs, and as ashamed as I am to admit it, they’re buried deep in my subconscious.
I suck in a deep breath, holding my gaze in the mirror as I count to ten, before slowly blowing it out. “You are a good person. You deserve good things. You are enough. You are worthy of love.”
I repeat my go-to mantra a few more times before setting out in search of the perfect outfit. I need something that says hot but unapproachable. It’s nights like these I really wish I had a girlfriend or two to go out on the town with. God knows, I’d feel safer in a group, but I refuse to live in fear.
Except my phone pings before I make it to my closet.
It’s a text. From Ellis. I’m half-tempted to ignore it, but in the end, my curiosity wins out.
Officer Jackass: We need to talk.
Me: I don’t think we do.
Officer Jackass: Please.
Me: That please hurt, huh?
Officer Jackass: I’m serious, Scarlet. We need to talk about last night.
I’d literally rather do anything else, but something tells me he’s not going to let this go. So, I plop down onto my bed and absentmindedly stroke Fefe’s soft fur while tapping out a reply.
Me: Okay. Talk.
Officer Jackass: I’m sorry.
Me: For what exactly? Be as specific as possible.
Officer Jackass: I saw you panic when Nora asked about your stalker. I was trying to take the heat off of you and went about it the wrong way. I was talking out my ass and didn’t mean it. In hindsight, we should’ve discussed how to handle this whole situation beforehand.