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Then I’m alone, feeling the slowing of my heart and my inability to stop it. My system is confused. It knows we’re in distress, but nothing is firing to make me stop it. In the finalmoments, all I can think is…was this what Farrah’s end felt like?

18

cooper

How the fuckdid Portia get access to the videos?

“I’m going to kill that vile bitch when I get my hands on her,” Colter screams as I climb the stairs.

The sounds of glass ricocheting against something before it shatters follow my ascent. I want to share in my brother’s rage, but I need to check the damn cameras.

Portia gained access to something she shouldn’t have been able to, and for that alone, her time at Groveton was finished. But for what she said about Farrah?—

Her words replay as I enter my bedroom.“Do you want me to dig Farrah up for you? I’m sure dirt pussy is all the rave these days.”

—she’s dead. How and when it’ll happen is still up for debate. Portia doesn’t get to breathe while my sister is eternally asleep.

Sitting in my chair, I power on my computer, enter the password, and bring up the house’s surveillance videos. Then I bring up the footage from a few days ago, fast-forwarding to the time Colter and I were playing spliced recordings of Farrah’s voice to fuck with Eva.

Our room door is closed as we watch Eva enter her room after punching the shit out of Liam for assaulting her. I smirk, remembering the spark that temporarily lit in her soft-brown eyes.

Guilt roils in my stomach at the way it fizzles out when she hears my sister’s voice. Pain etches itself into every fiber of my being, and I’m once again conflicted. She needs to pay for the domino effect she set off, but the urge to protect the person my sister loved and we considered family chips at the barrier of my vengeance.

Colt and I are so focused on her that neither of us heard Portia’s arrival. I watch as she freely roams upstairs like she belongs there. I see the moment she becomes aware of where we are.

Creeping closer, Portia leans in to listen. A smarmy smile paints her face as she pulls out her cell phone and begins recording.

“Fuck,” I shout when I realize that Colter and I were so enthralled with our thirst to hurt Eva that we left ourselves exposed.

My room door bursts open. “What did you find, Coop? Tell me we have what we need to fricassee that cunt.”

Ignoring his question, I continue to stare at the glee on Portia’s face. Once Jade enters Eva’s room to snap her from devolving, Portia carefully descends the stairs. I switch camera angles to watch as she exits through the patio door.

“How the hell didn’t we know the back wasn’t secured?” I mutter.

“It is,” Colter replies. “Pull up camera five and start from the beginning of that day.”

Following his instructions, I play the footage. My mouth drops when I see Portia waltz in with Thaddeus. She’s hangingoff his arm, running her hands up his chest. They stop in the entryway, and he squeezes her tits.

“Get down and blow,” he commands.

Batting her eyelashes like some offered fair maiden, she stutters, “Here in the hallway?”

“Stop acting bashful. You literally were fucking someone against the front door while we watched yesterday.”

The innocence bleeds from Portia’s demeanor when her act of being coy falls flat. “Fine,” she snaps, sinking to her knees as she unzips his jeans.

“Skip this shit,” Colter orders. “The last thing I want to see right now is Thad’s micro dick.”

Nodding, I lower my finger to click fast forward.

“Wait,” my brother shouts as his hand shoots out, gripping my forearm to halt my movement. “Look.”

My gaze flicks up in time to see Thad’s head lean back as he groans. “I thought you didn’t want to see this part?”

“You missed it. Rewind and play it in slow motion,” Colt demands.

Replaying the video, my eyes bulge. “She… she… she—” I stutter, unable to finish my sentence.