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“Are you okay?”

“I’ve got no fuckin’ clue,” I repeated.

“You wanna go somewhere private to talk?” She tentatively approached, like I was a wild animal that might attack.

She’s right.

We’d fucked once years ago. It wasn’t meaningful, but it’d been semi-effective.

I looked down at her again, this time actually seein’ her. She was pushin’ her fake tits out and there was a hungry look in her eyes. I knew talkin’ wasn’t what she was offerin’.

“C’mon, sweetie, let’s get outta here.”

I let her grab my arm and pull me from the room.

*******

Piper

I fucked up. Shit, did I fuck up.

We were supposed to be having dinner at my mother and Thomas’ house with Sarah and Gregory that night. The parents hated the Vegas wedding idea, and were pushing to discuss alternatives.

Since Ray hadn’t packed anything from the conservative side of my closet, I needed to grab a plain dress. I was even going to pull my hair back again. I wanted to try to make the dinner go as smooth as possible.

So I’d gone home alone. I’d thought it’d be fine. I was just going to grab a couple of things and then I’d meet Jake at the apartment to talk.

What was there to worry about in the middle of the afternoon?

A lot, as it turns out.

*******

After arriving home, I kicked the front door closed behind me and tossed my purse onto my junk table. My thoughts were consumed by my fight with Jake and I wasn’t paying attention.

I wasn’t being vigilant.

“Piper!” James yelled as he ran into the room from the kitchen.

My doors are locked and James is in my house.

My mind flashed back to James’ reaction to Jake and me together. Then I thought of the way he’d pushed himself on me at my mother’s, kissing me and saying all those awful things.

I started to back away in fear when he yelled again.

“Piper, run!” His last word seemed to boom and then he crumpled to the ground. Red spread across the floor.

Was he holding a Kool-Aid?

No, wait, that’s blood.

Someone shot James.

“Hey, there, Doll Face.”

“Z, what’re you doing here?” I forced out.

My mind raced for any excuse to explain why he was in my house. I wanted to believe he was protecting me. James could be a dick and lately he’d been seriously creeping me out. But Z? He wouldn’t hurt me.