Page 137 of The Deceptions

“I know,” I say soothingly, running a hand over his back, trying to soothe the heartache of losing a roommate.

They were friends for years. Roommates for the same amount of time. No one would have suspected them to be friends with their vastly different personalities.

“Do you want to have a movie marathon? Eat ice cream?”

Simon licks his lips. “Order pizza, too?”

“Of course,” I softly say, leading him into my bedroom and shutting the door. “You think Wade will find anything out?”

Simon plops onto my bed and lies back. “If anyone can find out anything, it'll be him. His mom always tells him what's going on.”

I can only hope he’s right. It’s too fucking suspicious that Dane is gone. Shit. My eyes slide over Dane’s belongings. He hadn’t fully moved in, but he had at least put his things away into his dresser. I swallow hard.

It’s so strange when someone passes. All their belongings stay behind while their soul departs and they’re no longer a part of this world. But their things are. They’ll stay here and fall into another’s hands, becoming theirs.

My fingers run over the blood drive shirt Dane has on his dresser. Greenwood University Blood Drive.

“It happens every year,” Simon says mournfully, coming to my side. “All students usually participate.”

Right. My advisor had said as much. In fact, she encouraged me to go, stating I’d get a credit from my professors for participating.

“Have you?”

Simon cringes. “I hate needles. Dane did it last year to get an A in one of his classes. Wade did, too. But me? I can’t even walk into that room without puking and passing out. Me and needles? No, thank you.” He waves his hands around. “But if you can take it, you totally should. We even have a competition with another college. Whoever collects the most blood gets a prize.”

“Interesting,” I mumble, reading over the shirt.

There’s a gut feeling there. On what? I have no fucking clue. But I think I need to check out the blood drive in a few weeks when it comes to town to glimpse why it’s such a big deal here.

"You're ready for this?"Wilder asks, rolling a fresh, unlit cigarette between his lips.

"I was born ready." Wilder's bright eyes take in my expression, and he frowns, causing frown lines. "Turn that frown upside down, Old Chap!" I chirp, patting him hard on the back. "Today is a good day."

And you know what? Today is a good day. I feel it deep in my bones, rattling me with an odd sense of anxiety. Or maybe it's anticipation. Exhilaration. Today, I finally get my hands on the footage I've been aching for. Begging for. Anything regarding my sister and who she was with the night before she completely disappeared off the face of the earth.

Wilder's gaze latches onto my grin after looking at the voracious crowd. They're everywhere. Loud. Excited. Whooping every time they win a bet. Fucking tourists. Lining the casino and gambling away their money like they have nothing to lose. Five years ago, this place was a dream for my boss. Then, hebrought in Bobby, who manages the casino while Boss stays in the shadows and cooks up more business.

It's a win-win for all of us.

And soon, our kingdom will come to fruition. But first, I need to find my goddamn sister and make sure she's okay. I've continued to stalk her apartment building, looking for anything suspicious. But there's nada. Only the usual tenants coming and going. The bar across the street where she was last seen has maintained their innocence time and time again.

One day, I'll torture that bartender into giving me the answers I seek. He knows something. It's why I keep going back and studying him. Even following him wherever he goes. The only place I can't manage to sneak into is his elusive apartment in the basement. The place he propositioned my little ghost into visiting. Fat chance. I would have stopped that the second he put his hands on her.

He wouldn’t have hands left to touch her with.

I knew from the moment I walked through the doors ofX Marks the Spotthat she was mine. My girl. My Little Ghost. The girl I watched getting carried out of that house fire, clinging to life and barely conscious.

I knew it was her by the look in her eyes. The way her long brown hair swished against her back. Her laugh. Her voice. Everything about her, I know all too well. Five years of separation did nothing to tamp down my obsession with her.

Olivia Viotto was always meant to be mine.

And now, she will be.

Ah, my Little Ghost.

She thinks she's hiding so well in the skin of a man, wearing baggy clothes and cutting her hair. But I’d recognize those deep brown eyes anywhere. Even hidden beneath contacts and thick glasses. She can't hide from me. Ever. No one can hide from me forever. I expertly conceal myself in the shadows at every turn.Even Huxley and his idiot friends have caught my eyes. So, I watch their comings and goings when they think no one can see. Even their cameras can't catch a glimpse of me.

My boss taught me well.