Page 72 of The Player Next Door

“Too late. I can’t. We’re done,” Logan said and he climbed into his car, slamming the door behind him. He sped off out of the parking lot, leaving Clare small and forlorn behind him.

Chapter Thirty-five

“‘But I didn’t do it for you,’ the Amethyst Queen says as the ash falls around you like snow and the Dragon Army’s spell topples the Tower of Ibisk as if it were nothing more than a pile of children’s blocks,” Devi said and flicked the cover shut on her iPad. “Okay, now that that’s out of the way, Clare, what the hell is going on with you?”

Clare barely had time to process that the Amethyst Queen had apparently turned on them and they’d lost the city before four sets of eyes were on her. “I’m fine,” she lied.

Chase cleared his throat. “With all due respect, I’m only here about a quarter of the time and I can tell you’re not fine,” he said gently.

Toni nodded. “Yeah, he’s right. What happened?”

Clare put her head down on the table, shielding herself with her arms. “Logan and I broke up.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Toni said, concerned.

“When did this happen?” Devi asked.

“Do you want me to kill him?” Annie offered. “My car’s just outside.”

“It was just a few days ago,” she said, lifting her head slightly. “And I didn’t say anything because I don’t know what to say. It was sort of my fault, but also definitely not, you know?”

“That’s going to need a little more clarification,” Devi said.

“I did a shitty thing. And hurt him.” She took a deep breath. “The first time I pitched Captain Ellis to Craig, he, uh, implied I didn’t have the right experiences to write a character like her.”

“Jesus Christ, what a creepy asshole,” Annie mumbled.

“Right experiences in what way?” Toni asked.

“He didn’t say it directly, but—sex. Captain Ellis is a player, and I’m, you know, not.”

“Oh my god, okay, new murder planned,” Annie interjected.

“But the thing is, he was right. I didn’t, and so I took his advice, and I went out and got some.”

“Oh honey,” Devi whispered. “Logan?”

“Yeah. I figured it was a one-time thing, but then we started hanging out more and I thought I’d just have to keep that original reason under wraps, you know? I didn’t tell him right away, but then he sort of—well, obviously he didn’t really guess it, but he was asking questions about Captain Ellis and I didn’t want to lie, so I told him. He seemed fine and I thought we were in the clear. But there’s all this other stuff too, with how and why he started trying to date me and his job and stuff, but—he told me about that a while ago, and I forgave him for it, but I didn’t own up about the Craig thing.”

“Ooof,” said Devi.

“But he was honest about his side of things, or at least he was eventually, and like, yeah, we both did shitty things. But then the other day we were at this dinner thing for him, and we ran into Noah outside the restaurant, and then all of a sudden we were arguing in a parking lot and breaking up.”

Toni furrowed her brow. “What happened with Noah?”

“I panicked. I said Logan was just my neighbor, and we’d run into each other, and he was just giving me a ride home.”

“Oh yikes,” Devi winced. “And Logan felt like you were embarrassed of him?”

“I think so, yeah. And then it spiraled, and I’m still not totally sure what all he’s mad at me about, but he’s definitely mad and we’re definitely done.”

“How sure are you about that?” Chase asked.

“He left me behind in the parking lot.”

“Ooof,” Devi said again. “I’m sorry,” she said, and the rest of the group murmured the same thing.

“I also think we’re severely underplaying how fucking disgusting Craig is. What the living fuck is wrong with him?” Annie said.