Page 26 of The Blackmail of Denise Randall

THE CALL

“Sloan, here.”

“Ugh, even the way you answer the phone is douchey.”

“Ha-ha. Denise. There’s my foul-mouthed princess.”

“Listen, Keaton.”

“Builder Sloan.” He says it like you’d say Professor or Doctor Sloan. “Or no, Sloan the Builder.”

“Excuse me?”

“I just want to hear you say it. Come on. Humor me. It’s the least you could do after slapping me…again.”

I’d slapped him once after that incredible kiss on the Ferris wheel, furious at myself for getting swept up in his kiss. His taste. Was it fair to slap him? Probably not. However, handcuffing me and then walking off—he deserved that one.

“Stop giving me reasons to hit you.”

“Never. I’ll take any excuse to get your hands on me.”

“I just threw up in my mouth.”

“Just remember that I’m quite the handy man, if you ever want to experience my hands on you.” The sound of his deep chuckle sends a tingle through me. I feign annoyance, but I can’t help find the ass a little endearing.

“Please stop.”

“Have dinner with me tonight?”

“Do I have a choice? I’m being blackmailed after all.”

“You’re going to keep bringing that up?”

“Uh—yeah.”

“I’ll see you at seven.”

The call ends. Ass. Since it’s only four in the afternoon and I have three hours until our date, I spend time at home visiting with my family, especially my nephew and niece, Caleb and Gabriella. Caleb is six months old and Gabriella is four.

I keep telling myself I don’t care what Keaton thinks of me; yet, I spend a little over two hours getting ready. Five minutes before it’s time for him to pick me up, my phone vibrates. I answer.

“Hello?”

“Can’t make it.”

“Excuse me?”

Beep. I look back at my screen to see the call ended. He hung up on me. Again! I grit my teeth and squeeze my phone. He canceled with no explanation and just expects me to not have any plans on a Friday night. I look down at myself. I refuse to have gotten all dressed up for nothing. A little part of me wonders what Roland would think of how I look right now. With no one to take me out, I text a guy who’s been trying to be serious with me for a while now, Wyatt Anthony. He’s more my age and not married. That’s a big plus. I’m probably just drooling over Roland because I’ve not had a serious relationship. Plus, I’m not worried he is some guy after me for my last name or part of Isabelle’s plan to humiliate me further. I trust him, which is really rare. What could he have to gain by showing interest in me? It’s more of the opposite, in that he has everything to lose. Does he think I’m a risk worth taking?

I used to be boy crazy and had several little boyfriends until the end of my eighth-grade year. Landon’s death was traumatic enough, but then Isabelle began spreading horrible rumors about me. She was supposed to have transferred to the private school for high school like her brother did, but she made it her mission to stay and ruin the rest of my year and this went on well into high school.

I could’ve had a vivacious social life and been on the dating scene. But I got tired of guys circling me like sharks. I’m attractive enough, but my name is really what draws them. The name Randall may be associated with all the personal drama we’ve had but more than that, it’s associated with old money wealth and influence. I’d never thought much about it until Isabelle let me know publicly,of course, that boys are after me for only one thing.

“And it’s not even sex. They don’t even want you for that. They’re more interested in your inheritance or any social gain your parents can offer. The only thing you’re of use to anybody is you’re guys’ ticket to become part of the family. Like a doormat. They want to walk over you to get inside. It’s sad, Denise.”

With all the hurtful things Isabelle would spew out, and between Alice, Landon, and Trent, the school had plenty of ammunition. The people from my school and community were all very welcoming toward Alice when she first arrived. They were excited for her return and we were in the limelight. It’s astonishing with how all it takes is one person to change and warp everyone’s point view. The light that had been shining on us was turned into a glaring spotlight for ridicule and humiliation. Landon’s death brought so much grief. Where we should’ve been allowed and given the grace to mourn, a buzz of whispers swept through the town. Gossip poisoned our community. Then Trent and Rachel’s ordeal added more fuel to the fire in our small community. Everywhere we went, there were stares and murmuring. I couldn’t walk the halls of my school without my face turning red from shame. The teachers whispered about what a nice girl Rachel used to be and that’s probably the real reason she graduated early. Some even went as far to say my family forced her to leave. Others claimed it was her own shame. The students made snarky remarks, jokes, and giggled behind my back as I walked the halls. Rachel claiming her pregnancy was with Landon, but then admitting that Trent had gotten her pregnant while she was seventeen and he was twenty-two. Her being a minor, while he was a legal adult had the entire family’s ears burning. Of course that refueled the rumors of Rachel always being a beard for Landon. There were also rumors that both brothers had shared her, that we were a family into incest since Alice was dating her cousin, Noah. Even though Noah isn’t her cousin—well, not anymore. At least with Rachel and Trent both legal adults and married with two kids now, that’s calmed down a little.

With all that going on, I never told my parents much about Isabelle. They’d already gone through so much. Instead, I decided to pour all my energy into being the one child who would complete high school and graduate college top of the class, with no additional drama. I almost succeeded until, once again, Isabelle Jamerson had to reappear in my life.

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