Page 80 of Such A Bad Girl

EVERLEIGH

I’d fallen asleep reading messages from old friends in my yearbook. Images of the past burned through my dreams, mixing with flashes of my life now.

There were my old friends Donna and Frenchie, hanging out on the movie set with me, gawking at the movie stars…

And there was my Algebra teacher Miss Johnston helping me memorize my lines in my trailer…

There I stood, naked in the lunchroom, wearing only Theo’s black scarf, the entire football team staring at me and pointing, as my first music video played behind me on the wall…

Nothing made sense, and the images swirled around in a mixture of chaotic scenes. Some made me laugh in my sleep and others left me lost and confused.

I tossed and turned, the photos of my yearbook coming to life, animated voices and faces from the past once again real and alive in my dreams.

Avett’s face flashed in my head, his laughter seared into my memory. We wrestled together, his face on top of me as we rolled around on the boardwalk together, my eyes frantically darting around for a way to escape.

In my dream, the smell of his breath, twinged with the pungent scent of alcohol and weed, overwhelmed me.

“Come on, Everleigh, you know you want it,” his whisper ripped through my brain, bringing the past back into my dreams as clear as day. I fought against him, my nails digging into his flesh.

My head whipped to the side and I saw a movement in the shadows, a flash of blonde hair that appeared for only a quick instant, then was replaced by the thundering sound of approaching footsteps, Theo’s voice breaking through the nightmare.

I woke with a start, my head spinning, tears streaming down my face.

I sat up and the yearbook flopped open beside me, a pair of familiar eyes staring up at me, barely visible in the moonlight streaming through the window.

I turned on my bedside lamp, and grabbed the book, staring down at it intently, the pieces falling into place in my mind like they’d been there just waiting all this time.

Chapter Fifty-Five

THEO

Hotel Shangri-la had seen better days.

I walked in with the heavy duffel bag hanging on my shoulder, and headed straight for the lobby, then I sent a text.

I’m here. Lobby.

I waited, my anxiety growing with each passing minute. I ignored the curious glances from the hotel staff and stared out the window at the lights of the Santa Monica Pier. In the distance, the Ferris wheel sparkled against the black of the night sky. Just beyond it was the ocean, only occasional flashes of the white of crashing waves visible in the darkness.

My phone buzzed again.

Room 324

I groaned. I’d just wanted to get this over with, hoping it would be a simple transaction, but apparently it wasn’t going to be that easy.

I texted a pin of my location to Rian before I headed upstairs. If anything went south, I wanted them to be able to find me.

The elevator doors opened to a dusty hallway. The old carpet and wallpaper held smells of years gone by. It was quiet and eerie. A distant light bulb flickered down the hall.

I tried to tell myself it was old-world charm rather than horror-movie foreshadowing. But my body wasn’t convinced. The hair on the back of my neck stood up as I approached the door of room 324. The floorboards creaked under my feet.

I hesitated before knocking and considered just putting the money in front of the door. What did I need to accomplish here? Did I expect them to give me evidence? All I really had was their word anyway.

But, they’d already abducted Everleigh. I couldn’t let them get away with that. I couldn’t leave without knowing who this asshole was and making them pay for what they’d done.

With a deep sigh, I lifted my hand and knocked.

Chapter Fifty-Six

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