Page 105 of Ready Or Not

“You also help me. With her. I think we’d make a good team, Rachel Hiebert.”

This all feels too good to be true. “Are you lying?” The words slip out before I can stop them.

Manson chuckles, the sound coming from deep in his chest. “Deadly serious.”

Still, I hesitate.

“Gonna have to tell me what’s going on inside your head. I’m better than Riley, but still not great. I don’t feel what you feel, Rachel.”

I swallow. There are so many emotions turning around in my chest right now. Fear, hope, vulnerability, with more and more coming in, and trying to decide which ones he wants to hear about makes me feel like I’m in one of those wind machines trying to grab money, but it keeps slipping out of my hands. Which one does he care about? Why is he asking? Finally, I say, “I…don’t know.”

Manson just holds me.

“Rachel!” Riley shouts up the stairs. “How many chicken nuggets?”

I jump in surprise. I don’t know. There are too many decisions and too many sensations going on right now.

I open my mouth, “I’m scared, Manson. What if this goes wrong?” What if they break my heart?

“Okay, I’ll do ten!” I hear her clattering in the kitchen.

Manson strokes my hair. “Well, we aren’t scared. Let’s just take it one day at a time, hmm? None of this will be easy, Rachel. That’s not what we’re asking. We’re asking to do it together.”

Together.

I want that. I pick at my nails, letting all of the emotions in my chest filter out through that repetitive motion. Over and over and over. Pick, pick, pick until I feel quiet enough to take a deep breath.

Then, I make what might possibly be the stupidest decision I’ve ever made. My voice comes out quietly, “Okay. Together.”

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Alkaline - Sleep Token

“You think I care? Give them my fucking number.” I hang up the phone. I’ve been trying to track down Rachel’s friend Cali, and I’ve finally got her pinned down. Only Wyatt is being a royal pain in the dick about it.

It’s been a week since Riley’s angry murder spree, and we brought Rachel back. I had to burn the truck Riley stole. She threw a fit about it, so I had to promise to buy her the same make and model.

It’s been a disaster trying to keep the cops off Riley’s ass. An expensive disaster. Thankfully, the only murder with any evidence was the first one. And DNA records can be “misplaced” when you have enough money and the right connections. Her image is still all over social media, but with her mask, a lack of DNA evidence, and our lawyer’s heavy involvement, there isn’t much to go on besides speculation. And if you’re rich enough, speculation never lands you in jail.

My phone buzzes in my hand. It’s an unknown number.

Well, that was fast.

I find Rachel in the barn with Riley. They’ve been spending a lot of time together out here. It’s mostly silent, each of them working on their respective projects. Rachel hasn’t gone back to her house except to bring all her skulls to Riley’s garage. I offered to get them, but she told me she’d ‘cut my balls off’ if I messed with her system. So Riley and I just went with her and watched as she carefully packed them up to bring back. It took hours. Rachel insisted she could do it herself, but we aren’t letting her out of our sight. Not until we’re good and sure she won’t spook.

“Rachel. Phone.” I hand it to her.

Surprised, she looks up from her buckets of chemicals with some bones inside. “Who is it?”

I shrug.

She looks like she doesn’t want to take it, but she does. “Hello?”

There’s a beat of silence, and then Rachel jumps upright. “Oh my god. Cali?” There’s another beat of silence, and then she lets out a squeal and moves to the other side of the barn.

Riley throws me a look. “Cali?” Riley has short silver hair now, and I think it suits her. It’s hot, and it just makes me want to fuck her now more than ever.

I reach out to wrap my arm around Riley’s shoulder, but she ducks away from me, brandishing the knife she was using to skin a deer. “You found Cali?”

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