Page 95 of Perfect Sin

“He thinks I’m helping him. I’m supposed to get you in a compromising position and have Raven catch us.”

I lean back against the wall, feigning boredom, but only to keep her from putting her guard up so she keeps talking. “Why would you do that?”

“Because I’m stupid. I hooked up with him after that weekend at the cabin. I didn’t know there were cameras set up. He said if I didn’t help he’d put it up on the internet.”

Looks like Jesse learned some tricks from his cousin. “You say you care about Ford, but you were willing to drag his name through the mud to save yourself from embarrassment?”

“I’m not as strong as all of you,” she mutters, looking at her shoes.

“You had friends. You could have turned to any of them and told them what was going on. They would have had your back.”

Her head snaps up. “Really? Not a single one of them has bothered to check in on me. Ford said he loved me, yet he walked away without looking back.”

“It seems to me he’s done nothing but look for you.”

She shrugs one shoulder. “Maybe. I screwed up, I know that. I’m trying to fix it though.”

“I’m still listening.”

“I told Jesse that his plan won’t work. Raven won’t believe you cheated on her, no more than you believed she was seeing Ford on the side.”

“If there’s no danger of us falling for his shit, what are you warning me about?”

“He’s worse than his cousin.”

I glare at her.

“Yes, I know about Kyle. I heard him talking to Jesse about what he was going to do when he got Raven back. I’m glad he’s dead.”

She takes a deep breath. “Your father is getting restless. He told Jesse to get rid of Raven no matter what. Jesse has made some dangerous friends over the years. Friends who would pay a lot of money for your wife.”

My fists clench at my sides. “He intends to sell her?”

“There have been some really creepy guys hanging around. They keep talking about the Blackthorne girl. I don’t think he’s stupid enough to really think I can split the two of you up for good, but he’s banking I can help him get Raven alone.”

“Is that what you’re doing right now?”

Tessa shakes her head. “No. I saw her with Ford, Lucien, and Teddy. I know she’s safe with them.”

“And I saw the way you were glaring at her when Ford joined us this morning.”

She doesn’t deny it. “I saw you last week. That was quite the bruise on your jaw. I’m guessing Ford was rocking some purple and blue on his ribs, am I right?”

I shrug. She already seems to have guessed we got into a fight.

“Jealousy is a bitch, and yeah, so am I most of the time. I don’t have to like her to not want her to be abused and sold like an animal.”

“Did you happen to catch any names?” I ask her, directing her back to the information she might have learned.

“Only one guy that Jesse kept calling Len. He seemed to be the one in charge. Jesse is looking to throw himself a welcome back party. He rules over this place by holding blackmail over the jocks. He thinks he can force his way back on the team. To do that he needs women willing to do anything.”

“Prostitutes,” I clarify.

Tessa shakes her head. “No, not prostitutes. Have you not noticed the girls that used to hang out with him have been dropping out of school?”

“I saw Poppy last night. She looks like shit.”

“It’s the drugs. Seems to be his number one move to get laid.”

---