Page 74 of My Bully's Crush: Vol1

When I was done, I passed her the book and walked over to the coffee pot to pour us both another cup.I wasn’t as surprised that I remembered how she liked hers as I had been that she’d remembered my preference.She’ll never know how much something as simple as that meant to me that she hadn’t forgotten.

She’d pretty much erased me from everywhere else in the house, though.The little caricature painting of us that used to hang above the fireplace was gone, as well as the stuffed lamb she used to keep on the rocking chair in the corner of the living room.I’d noticed it gone when we walked through earlier and was surprised at how bereft it made me feel.

I got more nervous the longer she read in silence and took my coffee to the door to look out into the night.My shoulders tensed when I heard her sharp inhale of breath, and I braced myself for the anger that was sure to come.Elena was never the sharing kind, not when it comes to romantic relationships anyway, and she hates any form of betrayal; and what I’d just written was a manifesto of the worst betrayals in life.

*Janie*

“Where is Ryder?Hey, don’t you hear me talking to you?I said where is he?How dare you ignore me?You’re just a servant… Hey.”I found myself talking to a closed door.A door one of those insufferable men Mr.Saunders had sent here with Ryder just slammed in my face.

I would kick it open again, but I was afraid of what would happen if I did.Nothing was going to plan, nothing.After my talk with Ryder, things only seemed to worsen, no matter what I tried.I stupidly went ahead with Mary’s idea about the baby, and somehow Ryder had found out even though I thought he was too busy practicing his lines to notice.

I had one good day of enjoying all of the congratulations and well wishes from the fans and family alike until it all came crashing down.Ryder was pissed beyond belief.He even threatened to expose my lies which made me wonder why he’d even care; that’s when I realized that there could be only one reason why he’d get so bent out of shape and called him out on it.

“It’s because of her, isn’t it?You don’t want her to know that we’re having a baby.Why, Ryder?Why?”I remember screaming at him with tears running down my chin, and all he did was turn and walk away.That’s when I think I knew when the veil was lifted, and I realized that he was never coming back to me.

But there was still the new house, and I was still his wife.I rushed to call Mom after that, and she set up a meeting with someone for me to visit, someone I’d dealt with in the past when I needed help, and Mom was too far away for a reading.

I could still hear her words ringing in my ears when I asked the question that always burned in my heart.I’d been so nervous about the answers I’d be given that day; it’s almost as if I knew, somehow, that that would be the day it all came tumbling down.

I felt exhausted, like I’d ran as far as I could in this race to win Ryder’s heart, and her words were like a death knell to all of my dreams.

“I still don’t understand; I did everything I was supposed to do to win his heart, to keep him close to me always.Why doesn’t he love me?”

“The love in his heart for the other is too strong.That love is destroying your spell.”

I think I knew it all along, somewhere deep down inside.Even when he was high, Ryder never looked at me with anything but contempt.

But there was the Saunders deal and the new house to look forward to.He wouldn’t lose this chance to work with the best studio in town, a studio most A-listers could only dream of working with, so I knew he would have to stay by my side, at least for now.But I could no longer stand the thought of him wanting her, of him even thinking about her.That’s where Dad came in.

He’d already spoken to Mary, and we’d all agreed that the only way to put this whole thing to bed once and for all was by killing Elena.With her out of the picture, all of my worries would be over.

I don’t know why we hadn’t thought of it sooner, but the idea took root in my head, and now it’s all I could think about.I just needed Ryder to be here so I could see his face when it was done, though it wasn’t for a few days because there were still some things left to work out; just knowing what was coming had filled me with the most excitement I’ve felt in years.

That’s why I’d gone in search of him and why I was now standing outside the closed door to his suite fuming.I couldn’t wait until I was in good with the Saunders.One of the first things I was gonna do was get rid of those two.

That made me feel better already, and I went in search of some coke and some fun.Just because my husband refuses to screw me doesn’t mean I have to go without, just as long as he never strays, which I know he wouldn’t, because she’s the only one he seems able to get it up for, and soon she won’t be here.I was outright laughing by the time I hunted down the guard.

He saw me coming and knew what I wanted before I asked.As soon as I cleared the door, he walked towards me, removing his shirt and reaching for the vial of Coke he always kept ready for me.I do like a man who knows his place.

I was surprised when Ryder kept him and a few others around when he did his massive staff change, especially after the rumors that it had taken lots of money to kill.But this one has been with him for a very long time, so it made sense that he’d keep him on.

And besides, Ryder never even mentioned anything about what had been written in the tabloids.I guess he hadn’t seen it while he was shut away wherever the Saunders had sent him to get clean.

I took my first hit of coke and leaned in for a kiss while his hands moved on my body just the way I liked.It’s a heady feeling having so much power over a strong, strapping, manly type, and soon, very soon, I’ll have Ryder at my beck and call, just like all the others I’ve conquered.

For a quick second, I was reminded that Ryder was the only one I could never control, not without the help of some substance or the other.Soon, that problem, too, would be obliterated.

I know once she’s taken care of, he’ll spiral again, and I’ll have him back under my control.I just have to figure out a way not to let Saunders know that his new protégé is not so clean any longer.

Chapter 43

*Elena*

“You fucked the whole plastic Barbie family?”I couldn’t hide the disgust in my voice.Mary had set him up on a threesome with three of her five daughters.“Why did she leave the other two out?Were they out of town?”I jeered at him, totally repulsed.

He hung his head down in shame and nodded, and I kept reading, doing my best not to start throwing things or outright losing my shit.This was bad, it was even worse than I thought, and I already knew it was a shit show.

“So, you’re saying you started cheating on me even before they started drugging you, right?Because these years don’t add up.”

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