Page 35 of Kill, Sleep, Repeat: Vol II

Always moving, always on the edge of something more.

Three months pass and nothing really happens and everything happens and now I’m back in the Hamptons.

I’m speaking to that boy again, the one everyone but my heart tells me is a bad idea, and thank God, and finally, because even though it’s stupid, really, I thought I might actually die.

But he’s not here because he can’t be a part of this faction of my life, and while that’s probably what will kill it in the end, this is just how it is.

The house is insane, sparkling in the moonlight, with a pool that probably costs more to maintain than all four years of my tuition combined. The flashing lights are blinding, and the people milling around are trading stories about their latest purchases, the vacations they just got back from, and who knows what else. Nothing important.

I slip into the crowd, trying to blend in while my mind races with the list of people I need intel on. There’s the CEO of that tech company, someone the agency is interested in knowing more about, and a few key players from Hollywood that I’m supposed to track.

I spot my target in the back—thick neck, a gaudy watch, chatting with someone who looks way too young to be here. But then again, looks can be deceiving. The guy’s name is Gregory, and according to Carlo, he’s been mixed up in shady business for years. My agency wants to know exactly who he’s dealing with.

I fall into the rhythm of things here without much effort. Smile. Laugh. Flirt. Do what I have to do.

But I’m not here for the party. I’m here for the intel.

I head toward the bar, grab a drink, and try to figure out how to get close to Gregory without being too obvious. He’s deep in conversation with someone, but I don’t mind waiting.I’ve got time.

I’m halfway through my second drink when I hear a soft voice, just close enough for me to catch it. "Sophie?"

I freeze. My gut tightens. I don’t need to turn around to know who it is.

Lily.

I face her slowly. She’s standing there in a black dress that hugs her body just right, her hair perfectly styled, the kind of effortless beauty that’s almost too polished. Her expression is almost unreadable, but I can see the flicker of surprise in her eyes. She wasn’t expecting to see me here.

“Lily,” I say, trying to keep my tone light, but it’s hard. I should’ve seen this coming. “What are you doing here?”

Her smile is a little tight, but she’s quick to recover. “I could ask you the same thing,” she says, glancing at the drink in my hand. “I didn’t think this was exactly your scene…”

I just shrug. “I’m here with a friend.” I can’t help it. I lie, the words slipping out easily

Her eyes narrow slightly. “The girl from your biology class?” she asks, with an edge to her voice.

“Yeah, that’s the one.”

She tilts her head. “I see.”

The smile on her face is almost too knowing, like she’s dissecting me in that quiet way she always does. But before I can ask her anything else, she cuts me off with a small laugh.

“You don’t belong here, Sophie.”

I frown, but she doesn’t let me answer, stepping closer to me. “No offense,” she adds, her smile twisting. “I just didn’t think you'd be into this... scene.”

“I’m not,” I say, shifting my weight, a strange feeling tightening in my chest. “I just came with my friend. That’s all.”

Lily watches me for a beat, eyes glinting with something sharp I can’t quite place. “Right.”

She doesn’t say anything more for a moment, but I feel thetension between us building, thick like smoke in the air. And then—without warning—she drops the bomb.

“If you’re looking for work, I could help you out,” she says, her voice lowered.

“Work?” I glance around the room. “You mean like bartending?”

She laughs an easy laugh like the joke’s on me. “Come on, Soph—I know you’re not that naive.”

“I’m afraid I might be.”

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