Page 163 of Hayden's Stalker

“We play pool a lot,” I tell her.

She sighs and looks defeated, but I’m not sure if it’s an act. Everything about her just seems slightly wrong. All of her emotions seem like a veneer over a different emotion, and it’s unsettling.

“That’s a shame. It’s the start of our love story, you know?”

“You said that in the letters.” I frown at her.

“I couldn’t say too much. I didn’t want them to find me. At the same time, I couldn’t resist you.”

She strokes her hand down the side of my face that isn’t cut. I want to rip her arm off and throw it across the room to stop her from touching me.

“Imagine how good our lives could’ve been if that fuckingbitchdidn’t have a pathetic tantrum and take off that night? I mean, she’s married him now, so obviously her bullshit worked.”

The woman shrugs her shoulders as a lightbulb goes off in my head.Cards Have Been Dealttour. A woman who was upset and is now married to one of us.

“Wait. Do you mean Ariana?”

She hisses as I say my friend’s name. “That bitch is the reason you and I weren’t able to be together that night. We were talking about going back to your hotel, but then she lost her shit, and you guys all left.” She glares at me and says in a warning tone, “It took me a long time to forgive you for hurting me like that, Hayden.”

“I’m sorry,” I say automatically.

I’m truly terrified of this woman whose name I still don’t know. Everything she’s saying fits with the emails she’s been sending, and it’s just as creepy as they were.

She gives me a sickly sweet smile. “It’s okay. Like I said, I’ve forgiven you, baby. Do you remember me now, though?”

I want to say yes because I’m so fucking scared of what she’ll do if I say no. I vaguely remember her now. I don’t remember that I was definitely going to sleep with her, but I do remember talking to the women Gabriel brought over to play pool with us that night. Mostly, I remember the issues with Gabriel and Ariana, which had been far more pressing than the idea of getting laid.

“I do remember that night now,” I tell her honestly. “I’m sorry, but I still don’t remember your name.”

She sighs and looks hurt, but again, it’s as though it’s a veneer over some other true feeling. “My name is Sarah.”

I almost want to ask her if this is a lie because I don’t trust anything about this woman, but I don’t.

“Sarah,” I say with a smile that takes all of my willpower to force onto my face. “It’s nice to properly meet you.”

“We’re going to have the most amazing life together, Hayden. Sarah Vega. I was so tempted to legally change my name, but Ididn’t. It’ll make it that much more special when we finally get married.”

The nausea comes to the forefront, and I gag involuntarily. Sarah glares at me and pulls back, her eyes so dark they’re almost black. I hate the thought of marrying her, and it makes me crave Tati with every fiber of my being.

Sarah continues to look at me while I work my hardest to resist giving in to the intense need to vomit. Her expression is eerie before she gives me a bright smile.

“I need to go do some things. I’ll be back later.” She turns toward the door and tosses out, “Love you, Hayden.” She spins on her heel and turns to beam at me. “Wow! It’s so amazing that I actually get to say that to you now. I love you, Hayden Vega.”

She looks at me expectantly, and I’m not sure if she wants me to return the sentiment, but there’s no fucking way I’m going to.

“Um. Thanks,” I say quietly.

She shakes her head and narrows her eyes at me as she says in a cold tone, “That’s not what you’re supposed to say. Don’t you love me, too?”

Fear grips me in a chokehold, and I don’t know what to say. Surely, if I just tell her that I love her, she’ll see it for the falsehood that it is. At the same time, if I don’t say anything at all, she might hurt me.

“I don’t know you,” I say. “I guess we’ll get to know each other now.”

Fuck, I hope not.

Her expression clears as she says, “You’re right. We will. Anyway, I’m going to leave you with Daniel for now. I’ll be back later.”

She blows me a kiss, then leaves the room and closes the door behind her. I want to pull as hard as I can on the ropes to try and free myself, but I know she’s still too close, and she might hear. Instead, I lie silently and listen to try and hear anything they say.

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