Page 80 of The Weekend Getaway

“Shut up,” Alex ordered. “Never say that out loud again, do you understand me?”

Crying, Jason said, “But I did?—”

Alex wanted to punch him. “Don’t act like a hystericalbitch, okay? Rape is when the girl says no. Sarah didn’t say no.”

“Because she couldn’t,” Jason blubbered, swiping beneath his nose with a trembling hand. “Sarah didn’t consent because she couldn’t! That means I?—”

“What the fuck did I say,” Alex growled.

Eyes widening, Jason pressed his mouth together, nodding.

Alex took a deep breath. “Now, what you did was fucked up, and you shouldn’t have done it. But you did and you can’t take it back. But instead of crying about it, we have a chance to rectify the situation.”

Jason sniffed. “What do you mean?”

“Go find Chris,” Alex instructed.

“Chris?” Jason frowned, looking confused.

“Yeah, Chris, your fucking best friend,” Alex said, shoving Jason back into the crowd. “Find him and bring him over here.”

As Jason disappeared into the throng of swaying bodies, Alex thought about his idea.

He didn’t give a shit that Jason had raped Sarah. Like he’d told him, if Sarah had been conscious, she wouldn’t have said no and she would have liked it rough. The most important detail of the story was Phil’s presence in the room. Alex wondered why Phil had followed Grace and Sarah to the bedroom, but it didn’t really matter. What mattered was that Phil had been in that bedroom. And Jason had seen him slap Sarah. Hard.

Phil had assaulted Sarah.

And that was a crime.

A crime Phil should pay for. And he would. Alex would see to it. Of course, he didn’t expect Phil to pay with his freedom. He didn’t want to see the guy in jail. What Alex wanted, what he planned to get, was a large amount of Richart cash.

Phil’s father, Philemon Richart, was a ruthless, tyrannical businessman who’d made his billions like most narcissists. Through brute force. Lying, stealing, probably even killing, when the situation called for it. Alex didn’t feel one ounce of guilt at the idea of scamming Phil’s dad.

The old man would have plenty of money left over. Besides, didn’t billionaires deserve to be fleeced? Didn’t obsessive, oppressive wealth-hoarders deserve to be brought down a peg, or two? Every now and again, a billionaire should be beaten at the game he’d put in place to destroy others. Powerful men should, at least once in their lives, experience helplessness and hopelessness.

Alex smiled to himself.

Jason was an unrepentant pussy, but thanks to his weird depravity, they had an opportunity to change the trajectory of their futures.

CHAPTER 71

Fifteen Years Ago

2:57 a.m.

Alex

“Dude, you’re a hard man to find!” Alex laughed, pulling Phil Richart from the circle of girls he’d been dancing with. “Where have you been?”

Chuckling, Phil didn’t resist as Alex dragged him toward the bar. “Making the rounds! Making sure everybody is having a great fucking time!”

“Well, I’m having fun but I got an early lab tomorrow, so I gotta get going soon,” Alex lied, maneuvering Phil toward the end of the bar where Jason and Chris waited. “How about a drink with me before I go?”

Nodding, Phil said, “Let’s do it.”

Coming abreast of the bar, Alex frowned as he caught sight of Jason’s maudlin expression. Jason might be aproblem. He might fuck everything up if he didn’t get his emotions in check and stop acting like a little bitch. Alex had tried explaining his plan to Jason, and why it would be best for all parties involved, but Jason barely listened. He kept mumbling about hurting Sarah and hating himself and other ridiculous shit.

Deciding he couldn’t risk Jason ruining the plan before it came to fruition, Alex turned, guiding Phil away from the bar.

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