Page 8 of The Weekend Getaway

She couldn’t stand the sight of the other three men, either, Alex, Chris, and Jason. But Alex, especially, made her want to retch.

Mia had invited Sarah, but Alex had put Mia up to it. Alex wanted her here, on this isolated island in the Caribbean, far from safety. Among the seven of them, Sarah was alone, the odd woman out, without protection. With no one to look out for her. No one to watch her back. Except maybe Grace. But when push came to shove, Grace would align herself with Mia, who made up the lesser half of the most dominant couple. As for Mia, she might pretend to have Sarah’s best interests at heart, but Sarah couldn’t trust Mia.

She never had.

She never could.

And after what she’d found out, what Grace had drunkenly confessed one boozy afternoon at brunch, Sarah realized that Mia had never been her friend.

But Sarah hadn’t been too upset. After all, she really hadn’t been a friend to Mia. They’d been somewhat friendly classmates who became roommates out of necessity. Though they hung out often and were invested and involved in eachother’s lives, Sarah didn’t like Mia enough to consider her a true friend. An acquaintance, but definitely not an ally. There was too much subtle competition between them for friendship to flourish. As good-looking girls who attracted lots of guys, there was always an undercurrent of envy in their interactions and?—

Something crawled up her leg.

Gasping, Sarah slapped the back of her calf, then glanced at her palm.

Blood and bug guts.

CHAPTER 7

PHIL

Phil took a sip of champagne, staring at the group assembled on the terrace.

Alex, Mia, Chris, Grace, Jason … and Sarah.

The last place he wanted to be was among this despicable lot, but he’d had a good reason for boarding his private plane and flying across the Caribbean Sea to this remote island.

Phil slipped a hand between the slit on the side of his linen trousers, fingering the folded piece of paper sheathed there.

The reason was in his pocket.

Glancing around, Phil struggled to contain his rage, watching them drinking and talking, laughing and reminiscing. Lying and pretending. Scheming and deceiving.

None of them had changed. Had he expected them to? Fifteen years had come and gone, and they were all still thesame. Stagnant. Playing the same parts. Making the same moves. Pulling the same tired tricks.

Alex the alpha, mercenary, opportunistic, full of evil ambitions. A narcissist who manipulated everyone around him, intimidated them into carrying out his wishes. His lesser half, Mia, was a discount, bargain basement Lady MacBeth. But without the guilt. No fear of blood on her hands. No descent into madness, scrubbing her skin raw, mumbling ‘out damned spot.’

Jason was a tad more ethical than Alex, somewhat able to withstand Alex’s manipulation, at times. But he had moments of weakness, usually at the worst of times. When he should have been going for the golden fleece, he shrank away, afraid of the impossible task. He could have been a hero, but he lacked the courage.

Chris would always be a follower, grateful to be chosen. All he wanted was permission to be in Alex’s presence. With no self-confidence of his own, he craved proximity to greatness. Grace had never exhibited the characteristics of her name. She was self-seeking and ambitious, always willing to align herself with power, and wholeheartedly disloyal.

Glancing to his left, he caught sight of Sarah, still beautiful despite the passage of time. She was looking at him, but when he focused on her, she looked away, not surprisingly. Sarah had suffered the most, because of him, but still, she hadn’t suffered enough, for the things she’d done …

Phil finished the last swallow of champagne, and continued with the pretense, joining the conversation, beinggregarious and jovial. He playfully teased, told jokes, kept up the hilarity.

But, inwardly, he seethed.

He wanted to kill these people.

And maybe he would …

A few weeks ago, when he’d first received Mia’s invitation, he decided he would destroy their lives, but maybe they deserved more than that.

Maybe they deserved something far worse than destruction …

CHAPTER 8

PHIL

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