Page 57 of Degrading Her

I blinked rapidly. Was he complimenting or teasing me? And was it truly a blackmail sex tape?

“We’re playing a game,” he reminded me. “I’m closer to winning.”

I sucked in a breath, unsure of what to say. He was right, but it hurt.

He was just using me, wasn’t he?

“You should go home tonight,” he said quietly. My shoulders sagged.

“Why? Where are you going?” I asked. I shook my head at myself. It’s not like he was going to let me into his bed. He had made himself clear. I was only a game to him.

“Home,” he said.

Desperation to keep the conversation going filled me. “That’s not here?”

“No.”

He had mentioned a penthouse in passing once. But as I dressed, I tried to grasp the reason I had originally come here. What was there for me to see?

“What do you do with that?” I asked, pointing to the incinerator. “Is it for animal waste? Dead bodies?” I laughed, but Sawyer didn’t move at all. Apparently, he didn’t find that funny. “I mean, for like, when the cows die or something?”

He shifted his weight, a wary expression coming over his eyes.

“You should know that your sister is involved,” he said calmly, his eyes locked on mine. “She’s just as guilty as the rest of us.”

What would Maisie be guilty of? “What are you talking about?” I asked.

“You want proof?” he asked.

He dug through a metal cabinet on the back wall until he found a small file, identical in shape to the one I had stolen, but with a black stripe. He put it into my hand.

“What’s this?” I asked.

“Your proof. It should help with the encryption of the file you stole.”

My stomach tightened. He had noticed, then?

“What do I do with it?” I asked.

“You’re a librarian, right?” he said, escorting me back to my car. Technically, I was an assistant, but the confidence he had in me reminded me that he did respect me. “You’ll figure it out.”

Chapter 13

Fiona

During my next shift,I quickly glanced around to make sure no one was in the staff room. Then I popped in both files.

The file is not compatible with this device!

I groaned, then shoved my chair back. No matter how many methods I tried, I couldn’t open the files.

Erica was at the front desk, finishing up her youth program. I could have asked her for help, but the idea of asking anyone for help always disturbed me. Especially when we were competing for the same goal. I wanted the library, and I was so close to getting somewhere with it. Finally.

She nodded to me, and I straightened, pretending to work on my program proposal.

“Is it your turn to get the book drop?” Erica asked. “I think I left the key on the hook.”

I did a mental check in my head; she was right—it was my turn. I grabbed the key, then pushed one of the empty book carts back to the book drop behind the library. As Iemptied the metal container, a note fluttered out from one of the books:Cows get butchered. Stay away from the farm, heifer.

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