Page 95 of Goose

“You stole something that I wanted. I saw it first. I deserve it more. And you had to go and fucking steal it. You stole my friends, my life, everything from me!”

She whips around and slaps me in the face. Blood drips from my lip where it has split open. Ellie Jo glares down at me with this deranged look in her eyes.

“I saw Sawyer first. Way back in middle school. I wanted him, and boy did I try. But that stupid boy only had eyes for you. I tried goddamn hard to get his attention!”

I shake my head in surprise. “What? This is all over a middle school crush?”

Ellie Jo slaps me across the face again. “Stop talking!” She paces again. “Sawyer always had eyes for you. Following you around like a little lost puppy. Then came high school. And you blossomed. Beautiful, hung out with all the cool kids, and had Sawyer wrapped around your pretty little finger. I tried to get him to notice me. I even faked an injury, but he just called for help and then left to see you.”

She stops and stares off into space. “I lost my mind. My mom and I didn’t leave to live abroad, she threw me into a mental institution and skipped town so I wouldn’t embarrass her. I had all this pent up anger that finally blew up and I attacked her when she finally brought me home. I killed my mother in this house. Her body is buried outside just like yours will be, eventually.”

Ellie Jo runs her fingers through her hair. “I just wanted to be like you so bad. I wanted your perfect life. I wanted to be you!”

She whips around and points at me. She’s still physically here, but her mind is somewhere else. Her eyes have this crazy look to them as she continues on.

“Then I heard about your downfall and I made a plan to come back and get Sawyer. But even when I showed my face in town, he still only had eyes for you! I tried hard to get his attention. I played all the games, but he always pulled away at the last minute and ran out. Then I saw him with Olivia. So that bitch had to go. I tried to warn her to stay away from him too. But she didn’t listen. She was in the parking lot when she saw me with Snake. Told me she was gonna call Goose. She should be dead!”

“You? You were behind that?”

She nods her head. “All me. Down to the last note. I lured you to my bakery because the only way I can get Sawyer is if you’re gone. You ruined my entire plan! I wanted him to want me! Not you! Even Zane had to get involved. Everybody loves the perfect fucking Bambi!”

“Zane?”

“Yes, Zane! He was outside the compound when I was trying to sneak in. Saw me and I had to use my sedative on him. He never even saw it coming. Neither did Olivia.”

I shake my head. “I don’t understand...”

Ellie Jo laughs, “That’s because you’re dumb as shit. I used drugs, idiot. Right to the fucking neck to make them pass out.”

“Stop it!”

Ellie Jo screams out as she turns and glares at me. “I was so fucking close to having him! Now I need to do the things the hard way. You are the reason everybody has gotten hurt. That dumb bitch, Tiffani, had to try her hand at him too.”

I want to puke at the thought of Ellie Jo killing Tiffani. “You’re sick, Ellie Jo. A sick fucking piece of work!”

She laughs as she paces around. “Those dumb men thought it was the Shadow Raiders the whole time. There’s another pack of stupid. I tried to get them to work with me. That colossal idiot, Snake, bought me a new car for info. He’s the one who helped me hack the shitty security system The Devil’s Highwaymen have. Knocked the cameras out so nobody could see Snake and I dragging Tiffany, Olivia, and Zane away. I brought them here for a bit of torture and then sent them on their way. Except Tiffany; that bitch just wouldn’t shut up, so I killed her. ”

“I knew it. I fucking knew there was something fishy about that new car.”

Ellie Jo just sneers at me. “Yeah, yeah. Perfect Bambi wins again.”

“I never had a perfect life. You know nothing about me. I may have presented it that way, but I did that to hide what was really going on.”

She just laughs and shakes her head. “I don’t give a shit. Too late now. Maybe you should have paid more attention to my warnings. I thought a hand would have woken you up but clearly not.”

“This is crazy. You’re crazy!”

Ellie Jo just laughs again. “I’m just getting started, bitch. Now I’m gonna bring Sawyer back here. I have a nice cozy home all set up. He’s going to love it.”

“What? What are you talking about? He doesn’t want you!”

She whips around and frowns. “Who said he was going to come here willingly? I know he won’t come with me. He’s made that very clear. But now, now he doesn’t have a choice. I have our entire life planned out.”

“You’re insane! Fucking insane!”

Ellie Jo keeps laughing as she paces again. “You’ll see. I’m gonna show you how much happier he’ll be with me. While we’re playing house, you’ll be watching. If Sawyer wants you alive, he’ll do what I say.”

I cry while she just laughs. “Please. Please don’t do this. Just kill me and get it over with.”

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