Page 44 of How to Get Even

Astrid’s concern made Bella laugh.

‘Yes. I do,’ she assured her. ‘But that doesn’t mean I can’t play up to it to get what I want.’

The door to the studio opened and they all began to file in.

‘Which is why he won’t think it’s strange that you contact him directly, rather than through the PR firm,’ Astrid laughed maniacally. ‘Ilovehow diabolical you are. Just think what you could do if you used your powers for good.’

Bella nibbled her top lip. That was the problem though, wasn’t it? Shehadtried to use her powers for good. And where had that got her? Dumped at the aisle, with her life plan burned to ash and no one there to help her pick up the pieces.

Until the girls.

Until she’d decided to bebad.

Fuck me, Daddy.

She really needed to find that book.

And then she walked into a room hotter than hell.

* * *

Two hours later, Astrid and Bella cut a somewhat erratic path down the sidewalk.

‘I’m so sorry,’ Astrid said, the words panting out of her mouth.

‘Why was it so long?’ Bella asked, almost imploringly.

‘I don’t know.’

‘And hot,’ she said, her skin still pink, even in the cold winter.

‘So hot,’ Astrid managed to force out. ‘It’s Blake’s fault,’ she groused.

‘Only Blake’s? I thought you said it was the twins plural.’

Astrid waved a hand, eyes averted. ‘Tom-ay-to, tom-ah-to.’

‘I hate you a little bit right now,’ Bella admitted.

‘I hate myself a lot of bits right now,’ Astrid replied.

‘Oh God,’ was all Bella could express.

‘Chase,’ Astrid whispered.

‘OhGod,’Bella groaned.

‘No, Chase,’ Astrid hissed, spinning her around to see Chase coming towards them on the sidewalk.

With a squeak, Bella turned, and in a wholly uncharacteristic moment of pure blind panic she pushed Astrid into the hedgerow of someone’s front garden.

‘Bella!’ Chase called out.

‘Yes!’ she half screamed, half squealed as she turned to face him.

Chase looked a little startled by her response. Bella was a little startled herself to be fair.

‘Sorry, I was…’ She stuttered over her words, her mind horrifyingly blank.

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