Page 101 of No One Else

Yeah, like I’m going to admit that to him. I’m not putting Evan on his radar ever again. I should never have even told him I had a new boyfriend to begin with. “Listen, I’m here to makeyoua deal this time. You agree not to press charges or sue Evan, and I won’t send this to your parents.”

His lips set in a mutinous line. “Are you threatening me?”

I swallow, firming my resolve. Show any weakness and I’m done. “I’m making you the same deal you made me.”

His expression clears and sits back down on his bed. “That photo could be from any time. There’s no time or date stamp on it. It was probably from our break.”

“You have two black eyes and a bandage on your nose. Besides, you never even told your parents we’d broke up.”

His face goes hard again, realizing he’s been caught. “What are you, Nancy Drew?”

“That photo is from after we agreed to act like we’re dating again. You posted a picture of us the day before going out to dinner together on a date. How do you think your dad will like you taking out your supposed girlfriend of three years one night and getting felt up by another girl the next?”

“The pictures don’t even look like the same time period,” he argues petulantly.

“Yeah, because you photoshopped your busted face in all the ones you posted. And by the way, how do you think your dad would like to see proof of you fighting? Not only that, but coming out the loser in the fight?”

He narrows his eyes and I realize I’m pushing my luck. I continue on quickly, “We made an agreement and you broke it. Drop this stupid vendetta you have against Evan.”

“So you’ve done your detective work, got your evidence, and caught the bad guy. Miss goody two shoes wins again. Except we never agreed that I’d stop seeing other girls. Only that you would break up with Evan.”

I stop short at his words. “No,” I tell him in a low voice. “We’re not doing any of this double standard bullshit.”

“I can do whatever I want. I have the leverage. I have the power.” His eyes gleam with malice. What the hell did I ever do to him to make him so mad, other than refuse to date him again? Is he seriously that vengeful just because he couldn’t make me stay with him?

“Then I guess you won’t mind if I send this to your mom and dad, then blast it all over social media, calling you a disgusting pig. If you want me to act like your girlfriend, I’m sure going to play up the part of a grieving woman who’s been cheated on. I bet that’ll look great for your dad’s campaign. They’ll definitely want to keep paying for the lifestyle you’ve become accustomed to.”

His teeth grind together, but he stays silent, scrutinizing me. I stare him down, not giving in an inch. I’ve got nothing to lose now. I can’t go back to pretending to date him. Seeing Evan earlier today, hearing him say he doesn’t trust me... I have to see this through. Be with him again. Any other alternative is unacceptable.

“Do we have a deal?” I ask him again, prepared to follow through on everything I just said. I’m not messing around anymore.

“Whatever,” he mutters, laying down on his bed again, grabbing his book.

“You’ll leave Evan alone?” I’m not taking any chances, worrying if that was an actual agreement or not.

“Yes, okay?” he yells. “Get the fuck out of here.”

I take that as my cue to leave, skipping down the stairs and out the front door, saluting Cory and Daniel as I meet their twin expressions of surprise.

Eden’s still parked in the same spot out front, looking up sharply when she sees me approach, then relaxes when she recognizes me. I cross around the hood of the car and get in, buckling up. “Gun it,” I tell her happily, my mood so buoyant I could float right out of the window into the sky.

“What?” she asks nervously, quickly turning the key in the ignition.

“Oh, I’m kidding.” I lay my hand on her arm to calm her when I realize she took me seriously. “It turned out great. I got him to agree to leave Evan alone. I was a total badass in there.”

“Of course you were,” she says matter-of-factly. “I had no doubt you’d get your way.”

I revel in her confidence in me, hoping I can get Evan to have that same trust in me again. That he’ll hear me out when I explain everything and forgive me.

“We just have one final stop to make.”

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