Page 170 of Boys Who Taint

I pickup more scotch and pour it into a glass, then chug it down in one go as I stare into the void. The wooden paneled Phantom entrance hall has always been one of my favorite spotsto hangout, especially on a gloomy night where one would rather slip away into the nether.

It’s just something about those paintings that haunt my soul.

Or maybe I’m just staring at a reflection of myself.

I pour out another glass.

But the door opening up makes me pause.

Grey Westbrook enters the house like he belongs here, and the sight of him and that smug face makes me do a double take.

“You …” I say through gritted teeth. “You think you’re safe here?”

I chuck the glass at his face, but he dodges it right before it shatters in a million pieces.

“Phantoms can’t touch other Phantoms,” he replies, tilting his head. “And I’m not interested in staying. I just came to deliver a message.”

My nostrils flare as I stare at him, wide-eyed, completely smashed and out of my mind insane. “You think I fucking care what you have to say?”

“Oh, you will … trust me.” With his hand in his pocket, he waltzes over to me like he owns the place. “I’m going to show you something.”

“Take one more step and I’ll—”

He holds up his phone, and the video that plays instantly draws my attention.

Because it’s me.

On top of that fucking cliff where we jumped into the water.

My voice. My body. My hands.

Her death.

All on camera.

And my entire world slowly begins to shift on its axis.

He’s been taping us all this time.

“I capturedeverything,” Grey says through gritted teeth. “I know why she had to die.”

This can’t be fucking real. How was he there? How did no one see him?

“And you’re going to stay away from us, or I will make sure she knows too.”

“No,” I hiss. Overwhelmed by rage, I grab his throat, but it doesn’t even seem to faze him.

“Go ahead and try …”

So I snatch his phone from him and smash it to bits on the floor with my foot.

But all he does is laugh. “You think that’s the only copy I had? I have a laptop, idiot.”

“Where?”

“You’ll never get it.”

“Fuck you!” I throw him down and immediately hurry up the stairs.

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