Page 125 of Keeper
Tanner scowled at her with disgust. “Serves you right.”
“You posted our private pictures, Marta,” I said. “You shamed us in front ofmillionsof people. And for what? Because Tanner and I like each other?”
“I know. It was wrong, okay?” She hung her head. “I was furious that you got with him first, when you knew I liked him, and I lashed out.” She took a deep breath and quietly muttered, “I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry?” I asked, appalled. “Sorry doesn’t cut it anymore. Do you realize what you did is against the law? We’re way past sorry, Marta—we’re looking to take action against you.”
Tanner spoke up. “My lawyer’s all over this case. You’ll be hearing from him soon.”
She rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Honestly, I don’t care. Sue me for everything I’m worth. Doesn’t make a difference to me. Without my Instagram, I won’t have anything at all. Not even a reason to live.”
“Get yourself together.” Tanner growled. “Crying over a fuckingInstagrampage like it’s life or death. Damn.”
I discreetly tapped Tanner’s arm to let him know I wanted to handle this. He gave an understanding nod and stepped a few feet away.
“Listen, Marta.” I let out a heavy sigh. I had so much to say, but I didn’t even know where to begin. “I don’t know what it is you’re looking for or why you came here. But what you did wasseriouslywrong. If it’s forgiveness you’re seeking, well, I’m not ready to forgive you. Everything is still waytoo raw right now.” I stared long and hard at her. “Do you understand what a shitty friend you’ve been?”
“I don’t expect you to forgive me,” she said. “And that’s okay. I’ve been a shitty friend. I understand that. You can hate me all you want, for all time, and I won’t blame you.”
My eyes narrowed. “So what is it you want?”
Marta crawled forward and knelt in front of my shoes. She clasped her hands together and shook them at me.
“Please,please,”she begged, “help me get my Instagram back.” She desperately waved her phone in the air. “I’ve been on hold with them ever since I got banned. Every support person I talk to says I broke their user agreement and I can’t come back, not even on a new account.”
I gave a careless shrug. “Sounds like they don’t want you.”
“Maybe if you just tried talking to them, though?” she asked, desperately thrusting her phone toward me. I didn’t take it. “If you justtrytalking to them, maybe they’ll consider reinstating my account?” Seeing I wasn’t interested, she held her out phone out to Tanner next. “Or you. You’re a millionaire athlete—you’ve got a lot of sway. Please, just try, try something,anything. I’ll say whatever you want me to publicly. I’ll take the heat for all this—but this is myjob. I can’t lose it. I wouldn’t know what else to do.”
“After what you’ve done to us?” I asked rhetorically. “Absolutely not, Marta. You deserve what you’re getting.”
“But please?! I’m begging you.”
“Listen to you. You’re asking me to do you a favor hours after maliciously posting my nudestomillionsof people.” I laughed with disbelief.
“I’ll doanythingyou want,” she said.
“The only thing you could possibly do for me is stay out of my life. Forever.”
“Fine! I’ll do that,” she said. “I swear to you, I’ll never bother you again if you help me get my page back.”
Tanner paced back and forth, muttering to himself. “No. No, no, no.”
We were on the same page.
“Sorry, Marta,” I said, taking Tanner’s arm. “Why should I trust you? All you’ve done is lie and stab me in the back.”
Tanner inserted his key and turned the lock. He pushed the door open and we took a step in, when Marta blurted out the one thing she knew would stop me in my tracks.
“I fucked Brendan at the party,” she said in a panic.
I stopped in the doorway, my back turned to her. Tanner tried to urge me inside, whispering to forget her, that she had ulterior motives, that she wasn’t telling me anything I didn’t already know, anyway. I knew he was right, and I wanted to follow him in, but I couldn’t believe she’dfinallyadmitted to it.
Sensing she’d piqued my interest, she began to spill more, and the truth cascaded out of her mouth like an avalanche.
“Katie caught us,” she said, speaking quickly. “We thought everyone was asleep and so we snuck outside to the pool, where we could be alone. Thing is, it wasn’t the first time we’d fucked. We’d been sleeping together for about six months.”
“You bitch.” I slowly turned around, casting my red-hot focus on her. “Youliedto me this whole time and made me doubt myself.”
