Page 33 of Cruel Charming Psychos (Necessary Evils 2)

“My father is a man that thrives on control. If someone threatens to take that control away from him, then there isn’t a thing he wouldn’t do to wrestle it back. I don’t know what that boy did, but I couldn’t help but notice the way he approached you at the party. You two knew each other and that’s why he’s dead.”

“That’s not fair,” I say lowly, but she’s right. The only reason Asher is dead is because he knew me. If I never met him in North Carolina, he would still be alive.

“I’m not saying that it’s your fault. He’s collateral damage and nothing more. If you think they hate you now, wait until you’re buried six feet under the ground.”

“Your brother doesn’t seem to think he’s dangerous.”

“That’s because he was never around. He was too busy doing bad kid things.”

“Like what?”

“Drugs and alcohol, mostly. They sent him away to boarding school multiple times. And then one summer…” She drops her head. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

But I’m not letting this one go. When people start a sentence and their words trail off into silence, it means there’s some juicy information waiting at the other end of the purgatory of silence. I step away from the wall and towards her. “What did he do, Emily?”

She retreats backwards. “I’m just glad that you’re okay and if you tell anyone I said that, I’ll deny it until I’m dead.”

And then she twists on her feet, heading back to her car that’s still running. I grab her by the arm, pleading with her, “Before you go, just tell me what you were going to say.”

“You and Nick are the lovebirds now. Maybe you should try asking him.”

* * *

Nick texted me on cue just as Emily got back into her car and hauled ass away from the motel. The timing was suspicious, almost like they were tag-teaming me. It was in that moment that I decided that I didn’t need to know what Nick did. If Emily was trying to lure me into a trap, it’s not going to work. It’s best if I leave this place behind for good. But when Nick sent another text stating he had an offer that I couldn’t refuse, I didn’t have much of a choice.

Curiosity killed the cat and it’s going to kill me.

I’m sitting at the bar, drinking my second whiskey and coke, when Nick walks in. He doesn’t take his sunglasses off as he approaches the bar, taking a seat beside me.

“This whole city thinks you’re pregnant, so maybe you shouldn’t be drinking in public.”

“That charade is over.”

“Yeah, I don’t think it is,” he gloats confidently. “You’re going to keep pretending that you’re pregnant.”

I chuckle at the absurdity, knowing that the Callaway siblings are clearly up to something. “Why in the hell would I do that?”

“Because I’m not giving you a choice in the matter.” He steals my drink out from under me and downs it in one go. He wipes his wet lips dry with the back of his palm. “You had your motives and you kept them from me. I was a pawn in whatever game you and that boy were playing and now you’re going to be a pawn in my game.”

“You’ve lost your fucking mind.”

“Unfortunately for you, I’m completely sane. I see it now. I see that we’re just two people playing games with everyone around us. Besides, I think you might be interested in this next plot twist.”

I turn to face him fully. “Tell me the story, Nick. Charm your way into convincing me to play the part of the doting mother-to-be.”

“Not just mother.” He wags his finger at me as his lips hitch into a shit-eating grin. “You’re going to be my wife.”

That’s all I need to hear. He has abso-fucking-lutely lost his mind. I get up from the bar without the intent of paying. He’s the one with a million-dollar bank account, so he can foot the bill for wasting my time. “Yep, you’ve definitely lost your fucking mind.”

He grabs me firmly by the arm and seethes between gritted teeth, “Sit back down, Addison.”

“I’m leaving this town tomorrow morning. I’m leaving all of this behind for good.”

“You’re not going anywhere until I say otherwise.”

“Do I look like a woman that can be controlled?”

He shoots his gaze upwards, narrowing his eyes on me. “Did you love him?”

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