Page 92 of Am I the Only One

“Yes.”

She slides into the seat across the table from me, and suddenly, I get an uneasy feeling. There are no papers, no work bag, nothing but a much-too-expensive Hermès

handbag that no one working in a financial aid office would be able to afford.

“Thanks for meeting me,” she says, no longer the chipper woman I spoke with on the phone. Her expression is serious, making me very suspicious.

“Did you bring the applications?” I ask with a breath of apprehension.

“There are no applications,” she states. “I don’t work for the university. That was a lie.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

She folds her hands and rests them on top of the table. “I’ll cut right to the chase. You have something I want, and in exchange, I’m prepared to pay you whatever amount you feel is suitable.”

“I don’t think I have anything you could possibly want.”

Leaning forward a fraction of an inch, she lowers her voice. “You have photos.”

Chills needle along the back of my neck. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” In my head, I’m screaming all sorts of profanities, but I force myself to stay seated and not fidget.

“I think you do.” She gives me a tiny, knowing smile. “The thing is, I’m aware of your agenda with Carly ... I have my own as well. I’m not out to expose you or cause you any sort of trouble. What I am interested in are those photos that have her in such a twist. I also understand that you are in a dire financial situation, one I can get you out of.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I tell her as sheer horror bleeds through my being. Not only do I have to worry about Carly exposing me but now I have to worry about this woman, who seems far more cutthroat than Carly.

“Like I said, I have no interest in what you have going on with the Montgomeries. None at all. But I need those photos.”

“I’m sorry, but I think you have the wrong person. I don’t know the Montgomeries.”

“No?” she questions with condescension. “Well, do you know Luca Sadler?”

My heart catapults when she says his name, and I immediately grab my purse and coat that are hanging off the back of my chair, fumbling nervously as I do. “Like I said, I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Before she can say anything else, I’m out the door and rushing to the parking garage, half-blinded by panic. My pulse races, and I quicken my step. The second I see my car, I break into a run and, once I’m locked inside, start it, and throw it in reverse. White-knuckling the steering wheel, I make my way out of the garage and head straight home, all the while looking in my rearview mirror, paranoid.

When I’m home and safe in my room, I take a moment to catch my breath and replay that whole situation in my head. That’s when fear morphs into fury, and I want to punch Carly right in her face for opening her stupid mouth.

Pulling out my cell, I dial her number, but after only a couple of rings, she sends me to her voice mail. I hang up and call her right back. Again, I’m sent straight to voice mail. When my third attempt is also rejected, I slam the phone down on my bed and brace my head on the edge of my palms as I freak the fuck out!

Too terrified to think about who else she’s told, I try to take in a steady breath. Knowing that there are people who know about the affair and the pictures increases the chances of me being exposed, the very thing I was trying to avoid.

I’m not sure what to do, but I do know that I have to shut Carly up.

Picking up my phone, I call Carly’s office at the university.

“Academic advisory office. How can I help you?”

“Hi, is Mrs. Montgomery available?”

“No, I’m sorry. She’s already left for the day. Can I take a message?”

I hang up on the girl, open the photos on my phone, and scroll through to the pictures of Tripp’s calendar. When I see that he’s here in the city for the next two nights, there are no second thoughts.

I bolt off the bed, grab my keys, and get back into my car. Anger has me about to fly off the handle as I make my way to Maryland. I shouldn’t be driving as fast as I am in this snow, but all I can think about is getting to Carly.

An hour ago, I was excited and hopeful. I should’ve known better than to think for one second this world would cut me a break and grant me a reprieve. Instead, that phone call turned out to be my worst nightmare.

Since Carly is clearly inept, it’s up to me to fix this total clusterfuck of a situation.

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