Page 63 of Hurt for Me

But as soon as she got to the condo, she knew something wasn’t right. The door was slightly ajar. Viv’s car was in her normal parking spot, though, so Rae ignored the caution rising in her and entered.

“Viv?” Nothing looked out of place in the living room when Rae glanced around. “Viv, I’m back.”

No answer.

The kitchen light was on, so she checked there first. A full cup of tea sat on the countertop, a carton of almond milk sitting next to it. Rae felt the cup, and it was cold.

Fear crawled up her spine. “Viv?”

She went to Viv’s office, but she wasn’t in there. She didn’t want to go to Viv’s bedroom, but she made herself. The door was cracked.

She pushed the door open, and she immediately wanted to shut it.I don’t want to see this. I don’t want to see this.

“Viv?” she cried.

On her bed, Viv lay half-naked, her hands tied with her own ropes. Bruising circled her neck, her dark eyes open and so bloodshot they looked like they were bleeding.

Rae ran to the bedside and worked to untie Viv, but it was no use. Viv’s skin was cold and bluish. She threw her body across Viv’s, holding her, wanting to breathe life back into her lungs.

“No, no, no, Viv, please, please! You can’t be gone, you can’t!”

This isn’t happening, this isn’t happening.

She thought she heard a rustling in the other room, and she froze.Oh, God, Mark.She looked up, scanning the room, her heart hammering against her ribs. Was he still here?

She pulled out her cell phone and dialed 911. She whispered for them to come fast, her crying making it hard to get words out.

This couldn’t be real; it couldn’t. It was a nightmare, and she tried to wake herself up. It’s just a nightmare.

She looked at Viv’s face, her mouth open like she had desperately fought for air, and Rae moaned. She didn’t recognize the animal sounds coming from her as she stroked Viv’s raven hair.

Even as the paramedics arrived and pulled her away from Viv’s body, Rae kept the insane hope that her friend would sit up in the bed and laugh like it was all a joke.

CHAPTER 40

RAE

2024

It was amazing what a good night’s sleep could do, although it took Rae two edibles to get there. Totally worth the slight hangover she had as she spanked her client’s ass with a zeal she hadn’t felt since before Thomas went missing. The image of Bobby’s face flashed in her head every other minute, and she couldn’t help imagining him as she hit her client.

She thought of Viv’s training, how she had told Rae to never take out her anger on a client, but she figured Viv would forgive her this once. For those seconds she saw Bobby’s face on her laptop, it was like she was a teenager again, lost and hopeless to escape the dumbest decision she’d ever made by leaving Oklahoma to go with Clint. The worst thing was she’d probably make the same decision if it meant having Lily. And if it meant knowing Viv.

Rae wrapped up with her last client for the week and came to the front where Angel was scrolling through photos of the Bahamas resort she was staying at in two weeks.

“You’re obsessed.” She playfully nudged Angel’s side. “And I’m jealous.”

“You could still come with me,” Angel said. “But I will be having lots of hot sex with beautiful women, so ...”

“You know I have to be here. School year’s not over yet.”

Angel’s face dropped a little. “I just hope your crush doesn’t ruin mynonrefundableplans. I mean, how the hell are we still suspects? Or are we?”

That was a good question. “I’ll check with him. And he’s not my crush unless you count him crushing my heart the other night.” She tried to be flippant as she said the words, but Angel saw right through her.

“You told me he said it wasn’t a good idea to start something right now.”

“Yeah?” Rae said.

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