Page 133 of Voracious

“Don’t trust anyone. None of these people…” He points to the guests entering the manor with dirty grins. “They’re all bad people. They are versions ofher. In her circle – evil and vile and corrupt. You understand? This isn’t a normal party. I don’t believe for a second that it’s even a celebration.”

“You’re making it worse.”

More cars appear, and Chris glances at the time on his watch. “I need to go. I’ll be right outside. I know ways to get in if you need me. Go.” He leans forward and shoves the door open. “Behave.”

I get out and hug myself as the breeze smooths over my exposed skin. Clutching a purse that contains a folded envelope with the USB drive inside and a small can of pepper spray, I walk away from the car shakily and ignore him driving out of the courtyard.

I’m offered a glass of champagne, but after Chris’s warning, I kindly decline the drink.

“Stacey?”

I freeze halfway up the steps at the sound of my best friend’s voice, then turn around, my eyes wide. She shouldnotbe here. “Lu?”

39

STACEY

Wearing a navy dress that hugs her body, hair pinned up with blonde strands falling down the sides of her face, Luciella takes two steps at a time until she reaches me. Without any more words, she pulls me in for a hug, and I instantly melt into her arms.

I haven’t hugged my best friend in so long.

Being away from her and Ty and everyone else has been hard but necessary. I haven’t gone a day without thinking of them all. The sleepovers and dances and days out. The group chats and social-media tags and late-night phone calls that lasted hours.

“I missed you,” I choke out, fanning my eyes to stop my mascara from running for the second time tonight. “God, I missed you so much.”

It feels good to be in the arms of someone who cares. I haven’t had that in a while.

“I missed you too,” she replies, hugging me tighter. “Nearly a year! I hope the break helped.” She giggles as I snort, and we both pull back and fix each other’s hair. “You haven’t aged at all.”

I chuckle with an eye roll. “It’s been ten months, not ten years.”

“Feels like it. We have a picture of you on the studio wall as a remembrance.”

I let out a soft laugh. “Those fucking girls.” Then I pull back, and my face falls at the realisation of where we are. “Why are you here?”

“Base asked me to come.” Lu narrows her eyes at me in confusion. “Wait, did he invite you too?”

From what I know, thanks to Chris and his snooping, Bernadette has both Kade’s and Base’s phones. They have no contact with the outside world.

I don’t think it was Base who invited her.

“You should go,” I say quietly. “Please. Go. It’s not safe here.”

“What? What do you mean?” She looks around then near the manor entrance to see more waiters standing with trays of alcohol. “Is it because of my dad?”

I want to hug her again at the sadness in her eyes, but there’s no time. I shake my head. “You need to leave.”

“Why are you here?”

I flatten my lips, Chris in my ear telling me to stop making it obvious and to get inside. “I was invited,” is all I say.

As if she can hear my brother yelling, she hooks her arm in mine and turns us towards the entrance. “At least we can hang out. When do you leave again? Or are you staying?”

“How did you get here?”

She tilts her head. “Jason drove me. He’s just out of rehab.”

I should ask her about him, ask if he’s okay, but instead I ask, “Can he come back to get you?”

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