Little Secrets(94)

She rolls her eyes. It’s awesome that he thinks she’s a moron.

“Just something so everyone knows you’re not dead,” J.R. says. “And then text your fucking roommate. Tell him you’re alive and that you want to be left alone.”

She sighs and walks to the window. Angling the phone upward, she snaps a photo of her hand making a peace sign against the blue sky and clouds. She uploads it to Instagram, selects a filter, and captions it, Feeling peaceful. She hashtags it #unplugged and #metime. Before she posts it, she shows it to J.R.

He nods his approval and she hits Share.

Next, she sends Tyler a text. Saw your FB post. So sorry to worry you! I’m fine, just need a time-out. Be home soon. Take care of Buford.

It takes Tyler less than a minute to reply. Seriously??? OMG u are such a fucking bitch. I was actually worried about u. Find a new place to live when u get back. Asshole.

And then a final text, five seconds later. Ur fucking lucky I love ur cat.

“Well, that’s done,” Kenzie says, her voice dripping acid. “Tyler’s kicking me out, which means I’ve officially burned every bridge I have, thanks to you.” She turns her phone off and resists the urge to throw it right at J.R.’s face. “You know that none of this was necessary, right?”

“Relax. You’ll find a new roommate. It’ll be fine.” He couldn’t sound less concerned if he tried. “Okay, good. Tyler just posted another update. Yikes. I don’t think you guys are Facebook friends anymore. Want to read it?”

Kenzie stares at him. She accepts that she loves J.R., and always will—some people worm their way into you and never leave. But there are times, like right now, when she can’t remember why she loves him. “Do you understand that this really didn’t have to happen? I could have gotten the money from Derek some other way.”

“How many times do I have to say it? Derek wasn’t going to pay you. He didn’t need to. He was already losing interest. And Marin knew about you, and she still forgave him, like she does every fucking time.” J.R. puts down his phone and crosses his arms over his chest. “All right. Indulge me. What was your plan going to be?”

“Simple,” she says. “I was going to wait until he offered me the money.”

“Offered you? You’re kidding, right?”

“Derek and I were together for six months. I had him figured out. He already gave me five grand out of guilt for breaking up with me last week. I could have gotten fifty, maybe even a hundred out of him if I played the sad/I love you/please don’t end it card. He ate that shit up. The man has a massive guilt complex, and he liked taking care of me. The fact that he’s back with Marin would have made it the perfect time for him to pay me off.”

Derek and Marin. It shouldn’t sting to think that Derek is back with his wife, but it does. She grabs her water bottle from the dresser and swallows down the hurt.

“Yeah, well, now it’s two fifty,” J.R. says. “Hundred for you, hundred for me, fifty for Julian.”

“I didn’t realize we were a team,” she says. “Would have been nice to get the memo.”

“Don’t be a bitch.”

“Yeah, well, your bitch beat the shit out of my face.” Kenzie pats the bruise on her jaw, careful not to press too hard.

“Stop whining. You were knocked out with the first punch. You didn’t even feel the second one,” J.R. says.

“Glad that makes it okay. And you’re assuming Derek is going to pay you.”

“He’ll pay.” The dark look is back on J.R.’s face. “He’ll definitely pay.”

“This isn’t worth it. This shit can get you arrested. This is extortion.”

He barks a laugh. “And what you were doing with Paul, and Sean, and the other dude … what the hell was his name…”

“Erik.”

“Erik. You don’t think that was extortion, too?”

“No, because they offered. That’s the beauty of it. It’s a simple business transaction, and nobody gets hurt, nobody gets a ransom demand, and sure as shit nobody gets beaten. You’ve done all this for nothing.”

He gives her a hard look. “It’s never all for nothing.”

“Derek had feelings for me. I know he did. I had him, right up until he went away with Marin—”

He leans forward and places his hand directly on the tender spot on her jaw. Reflexively, she jerks back, but he does it again, squeezing harder, forcing her to look at him. She tries not to move, knowing that if she attempts to squirm away, he’ll only hurt her more.

“Stop it.” She gasps. It hurts like hell, and tears spring to her eyes. “You’re hurting me.”

“You never had him,” J.R. says, and she lets out a yelp as he squeezes one more time before letting go. “He’ll never leave her. He was never going to be yours.”

She slides off the bed before he can grab her again. She can escape into the shower; hopefully by the time she gets out, he’ll be in a better mood. A thought occurs to her as she grabs the towel hanging at the back of the bedroom door.

“Hey. How did you know that Marin always takes Derek back?”

His face is in his phone again. “The hell you talking about?”

“Just now,” she says. “You said she takes him back every time. How would you know that?”