Page 12

Her eyes followed mine, and she flinched.

Two

Apparently ‘spite’ is not the correct answer when people ask what motivates you.

—Jessamy’s secret thoughts

Jessamy

“Ms. Darling?”

I tensed at the formal sounding voice. “Yes?”

I glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was the sheriff’s department calling.

Of course I would know their numbers.

I’d spent enough nights in jail at this point to have them on speed dial.

“This is Deputy Olsen with the Jesper County Sheriff’s Department.”

“I know,” I said. “What can I help you with, Deputy Olsen?”

There was a tense moment of silence before Olsen said, “Would you mind coming over to your parents’ house?”

Shit.

I wondered what happened now?

They’d called last night, and I’d blocked them both after getting several calls and texts.

I hadn’t bothered to block them before now because they’d never called me once since I’d moved out. Why go through the wasted effort?

Of course, I’d get called to their place today.

Wonder what Leo did now?

I pulled up and tensed at all the police cruisers. There were four of them blocking the small side street that my parents lived at the end of.

I got out just as Black made his way toward me from the front porch.

He was so magnetic that I couldn’t look away as he all but stalked toward me.

The man was huge. That sheriff’s gold star on his shirt made him seem even bigger the closer and closer that he got.

Usually, when I saw him, it was because he was arresting me.

In the beginning, it wasn’t my fault that he was arresting me. It was always Leo’s.

But eventually, I figured, why the hell not?

I mean, if everyone thought I was a bad person, why not be one?

Though, I wouldn’t say I’m a “bad person” per se. More like one that no longer cared about anyone but herself.

I’d been shown time and time again that no one liked me.

I didn’t have any friends.