Haunting-Adeline
about the gun incident. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to talk about that one.I roll my lips. “Pre y much.”Without taking her eyes off me, she leans over and grabs the bo le oftequila we used to make the margaritas. She pours a shot into both of ourempty cups and then hands one to me.We take the shot, cringing at the taste, and then stare at each other insilence.“I’m just not even sure what to say.”I groan. “Daya, I don’t know what to do. He didn’t hurt me, but he did.He definitely forced himself on me. But I would’ve let him go farther hadhe tried. I’m so fucking confused. And I feel dirty and wrong, but when itwas happening, it felt…”I trail off with another groan, and this me I just bang my head againstthe granite countertop.“Really good?” she fills in. "Amazing? Out of this world?""All of the above," I confess. "I have never come so hard in my en relife.”“Damn,” she breathes, a note of awe in her voice. “Has he contacted yousince then?” she asks gently, running her fingers through my hair in acomfor ng gesture.I li my head, a frown on my face. “Yes. He just… he said he didn’t wantme to fall in love with something fake. He pre y much said he’s showingme who he really is, instead of lying to me about it. The fact that he thinkshe can make me fall in love with him in the first place goes to show howderanged he is.”“That’s… oddly nice? But really fucked up. There’s something wrong withhim. But we knew that from the chopped-off hands.”I snort. “Yeah, just a bit.”“Have you, uh, asked him about that yet?”I nod. “Yeah, he basically played his usual macho man act and said not toworry about it and that he’d take care of it.” I roll my eyes, but in allhonesty, I’m glad for it. If I can count on my shadow for anything, it’s tofuck someone up.He’s made that more than clear.I sit up and bring Gigi's journal back towards me. “Anyhoo, let’s just focuson figuring out what happened to my great-grandmother.”
It’s not hard to put Daya back into hacker mode. She slides her laptoptowards her and immediately starts tapping away on the keyboard. Thequickness of her fingers gives me a run for my money when I’m in apar cularly good part in wri ng my book. She’s been known to have toreplace a few keys from how hard she types.“So, me of death for Gigi was es mated about 5:05 P.M. Your greatgrandfatherclaimed that he had run to the grocery store and when hecame home, he found her dead in their bed. I found some witness reportsclaiming they did see John in Morty’s grocery store around 5:35 P.M. Butthey didn’t specify if they had seen him walking in or out of the store, or ifthey just saw him shopping during that me.”I nod my head, twis ng my lips in contempla on. “In her last few journalentries, she was fran c and kept saying that he was coming for her. Shenever said who he is. But it has to be Ronaldo, right?“So, maybe he waited un l John le and snuck in and killed her while hewas gone. He stalked her a er all, he’d know exactly when my greatgrandfatherwould’ve le .”Daya shrugs a shoulder, looking a li le unconvinced.“But don’t the diary entries say that John was ge ng aggressive, andGigi said she was going to divorce him, right?” she ques ons.I frown. “Well, yeah, but I don’t think he would’ve killed her. He lovedher too much.”“Couldn’t the same be said for her stalker?”No ng my expression, Daya sighs and rests her hand on mine.“Addie, I love you and I’m going to say this with all my love. But don’tproject. I’m star ng to get the feeling that you want Ronaldo to be thekiller because in your head, that will criminalize your stalker, too. Pleasetell me that’s not why you’re seeking jus ce for Gigi. Because you’relooking for a reason to hate your stalker when in actuality, you don’t.”I pull my hand from under hers and look away. Uncomfortable feelingsinvade my body, preven ng me from speaking right away.“I don’t need to look for a reason to hate him,” I grumble.Daya cocks a brow, unimpressed with my a tude. I sigh, a headacheblooming right between my eyes. I rub at the spot, stalling as I try to figureout what I want to say.Because she’s not en rely wrong.
- Page 177 and 178: “No,” I say finally, refraining
- Page 179: “They’re going to be a problem,
- Page 182 and 183: She doesn’t know I’m hiding in
- Page 184 and 185: me she gets scared, my li le mouse
- Page 186 and 187: Chapter 18The ManipulatorNKNOWN: Yo
- Page 188 and 189: The phone lights up with an incomin
- Page 190 and 191: As if I wasn’t already burning up
- Page 192 and 193: “Fuck. Off!” I shout, enuncia n
- Page 194 and 195: But the tape doesn’t mask the sou
- Page 196 and 197: Gently, he scrapes his teeth over t
- Page 198 and 199: My eyes close against the sensa on,
- Page 200 and 201: Being consumed by him feels like dr
- Page 203 and 204: Chapter 19The Shadowdon’t regret
- Page 205 and 206: Sighing again, I pluck the pack of
- Page 207 and 208: Addie’s great-grandmother could
- Page 209 and 210: She snorts. “You really think I
- Page 211 and 212: are ever taken seriously anyways, w
- Page 213 and 214: Immediately, he dives for cover, pu
- Page 215 and 216: exactly alike when laid on their de
- Page 217 and 218: I enter into what looks like a foye
- Page 219 and 220: While Mark was burning his cigar on
- Page 221 and 222: Addie won’t ever have to worry ab
- Page 223 and 224: wary, and then resigned. Tears line
- Page 226 and 227: Chapter 21The Manipulator’m stewi
- Page 230 and 231: Maybe I just want to be able to say
- Page 232 and 233: My world spins as I stumble up the
- Page 234 and 235: And then I climb up on the bed, in
- Page 236 and 237: I’ll never tell him how glorious
- Page 238 and 239: When the last bit of cum drops from
- Page 241 and 242: Chapter 22The Shadowy li le mouse d
- Page 243 and 244: As Mark drones on about some bill h
- Page 245 and 246: “S’all good,” I say calmly, s
- Page 247 and 248: Addie shakes her head, closing her
- Page 249 and 250: “Oh, I know that case!” Mark ex
- Page 251 and 252: Sighing, I push out of my chair and
- Page 253 and 254: wild with hunger. I’m ravenous an
- Page 255 and 256: I frown. “What makes you think he
- Page 257 and 258: Zade picks me up in a classic Musta
- Page 259 and 260: “The hell are you doing, Zade?”
- Page 261 and 262: I glare up at him, tears s ll linin
- Page 263 and 264: Oh, what a fine gentleman you’re
- Page 265 and 266: Ugh. The arrogance.His face turns s
- Page 268 and 269: Chapter 24The Manipulators there an
- Page 270 and 271: downright boring.The inside is even
- Page 272 and 273: another senator. I guess the story
- Page 275 and 276: Chapter 25The Shadowf I spend anoth
- Page 277 and 278: The girl gets off on fear. The mome
It’s not hard to put Daya back into hacker mode. She slides her laptop
towards her and immediately starts tapping away on the keyboard. The
quickness of her fingers gives me a run for my money when I’m in a
par cularly good part in wri ng my book. She’s been known to have to
replace a few keys from how hard she types.
“So, me of death for Gigi was es mated about 5:05 P.M. Your greatgrandfather
claimed that he had run to the grocery store and when he
came home, he found her dead in their bed. I found some witness reports
claiming they did see John in Morty’s grocery store around 5:35 P.M. But
they didn’t specify if they had seen him walking in or out of the store, or if
they just saw him shopping during that me.”
I nod my head, twis ng my lips in contempla on. “In her last few journal
entries, she was fran c and kept saying that he was coming for her. She
never said who he is. But it has to be Ronaldo, right?
“So, maybe he waited un l John le and snuck in and killed her while he
was gone. He stalked her a er all, he’d know exactly when my greatgrandfather
would’ve le .”
Daya shrugs a shoulder, looking a li le unconvinced.
“But don’t the diary entries say that John was ge ng aggressive, and
Gigi said she was going to divorce him, right?” she ques ons.
I frown. “Well, yeah, but I don’t think he would’ve killed her. He loved
her too much.”
“Couldn’t the same be said for her stalker?”
No ng my expression, Daya sighs and rests her hand on mine.
“Addie, I love you and I’m going to say this with all my love. But don’t
project. I’m star ng to get the feeling that you want Ronaldo to be the
killer because in your head, that will criminalize your stalker, too. Please
tell me that’s not why you’re seeking jus ce for Gigi. Because you’re
looking for a reason to hate your stalker when in actuality, you don’t.”
I pull my hand from under hers and look away. Uncomfortable feelings
invade my body, preven ng me from speaking right away.
“I don’t need to look for a reason to hate him,” I grumble.
Daya cocks a brow, unimpressed with my a tude. I sigh, a headache
blooming right between my eyes. I rub at the spot, stalling as I try to figure
out what I want to say.
Because she’s not en rely wrong.
Change language