Haunting-Adeline
“How did you even come into contact with a man of that socialstanding? God, Addie, please tell me you didn’t sell yourself to him.”A fly could buzz into my mouth, and I wouldn’t no ce. My mouth hangsopen, and all I can feel is hurt.“Why… why would you think I’d ever do something like that?” I askslowly, the heartbreak evident in my tone. I can’t keep it hidden—notwhen my mother just accused me of being a pros tute.She’s silent again, and I wonder if she realized she went too far. “Well,then how did you meet him?” she finally asks, deflec ng a ques on I’dreally like to know the fucking answer to.I sniff, deciding to let it go. It doesn’t ma er why she thinks it, just thatshe does.“Daya has friends in high places. We met at a dinner party and he said Ilooked familiar, so I told him who I’m related to, and he connected it fromthere,” I lie, working to keep my voice even. Daya quirks a brow but doesn’tcomment.It feels like an arrow has been shot through my chest—the sensa onght and sharp.“Your Nana said that John put them in a dangerous situa on with hisgambling, but not too long before Gigi’s death, it all seemed to go away. Hestayed out late and came home short-tempered just to fight with Gigiabout whatever he was pissed off about that day.“Frank was a sponge for their rela onship. With their marriage failing, Ithink he was put in the middle of it a few mes. Nana spoke of oneincident some me before Gigi died where she and Frank got in a fight.Nana didn’t remember much about what happened, just that Frank hadgrabbed Gigi and pushed her on the ground and said something about abetrayal. That’s all I know,” she explains s ffly, as if reci ng a verse fromthe Bible.That was her apology. And though the ghtness in my chest hasn’treceded, I take it anyway.I mull that over, curious as to why Frank was so upset because Gigi waschea ng on John. Maybe because Frank was o en put in the middle, hegrew red of it. John’s behavior was steadily declining, and it seemed tostart when Gigi’s a tude changed towards him a er she began falling in
love with Ronaldo. It’s possible Frank blamed Gigi for John’s behavior andthe fact that he was losing his friend to a dangerous addic on.“Just one more ques on,” I barter, sensing her need to hang up. Shecalled to ask about Thanksgiving dinner and got roped into an honestconversa on with her daughter. “Do you remember Nana going up in theac all the me? Do you know why she did?”“Yeah. That was where she’d go for alone me when I was a kid. I don’tknow the reason why, she had only ever said that’s where she went tothink. We were never allowed up there. Why do you ask?”My heart plummets to my stomach as an unwanted thought intrudes.I don’t feel comfortable telling her what I found. So instead, I shrug andsay, “I thought I remembered her going up there a lot, too, but couldn’t besure. Just curious.”“Okay, well, if that’s all, I have to cook dinner for your father. I’ll text youthe details,” she says.“Bye,” I grumble before hanging up the phone.“What did she say?” Daya asks so ly, but I know what she’s really asking.What did my mother say to make me look so damn wounded.I scoff. “She thought I might’ve pros tuted myself to Mark.”Her mouth drops, but she quickly picks it back up. “That’s terrible,Addie. I’m so sorry,” she apologizes, her face twis ng with empathy. Daya’salways had a wonderful family, but she’s been around long enough tounderstand what growing up with my mother is like.I wave a hand. “She’s said worse.”“What did she say about Frank?”I reiterate everything Mom told me, and when I’m done, she just staresat me with wide eyes. I got the same reac on a er I told her what I foundout from Mark about Ronaldo and John.“All I know is Gigi started a lot of shit by falling in love with Ronaldo,” Ifinish on a sigh.Daya rolls her lips. “Speaking of stalkers… are you not going to tell yourmom about Zade?”I shoot her a look. “That’s like asking if I’m going to tell her about howone me, I let a guy fingerbang me in the middle of a concert.”She snorts. “Yeah, okay, you win that one.” Hesita on flashes across hergreen eyes, and I know the ques on that’s coming. I straighten my spine,
- 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
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- Page 277 and 278: The girl gets off on fear. The mome
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- Page 281 and 282: I groan, the feel of her ass diggin
- Page 283 and 284: Releasing her face, my hand dri s t
- Page 285 and 286: Chapter 26The Manipulator’m seeth
- Page 287 and 288: if I had to guess on what type of m
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- Page 291 and 292: told John he didn’t give a shit w
- Page 293 and 294: I open my mouth, ready to pry, but
- Page 295 and 296: “Because you’re not listening.
- Page 297 and 298: "You trauma zed me."He leans down a
- Page 299 and 300: “Or what?” he challenges. I sig
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- Page 304 and 305: worse and probably end up leaving.
- Page 306 and 307: me. He makes it a point to stay on
- Page 308 and 309: My phone vibrates in my hand, and I
- Page 312 and 313: preparing for it.“He hasn’t sai
- Page 314 and 315: “How can you even choose?” Daya
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- Page 322 and 323: “Loca on?” Jay asks, keyboard c
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- Page 328 and 329: Mark tries to brush off my story wi
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- Page 334 and 335: Another growl pings through my mout
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- Page 340 and 341: When I brush my finger ps over them
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- Page 344 and 345: “Zade, please,” I whimper, my v
- Page 346 and 347: him sliding in and out between my f
- Page 348 and 349: “You motherfucking ass—”He in
- Page 350 and 351: She takes a deep, calming breath.
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love with Ronaldo. It’s possible Frank blamed Gigi for John’s behavior and
the fact that he was losing his friend to a dangerous addic on.
“Just one more ques on,” I barter, sensing her need to hang up. She
called to ask about Thanksgiving dinner and got roped into an honest
conversa on with her daughter. “Do you remember Nana going up in the
a
c all the me? Do you know why she did?”
“Yeah. That was where she’d go for alone me when I was a kid. I don’t
know the reason why, she had only ever said that’s where she went to
think. We were never allowed up there. Why do you ask?”
My heart plummets to my stomach as an unwanted thought intrudes.
I don’t feel comfortable telling her what I found. So instead, I shrug and
say, “I thought I remembered her going up there a lot, too, but couldn’t be
sure. Just curious.”
“Okay, well, if that’s all, I have to cook dinner for your father. I’ll text you
the details,” she says.
“Bye,” I grumble before hanging up the phone.
“What did she say?” Daya asks so ly, but I know what she’s really asking.
What did my mother say to make me look so damn wounded.
I scoff. “She thought I might’ve pros tuted myself to Mark.”
Her mouth drops, but she quickly picks it back up. “That’s terrible,
Addie. I’m so sorry,” she apologizes, her face twis ng with empathy. Daya’s
always had a wonderful family, but she’s been around long enough to
understand what growing up with my mother is like.
I wave a hand. “She’s said worse.”
“What did she say about Frank?”
I reiterate everything Mom told me, and when I’m done, she just stares
at me with wide eyes. I got the same reac on a er I told her what I found
out from Mark about Ronaldo and John.
“All I know is Gigi started a lot of shit by falling in love with Ronaldo,” I
finish on a sigh.
Daya rolls her lips. “Speaking of stalkers… are you not going to tell your
mom about Zade?”
I shoot her a look. “That’s like asking if I’m going to tell her about how
one me, I let a guy fingerbang me in the middle of a concert.”
She snorts. “Yeah, okay, you win that one.” Hesita on flashes across her
green eyes, and I know the ques on that’s coming. I straighten my spine,
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