Revenge: The Complete Series (Erotic Rock Star Suspense Romance)

by Mimi Strong

  D.

  The next message was sent just minutes ago, and it’s from a blocked number.

  You’ll be sorry.

  Q.

  The phone drops from my hand and lands in the worst possible way. The screen cracks.

  Nick is watching me with interest. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” I throw the phone into my purse.

  “You cracked your screen.”

  “Mind your own business,” I snap.

  With a groan, he sits up straight.

  “Thanks for the food. I feel better,” he says. “My treat tomorrow.”

  “If there is a tomorrow.”

  He reaches into his pocket. “Good point. There is no tomorrow. How much was my share of the food?”

  “So it is happening right now? The big takeover?”

  “Yes. That’s partly why I was having my quiet moment.”

  “Oh. And what else?”

  Nick’s shoulder shrug up. “I shouldn’t say.”

  I stare at him, willing him to crack.

  Finally, he admits, “Q is definitely David Ambler. And the man is a genius. But he’s not a nice man. My mother didn’t tell me he was involved in this, because I would have tried to stop her.”

  “Is he bad news?”

  Nick blinks. “He doesn’t forgive and forget.”

  I pull my phone out of my purse, pull up the message he sent me as Q, and show it to Nick.

  “Should I be worried?” I ask.

  “Probably just a warning.” He hands me back the phone. “Keep your mouth shut, and you’ll be fine.”

  Nick is lying. I know, because his eye contact is suddenly really intense.

  “I’m sure you’re right.” I put my phone away and try to believe Nick’s lie.

  * * *

  We spend the rest of the day doing our pointless work.

  The phone doesn’t ring again, but we keep looking at it.

  We’re both too tired of being asked what we know by the other employees, so we don’t go back up to the cafeteria. Nick has some granola bars in his bag, so we eat those instead of leaving for lunch.

  We start tidying up to leave after five.

  I notice that Nick is gathering up all of his personal things. He even picks up the spare change he’s been tossing in an empty paper clip box on his desk.

  There is no tomorrow.

  I look around my space and do the same.

  We take the elevator up to the lobby together.

  We leave, through security, and walk outside.

  Nick says my name, and when I turn to him, he hugs me.

  It’s not a powerful hug. He’s timid, but he hangs on for a while.

  He doesn’t say as much, but this is goodbye.

  “Nick, call me tonight,” I say.

  “I can’t.”

  “Take care of yourself.”

  He pulls away and runs off, his all-black clothing helping him disappear.

  As I’m staring after him, my eye is caught by a car’s passenger door being pushed open from the inside. I recognize it as Dylan’s car. I jog over and slip into the passenger seat.

  “Today has been crazy,” I exhale.

  Dylan’s wearing sunglasses, so I can’t see his eyes. His mouth is pressed closed tightly.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask.

  His voice is as cold as ice. “You tell me. Was it worth two thousand dollars to seduce me?”

  Chapter 12

  Dylan is driving slowly.

  I wish he would squeal the tires and dart from lane to lane. Then I could pretend everything’s okay.

  “Tell me it was worth two grand to use me,” he says.

  “I never used you.”

  He turns to give me a disdainful look. I can’t see his eyes because of his sunglasses, but his upper lip curls up in disgust.

  “I knew,” he growls. “As soon as you told me where you worked, I knew you were tainted. Poison goods. But I didn’t listen to my gut.”

  My breathing is shallow, and I don’t know how I feel. My eyes are burning, like I might cry at any moment, but I’m also angry. He’s not even giving me a chance to explain. Someone told him about the money, and he believed them. There’s no doubt in his voice at all.

  “Dylan, it’s just money. I took it because I liked you anyway. I’m no different from you.”

  He makes a disgusted sound.

  “You love music,” I explain. “And you took a deal to record songs, for money.”

  “Calling me a sellout is not helping your case.”

  “My case? So, you’re the judge and jury here? Nice.”

  Inside my head, a chorus of voices screams all the angry thoughts I’ve ever had about Dylan. He’s always pushing my boundaries. He likes me off-balance. He doesn’t tell me the whole truth, even when I ask. And I don’t really matter to him. Not like his music career. I amuse and inspire him. When he has the time.

  The anger and hurt builds up inside me. I clench my fists to keep my words inside.

  “You’re not even denying it.” His voice is low and scratchy, like a damaged recording.

  “Don’t act like you’re so innocent and injured. You knew who I worked for when I chased you out of the board room. And what did you do? You practically kidnapped me and threw me in your car.”

  He keeps driving slowly, watching the road. He gives no sign that he’s hearing my words.

  “You dragged me to your place,” I say, spitting out the words. “I didn’t ask to go to your place. You were playing games with me from the minute we met, with your two minutes game. You wanted to scare me, dominate me. You threw me down on your couch and started pawing at my panties like a dirty old man.”

  “Wow,” he says sarcastically. “Don’t hold back, Jess.”

  “I’m the idiot, because I still liked you. I thought there was another side of you. Little did I know there was just more of the same, with a few moments where you act like you give a shit about anyone but yourself.”

  “At least you got paid,” he says. “I guess we’re both winners, aren’t we, sweetheart?”

  “Did Q tell you about the money? About the two thousand?”

  “Q told me a lot of things.”

  “Like what?” I reach over and yank off his sunglasses so I can see his eyes. “There isn’t anything else. I’m sorry I took the two grand. And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but that’s the only thing I did wrong.”

  He shoots me a look, his brown eyes so dark they’re black.

  “I found the cameras you planted,” he says.

  I shake my head adamantly. “No. I didn’t put those cameras there. They were already in the place. The firehall belongs to someone at Morris. They’re the ones who set off the false alarm that night.”

  He gives me a hurt look, shaking his head.

  “And you didn’t tell me? People were watching me, spying on me, and you didn’t tell me?” He turns to face the road and swallows hard, his adam’s apple rising up and down with effort.

  I hold my hand to my face in shame. He’s right. Taking the money wasn’t the only thing I did wrong.

  My throat is so tight, I can hardly speak.

  I squeak out, “I fucked up, okay? I’m sorry, but you’re not always easy to talk to.”

  “Don’t put this on me,” he says softly. “This is all on you, Jess.”

  I sink back in my seat.

  “I’m sorry.” I sound pathetic, but it’s all I can think to say. “Dylan, I’m really sorry.”

  His voice is scratchy as he answers, “Don’t apologize. You’ve done me a great favor, by reminding me that nobody is who they pretend to be. Everyone’s out for themselves, and if you’re not the player, you’re the one being played.”

  “I really care about you.”

  “You only care about yourself. Listen, Jess. You’re a hot little piece of ass. I had fun.” The tires squeal as he takes a hard right turn and pulls up alongside the sidewalk. “Now get out of my life.”<
br />
  I look out the window at where we are. This is not a great part of the city. There are junkies and prostitutes up and down this street.

  My whole body starts to shake. “Dylan, I can’t get out of the car here.”

  “Of course you can. This is where you belong. Now get the fuck out of my car before I throw you out.”

  Choking back a sob, I push open the door.

  I wait for him to change his mind, to say we can talk.

  He revs the engine.

  I turn to look at him. Everything’s blurry from my tears.

  He won’t even look at me.

  He’s already checked out.

  I turn away and climb out of the car. My tears fall freely as I carefully close the door.

  As soon as the door clicks, he hits the gas and squeals away.

  I brush away my tears with the back of my hand.

  I look around to get my bearings.

  Nobody is even looking my way.

  A girl crying and walking down the street alone is nothing to look twice at here.

  Chapter 13

  I’m completely numb by the time I get home.

  Riley and Amanda are in the living room, playing games on their phones with the TV on.

  “Dylan broke up with me,” I say.

  As soon as I hear the words, the numbness goes away. It’s replaced by pain. My knees buckle, and I sink down to the ground.

  The girls race around in a panic. Amanda gets me onto the couch. Riley checks my eyes, then hands me a pill.

  “You’re going to be okay,” Riley says.

  I stare down at the pill in my hand.

  “It’s just Percocet,” she says.

  Amanda takes the pill and breaks it in half for me.

  “I took these after my root canal,” Amanda says. “Start with half.”

  I put both halves in my mouth and dry swallow.

  They both leave and go to the kitchen. I can hear them talking about me.

  They come back, and Riley hands me a glass of water. I start to drink. I’m surprised by how thirsty I am. I drink the whole glass.

  “He broke up with me,” I say. “I need to get him back.”

  Riley and Amanda, both standing in front of me, exchange a look.

  “You tell her,” Riley says.

  Amanda leans forward and pats me on the knee. “Maybe it’s for the best. You were miserable all weekend.”

  “How would you know? You were mad at me, Amanda. You didn’t even say boo to me.”

  “Because you wouldn’t leave your room,” she says.

  “You used to do this when you were younger,” Riley says. “You retreat into your room when something’s wrong in your life. You did it all the time when I lived with you and Nan.”

  I turn my head, looking back and forth between the two of them in confusion. I think the pill is kicking in already. My head feels lighter now. I blink hard and try to focus my eyes.

  “Sometimes I like to be alone,” I say to Riley. My voice sounds a million miles away.

  Riley sits on the couch next to me. “My own life was already fucked up by then,” she says. “But you still had your spark, Jess. You were young, and you were good in school. I could see that I was hurting you, and Nan. That’s why I left.”

  I turn and blink at her, even more confused. Her brown eyes are shining.

  “Riley, what are you talking about? You were there, and then you just left. You didn’t even say goodbye.”

  She puts her arm around my shoulders and rocks me.

  “I left for your own good,” she says, her voice cracking. “I was so toxic, I thought I’d be dead in a year. And I didn’t want to destroy you with me.”

  I whisper, “We thought you died.”

  She blinks, and the tears spill out. She smiles through the tears. “But you didn’t know for sure,” she says. “That’s what I gave you when I left. The gift of hope.”

  I turn to Amanda. “This is crazy. All of this. It isn’t happening.”

  “Take a deep breath,” Amanda says. “Now tell us what happened with Dylan. Start at the beginning, and take your time.”

  “The beginning?”

  I sniff.

  The girls wait patiently.

  So, I start at the beginning. I tell them everything.

  All the insane corporate stuff at Morris.

  The spycams in the loft.

  The scar on Dylan’s back and the awful truth of how he got it.

  Our beautiful weekend together in the hotel, celebrating his deal.

  The way he comforted me, his voice in the darkness like my safety line.

  Both of us swimming naked in his glimmering new pool. How he made me see stars in the murky LA night sky.

  Laughing, I tell them how he tore down curtains for us to use as towels.

  Crying, I tell them how perfect everything felt that night when we drove home after the concert.

  Numb, I relay what happened today with Mr. Morris.

  And, of course, the chilling message from Q.

  I pull out my phone and show them the text on my cracked screen.

  This part is hard to talk about.

  We’re at the emotional devastation of Dylan breaking up with me, and dumping me like trash on a street full of hookers.

  I sob, my body shaking like it might break.

  They pat my back and wait. The details come out in bursts, between sobs.

  Once it’s all out, I feel serene. Like that glimmering pool behind Dylan’s new house. Not even a ripple

  We sit in silence together. The sound on the TV is off, but the picture flickers on the walls around us.

  After a while, Riley says, “We’re going to sue Morris Music. I can’t even count all the things they’ve done wrong. If they aren’t bankrupt yet, they will be.”

  Amanda is crammed onto the couch on my other side. She pats my knee. “Don’t worry, Jess. You’ll meet someone better. Caleb has some nice friends. And I can get you some shifts at the bar, no problem.”

  I rub my face with my hands. I expect my cheeks to be wet, but I’m not crying anymore. I feel numb again, but in a fuzzy way, from the Percocet.

  “No, guys. I’m going to use my plane ticket and go home.”

  “This is your home now,” Amanda says.

  I rub my numb face again, enjoying the sensation of not feeling.

  “LA is like Dylan Wolf. It makes a lot of promises, but deep down, it’s bad for me. I’m going.”

  “What would Nan say?” Riley asks.

  Nan’s voice comes into my head as clear as if she was standing in front of us. Jessica, don’t be a bonehead. That’s what she’d say.

  It doesn’t matter, though.

  I still want to go home.

  Chapter 14

  Morning comes.

  After a long night, the sun comes up again.

  I wake up to the sound of my alarm clock.

  It’s tomorrow. It’s Tuesday.

  I sit up, turn the buzzer off, and climb out of bed.

  Like a robot, I take a shower and get dressed for work.

  I keep my mind blank, but I still see Dylan’s face every time I turn my head. I remember how his lip curled up in disgust. How his voice was full of hurt and anger.

  The words we said last night will be the last things we ever say to each other.

  And those words will keep replaying in my mind, over and over again, until I stop breathing.

  “Tell me it was worth two grand to use me,” he said.

  Then we fought. I said terrible things.

  I told him I cared about him. I didn’t say I loved him.

  Then he pulled onto that street.

  I shouldn’t have gotten out of the car. I should have held my ground.

  But then he said, “This is where you belong.”

  In that moment, I believed him. I agreed with him. So I got out of the car, and that was the end of us.

  Jess and Dylan are no more.

  Blue sho
es for your blue heart.

  I can’t even get out the front door without breaking down crying.

  I fill my pockets with tissues and stumble out to catch the bus to work.

  On the bus, I cradle my cracked phone in my hand like it’s a bird’s egg.

  I send Dylan three messages, all saying:

  I’m sorry.

  He doesn’t reply.

  I get to the Morris building at the regular time, and go through security. I’m in a daze.

  I step into an empty elevator. I’m surprised when it goes down to the basement. I’m not even thinking straight. I honestly expected to get summoned up to the tenth floor.

  The lights are off, and Nick isn’t here.

  I turn the lights on and sit at my desk.

  Three hours later, he hasn’t shown up.

  I pick up the phone and dial reception. It goes to the automated system. I listen to the company directory. I don’t know many people here at all.

  When I hear Stephanie’s name, I press her number.

  The phone rings and rings, then goes to voicemail.

  I press zero to go back to the main directory. There’s an extension number for Mr. Morris.

  I pause for two heartbeats, then press it.

  He picks up after one ring. “Hello, Jessica Rivera.”

  “What happened?” I ask.

  He chuckles. “No small talk? Just straight to business? I like you, Jessica. Some people would hold it against you that you didn’t tell me your secret. But do you know what I admire in an employee?”

  He pauses, waiting for a response from me.

  Softly, I answer, “Being on time.”

  He laughs. “Yes. Punctuality. And also loyalty. It doesn’t matter that you were loyal to the wrong team. You didn’t know they were the wrong team.”

  I ask him a second time, “What happened?”

  Something creaks over the phone line. I imagine him leaning back in that tall-backed burgundy leather chair, behind the big wooden desk.

  “I had two options, and I chose the one that keeps Morris Music in the family. But why am I telling you this over the phone, Miss Rivera? You were on the inside. You know as much about this as anyone. Now, why don’t you take a ride up, so I can offer you an executive position in person?”