“So this is revenge?” Robert asks.
“Not at all. Honestly, I was going to let sleeping dogs lie. This just proves that she isn’t the girl I thought she was.”
Silence.
“Your daughter…” Caleb pauses. “She died in a car accident, right?”
“That’s right,” Robert answers. His voice is faint.
“My aunt liked to gossip,” Caleb says. “She said the car accident was caused by a drug overdose.”
“We’ve never hid that fact,” Lenora says. “She was troubled. That’s why we foster teenagers, because sometimes they’re troubled—”
“Was it cocaine?”
I wish I could see the expression on Caleb’s face. If he regrets what he’s saying. But I’d bet his face is the picture of innocence, because that’s who he is: a good fucking liar.
“The fact of the matter is… your daughter’s death is Margo’s fault.”
My heart stops.
“What? How?” Lenora demands. “Margo would’ve been twelve when Josie died—”
“Margo was the cause of her mother’s drug use,” Caleb says.
Each word is a dagger in my heart.
“And because of her parents’ split, Amberly had no choice but to resort to selling drugs. Cocaine, specifically. She sold it to anyone who had cash. College kids, high schoolers. She preyed on innocent lives because Margo—”
Lenora wails.
It’s a haunting sound. Chills break out across my body, and I really, really wish that I couldn’t hear it. I’d love nothing more than to scrub that noise from my brain.
“Margo’s mom was responsible for your daughter’s death,” Caleb finishes. “I thought you’d want to know who was sleeping in your home every night.”
I’ve heard enough.
I lift my bag and creep back outside. Hidden on the side of the porch, I pull out the newspaper clipping.
The headline reads: Isabella Jenkins in Fatal Car Crash Late Saturday night, Isabella Jenkins of Rose Hill, New York, was found in her flipped vehicle. Firefighters and EMTs pulled her out and brought her to a local hospital, but she was dead on arrival. Isabella has had problems with substance abuse, and doctors confirm that this was the cause of her accident. Her parents, Lenora and Robert Jenkins, request privacy during this difficult time.
That’s it.
A paragraph and a picture of the three of them. In fact, it’s the same photo that’s on their wall, the one that caught my attention my first day in their home.
And my mother was the one who put them there.
They’re never going to want me back now, because what Caleb said has to be true: my mom sold drugs to a teenager, and that teenager died. What’re the odds that I’m placed with their family?
It’s a sucker punch straight to my gut.
I heave my bag higher and run through the neighbor’s backyard. I don’t have anywhere to go, but I sure as hell don’t want them to find me snooping around their yard.
Not after that.
I get to the corner and grab my phone. It’s the first time I’ve looked at it since before the dance.
Riley was right: it’s blowing up. There are too many numbers texting me crude things.
I sniffle, but there’s too much shock to cry.
Caleb just…
My heart isn’t working right.
I sink to my knees at the curb as his words replay.
It hurts like a knife burrowing into my chest. I can’t stop it. I can’t fight him.
Let’s play a game, he told me. First to give in loses.
I lost, Caleb. My heart folded first. I thought it might be the kiss, but that… that was just the beginning.
I find a text from Claire from the middle of the night.
Claire: Call me.
And when I didn’t respond, she sent another.
Claire: I realized where I recognized Caleb from. He was talking to our foster parents before they got rid of us.
I shudder. The betrayal digs deeper. This isn’t a new thing for Caleb… he’s done this before. He’s unwound my life, piece by piece.
Has Caleb ever let me out of his memory? Or is he responsible for every single transition, every bully, every fucking family that’s passed me along?
His fucked-up games didn’t start when I got back to Emery-Rose.
No, they started the minute I left.
I get a new text—this one from Unknown. I almost drop my phone. Even they couldn’t have predicted Caleb’s tricks. His betrayal. He’s single-handedly ruined the best home I’ve ever known.
Unknown: Run away, little sheep.
Way ahead of you, Unknown.
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THE END… FOR NOW.
The story continues in Wicked Games. Preorder now!
Want to know what Caleb was up to the day of the masquerade ball? Find out in an exclusive bonus scene, which you can download here!
Also by S. Massery
Fallen Royals Series （Dark High School Bully Romance）
Wicked Dreams
Wicked Games
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Broken Mercenaries Series （Romantic Suspense）
Blood Sky
Angel of Death
Morning Star
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Something Special Series （Contemporary Romance）
Something Special
Something Sacred
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For more information, please visit my website,
http://www.smassery.com/books
Acknowledgments
I need to say the BIGGEST thank you to my friend and first reader, Kylie. Girl, I don’t think I would’ve had the courage to write this crazy story if not for you!
Rebecca, thank you for always being willing to try new things—like when I experiment with writing fun new stories like this. Oh, and thanks for not getting mad when I never give you any of the answers to the questions you ask.
Erica, I love our book and music conversations, and I SO appreciate your insight when you drop everything to beta read for me.
To my pen pal, who I’ll keep anonymous （you know who you are）。 We won’t forget your baby girl.
To the early readers who devoured this story so quickly: thank you for settling my nerves and posting amazing reviews. I love this story, and I’m SO glad that you did, as well. And I’m so sorry about that ending. （Except… not really!） And thank you to you, my dear reader. I appreciate you taking a chance on this story and me. I write to soothe my soul, but I also write for you.
Other lovely people who I would be lost without: Emmy at Studio ENP and Paige Sayer Proofreading for polishing this baby. Elle Thorpe for invaluable advice on all things book related （and some not book related）。 Tiffany for all of your help preparing for release day and beyond.
And to Alice: you’ve put up with many hours of me ignoring you to write or edit or make graphics. You, my favorite puppy dog, are the real champion.
Xoxo,
Sara
About the Author
S. Massery is a romance author of varying subgenres. She lives in Western Massachusetts with her dog, Alice.
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