Nothing would make me happier than going in front of a judge. I mean, please, somebody make me put my hand on a Bible and swear to tell the truth, the WHOLE truth, and nothing but the truth. Because I absolutely will. That’s a promise.
I held my phone in my hand like it might detonate.
1-555-421-3760
Court will require you to honor every clause of the contract you signed. Including the one that prevents you from discussing the nature of your work with DayGlow.
My stomach lurched. Was that true?
You could ask Holden.
But then he’d want to know why. And if DayGlow finds out you’ve talked to him, who knows what they’d do. Who knows what they’d do to any of the Duprees either way.
My mind dragged me back to the thought that haunted every waking moment: How long could I stay here with the Duprees, pretending I was normal—living a normal life, chasing a normal dream? My life wasn’t normal and it never would be—and every day I stayed in Seddledowne put them in more danger.
But Cecil was an expert at sniffing out fear, and this was not the time to falter.
Juliette
Maybe, but I’m going to say it anyway. After what you’ve done to me, my life means nothing. I’d rather rot in jail than come back and “work” for you and the board.
It wasn’t enough of a threat because my life meantnothing to them either. My face? Yes. My body? Absolutely. But my life? Absolutely not—and they’d proven that sixty-nine times over.
1-555-421-3760
I’m sorry to hear that. Maybe your life means nothing to you, but your husband’s does. So what’ll it be? Griffin’s reputation for your insistence on continuing to break your contract? Or returning to do the job you were hired to do?
I took a screenshot of that blatant admission of guilt. Not that I’d ever be brave enough to use it. Then I stared at his message, hating that I was right back at the same dead end.
1-555-421-3760
You have the power here, Juliette. You can protect your husband and end his defamation by honoring your contract, or you can watch every speck of his dignity burn to the ground around you? Your choice. Let us know what you decide. But you’d better do it quick. Time’s a-ticking.
I pulled my knees to my chest and buried my face in them, arms wrapped tight around my legs. “What do I do? What do I do?”
You have choices, Julie-Bean,Angel Mom whispered.You always have choices. Even choosing nothing at all is a choice.
I didn’t try to fight her. I knew she was right this time. Choosing not to choose was choosing to let DayGlow whittle away at Griffin a little at a time.
I had to make them stop.
But the only way to do that was to give them exactly what they wanted.
Chapter Twenty-Six
GRIFFIN
Standing on Theo’s front porch, I peered through the window. Jules was nowhere to be seen. Theo, however, was hunkered down in front of his computer, headphones on, screaming at the top of his lungs like the zombie coming for him was real. Jules’s location dot hadn’t moved in over two hours, and it was well past midnight. She was definitely asleep.
I knocked lightly, hoping not to wake her—assuming Theo hadn’t already done the job.
Theo didn’t even flinch. I tried knocking louder. Still nothing.
I called Cash on the phone. “Yo,” I said when he answered. “Are you playing with Theo right now?”
“Yeah.” He yawned. “Charlie’s already asleep, and he’s been begging me all week. Wanna play with us?”
“I’m good. Maybe tomorrow night.” I scrubbed a hand over my hair. “I’m outside his front door freezing my butt off.”
