AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The nautical emblem from Larry’s cap. Adam’s monogrammed money clip. The necklace she’d spent a week’s salary on for Renee. Les’s Waterford clock. The class ring that should have been hers, until her so-called best friend Michelle had stolen Daniel from her and he’d given it to his Pookie instead.
Just one item to add.
Alison carried the box to the dresser and set it on the corner. Opened her jewelry box and reached into the back. Pulled out Nate’s wedding ring.
The one he’d flung at her the night he said he was leaving.
The one she’d spat on the day he filed divorce papers.
The one that had convinced her to exact revenge for all the wrongs done to her by the people in her life who’d professed to care for her and then proved otherwise.
Mashing her lips together, she threw the ring into the box and closed the lid.
Every person who’d betrayed her had gotten exactly what they deserved. She was the wronged one here, not them.
What she’d done was called justice.
And it had nothing to do with the borderline personality disorder label that quack shrink had slapped on her after she’d acquiesced to Nate’s ultimatum that she either get help or their marriage was over.
What a farce—and a waste—those garbage sessions had been. All those hours she’d endured listening to his drivel hadn’t saved her marriage anyway.
Gritting her teeth, she pulled off her jacket and hurled it onto the bed.
The truth was, she didn’t have a disorder of any kind. The people with the problem were the ones who’d hurt her. Betrayed her. Deserted her.
But now they were gone, and she was free of the past.
Forever.
As long as Bri shelved the Kavanaugh case and the man’s stupid list.
Alison picked up the crystal clock. Ran her finger over the broken, jagged corner.
Tenacious as Bri was, it was possible she’d continue to poke into the mystery. Like Les had. But she was at a dead end. If neither she nor that ATF hotshot had been able to put the pieces together despite all the hours they’d devoted to the case, there wasn’t much chance they ever would.
Which was good.
Because hurting Bri would be hard.
She set the clock back in the box and brushed her fingers over the other items.
Getting rid of people who were disloyal was easy.
Getting rid of a friend like Bri, who’d shown up at a memorial service for a stranger to demonstrate her support, was a whole different matter.
But if it became necessary ... if left with no choice ... she’d have to—
“Alison?”
As Sophie called through the door, she swept the box off the dresser, carried it back to the closet, and shoved it into the dark corner where it belonged.
“Hang on a sec, hon.” After smoothing her hands down her skirt, she strode over to the door and flipped the lock. Pulled it open.
Her sister had already changed into jeans and a fleecy, oversized sweatshirt, her pale face and big eyes evidence of the body slam Nate’s death had dealt her.
Poor Sophie. Always so sensitive. Always so in need of protecting.
But that’s what big sisters were for, especially when it was the two of you against the world.
