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Slowly, my head turns side to side in a stiff display of denial.
“I-I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.” I swallow hard. “Why you would make up a lie like that is beyond me. You’re sick and twisted! The lot of you.”
All three of them laugh.
“You have no idea howsickandtwistedwe are. At least, not yet, you don’t,” Trip corrects.
My hands latch onto my hips to keep them from shaking. I even manage a scowl, though I know it lacks the heat it needs for this to be convincing.
“No need to play coy with us, we already know the truth, Briella,” Grant taunts with a lazy shoulder shrug. “If you want to keep your job, hell, if you want to stay out ofjail, then I suggest you accept our proposition. Be our doll. Our beautiful plaything. We promise to make it worth your while.”
“You have no proof—”
“Want to bet on that?” he asks, that half smile turning into a whole one.
The sick bastard is takingpleasurein my distress. Who does this, and why me? What did I do— Oh fuck, is this some type of messed up karma? I’m going to be sick. No, no I’m not. I’ve been through worse. I can get through this. They’re just throwing out feelers to see what sticks. There is no way they know what I did. Steely resolve straightens my spine and I glare at Grant, then at the other two.
“Yes, I’ll take that bet. I’ve donenothingwrong.” I turn and push at Jason, who moves out of the way. His body is hard with muscle. Any other time, I probably would have been excited to touch him. But right now, all I want to do is put distance between us.
“We always get what we want, Briella,” Grant calls after me.
I ignore his voice and the laughter of the other two as I practically run through the rows of shelves, putting as much space as I can between us.
Three
That night, after work, I find myself too worked up to sit back and relax on my sofa.
So I pace. As I move, I consider calling Pianna. She has no idea about Jackie and what I did for this job. While she wouldn’t condemn me for blackmailing a child molester, I also don’t really want her to become complicit in an illegal activity. Also, it’s not like she gives the best advice. But listening to someone else weigh out the pros and cons of ignoring this situation might be nice.
Then again, once she hears what’s going on, she’ll want to drop everything and come running to protect me. The thought of her rushing to my aid instantly puts a cork in the idea of calling her. Just like with her relationships, Pianna finds it hard to stick with a job. The one she has now, as a receptionist at a hotel, is the longest job she’s held at eight months. Shejustgot a promotion, she’s making good money, and has health insurance. I would hate it if she up and left to come help me. Especially given that Grant, Jason, and Trip have no evidence of what I’ve done.
Except, they have to have something if they know about my involvement with the previous librarian. But what could it be? No one but me, Jackie, and the student she was hooking up with were involved. Would they have told someone? I doubt it.
So how did these three figure out my secret?
Anger and anxiousness mix, causing my pacing to accelerate. This isn’t fair. I didn’thurtanyone. Honestly, I was doing that student a favor. He was being molested! And Jackie, what the hell was she thinking? Even if he had been eighteen, did she really see a future with that kid?
Think, Bri, think! How could they have figured this out?Did I leave a paper trail? No, that can’t be it. I used a burner phone to text her then wiped it down, smashed it to pieces, and tossed the pieces into separate trash cans once the job was done. So, what else could it…
Hold on. My feet come to a stop as something dawns on me. I didn’t destroyallthe evidence. I saved the pictures onto a file in my email, hidden within other folders and labeled something inconspicuous. I also copied the texts in case I needed them in the future for whatever reason. Or maybe it was just guilt. Those messages are in that email file too.
But there’s no way anyone would have found them there. It’s impossible.
My feet start moving again. So, if it isn’t that, then how else could they have found out? It could just be a bluff. Maybe they really were just throwing things out there to see if something would stick and my reaction gave them reason to believe they hit a nerve? Who wouldn’t be upset when someone tried to pin them for a crime they didn’t commit?
That thought causes my heart rate to finally slow down.
Yeah, that’s right. This is all a bluff. I take a deep breath and walk over to the couch where I collapse onto the soft cushion. I smile. There’s nothing to worry about.
* * *
By the timeMonday comes around, I’ve decided that I made up the entire encounter. On my way to work, I stop at my favorite coffee shop to treat myself to something nice. As I grab my macchiato from the drive-thru barista, I smile. Today’s going to be a good day. I just know it.
I park in the old empty lot at the back of campus, which isn’t too far from the library, grab my purse and coffee and climb out. My trek across campus to the Atwater Library isn’t long. As I approach the large building, I smile up at it. Not everyone can say they love their job. I’m one of the lucky few out here in this world doing what they’ve always wanted to do. Thanking my lucky stars that I’m here to see another day, I push open the first set of glass doors, then the second. Immediately, I’m struck with the sheer volume of loud chatter and the number of students lingering about on the first floor.
Bewildered by the unusual crowd and excitement in the air, I take the elevator up to the second floor. The doors have barely opened when someone calls my name.
“Miss Wilson!”
