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I now know for sure that my hunch was right. I know who is behind this.
Trent Aldridge.
He threw down the gauntlet.
I have no choice but to play the game.
Then I hear a chirp from my pocket.
Great. Now the phone is working again!
Grabbing my cell, I scroll my texts that are showing up again. Then I go to the contacts and dial her number, holding my breath to see if it even rings. It does. Again, I have this stomach-churning feeling I’m being watched. My eyes skim my surroundings and find nothing. I hunch my shoulders as if it’ll protect me from prying eyes.
Erin answers after the third ring.
“Fancy of you to call me after ignoring my hundreds of calls. What do you want? To ruin my life some more?” She scoffs. “Maybe steal something else from me?”
“Erin, you know that’s not what it’s like,” I say softly.
How can she think I did this on purpose?
“Do I? Because from where I’m standing, that’s exactly what this is. My boyfriend left you all his money. Do you know how bad that looks?”
“Erin—”
“No, don’t Erin me. After everything . . .” She pauses, letting her rage consume her. It’s so palpable, I can feel it through the line. It forces me a step back. “I gave up my life for you, and you get the money. That’s fucking bullshit, and you know it.”
“Erin,” I say again, trying to calm her.
“Unless you are signing over the money to me, I have nothing to say to you,” she spits out.
“That’s why I’m calling,” I tell her, hoping that’s enough for her to listen to me.
“To give me the money?”
“Not exactly . . .” I wince. “I mean, yes, some of it, of course. He was your boyfriend, after all. That was always the plan.”
“Save me the stutters. I don’t want to hear it—”
“I will give you money,” I rush out, “all of it. But first, I need access to it. Seeing as none of my bills have been paid, I’m not sure that’s ever going to happen.”
She lets out a large, angry growl. It sounds like a pissed-off animal. Of course, she is angry. She wants to be the one in charge. I, on the other hand, felt relief at first. If Erin were in charge, there would be no money left by the time I hit twenty-two. It never dawned on me I might have the same problem with Trent.
I don’t need all the money, but I need enough to pay for school and start over somewhere else. Somewhere far away.
“So, why are you calling me?” Erin hisses. “It’s not like I’m the one in charge of the money.”
“I need you to tell me where Trent works, lives, and where you think I can find him. What he’s doing is bullshit.”
Time to stand up to the ass.
Chapter
Seven
TRENT
By now, the little princess has probably received my gift. The gift of being totally fucked.
