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“Thanks for the backup, motherfucker.” Morgan flips her middle finger at me.
“I have proof.” Ryder speaks up for the first time. And at those words, all attention is on him.
“What proof?” Morgan asks him with a panic in her voice I can’t ever recall hearing.
Ryder keeps his head down as he says, “I kept a copy of the footage he recorded. Just in case we got turned in. I wanted to have proof of what Lenny had done. Or had planned to do to my sister.” Ryder finally looks up at Topher. “You know him well enough. Does it really sound all that out of character for him?”
Topher just shakes his head and steps towards Ava. “Why didn’t you tell me? I told you I’d be here no matter what. And you couldn’t even trust me enough to tell the truth.”
“I couldn’t,” Ava sobs.
“This still doesn’t solve the problem,” Morgan announces. “Someone besides us knows. Why else would they message the gullible one over there?”
Topher shifts uncomfortably, a nervous glimpse to me. And I realize why. “You know who it is.”
He nods. And I’m not sure if I’m relieved or more concerned.
“Who is the fucker?” Morgan asks.
“You have to understand. With everything going on with my dad… Him losing everything. My entire life being flipped upside down. All of you lying to me constantly… I didn’t know who I could trust.”
“Your dad losing the money isn’t a secret, Topher. Saint Juliet isn’t all that big of a place, and your dad’s secretary’s kid attends too. The kid hates you, by the way. He said your dad fucked his mom and split his parents up.”
“Yeah. That’s true,” Topher confirms.
“I know. And I know what’s going on around me, remember,” Morgan tells Topher like it’s a conversation they’ve already had. “So, I know you need money. I knew something was up when you started caring so much about the damn game and being such a great student. Why didn’t you just say something?”
“I was embarrassed,” Topher admits.
“Yeah. Because we have so much control over our ignorant parents,” Morgan mocks, looking over to Ava. Whatever they have planned is obviously still going on.
“Okay. But I need to know you’re going to keep your mouth shut,” Ryder states. “Because everyone in this room has a lot more than money to lose if this gets out.”
“Oh, Topher knows the cost of secrets. He has a few of his own.” Morgan laughs, focusing back on him. “But just to make it worth your trouble, and since you need the money, I’ll pay you. Double our last agreement.” She winks at him.
Whatever the fuck that means.
“You’re going to pay me two million dollars to keep the secret that I’m clearly already going to keep to myself?” He motions to Ava. Of course he wants to protect her. I can relate, buddy.Hopefully your chick isn’t as crazy and self-destructive as mine.
“Yep. You need it more than me.” A serious look moves over Morgan’s face. “You know you could’ve just asked for the money, right? You’re one of the few people I would help out. Because you’re loyal.”
“I couldn’t ask something like that.”
“And for that reason. You figure your own shit out. But rest assured. The money is yours. Just let the shit die down.” Morgan holds her hands to her mouth as she whispers, “No pun intended. Then I’ll transfer the money to you.”
“No. I don’t want it,” Topher says.
They can hash that part out later. I just need his word. “If you want to know anything, ask me. I wasn’t trying to lie about it. I was protecting them. No one is going to lie to you or try to kill you. No one would’ve touched him had he not crossed the line.”
“Still wish I could’ve offed the bastard,” Morgan pouts—literally pouts—as I shake my head, but Topher doesn’t pay much attention to her, his focus turned back to Ava.
But there’s one question he still hasn’t answered. “Who was it, Topher?”
He hesitates for a second, his worried glance lingers on Morgan as he answers, “Me. It was me. I lied about all of it. I was trying to figure out who really knew that Lenny wasn’t coming back.” Topher looks to Ava. “Because I knew he wasn’t.”
“Are you fucking serious right now?” Morgan yells. It’s more of a frustrated yell than a pissed off one, thankfully. I have a feeling that’s only because it’s Topher. “You were lying to me, and now you’re over here acting like everyone is duping you.”
“In my defense, I wasn’t sure if y’all were just liars or killers.”
