She was a fucking witch.
I didn’t realise I’d wandered into her room until I was standing in the middle of it, my hands shoved deep into my pockets as I took in the space. Small, but not cramped. It suited her—Ainsley was never one for extravagance, not like she had the money. The bed was modest, simple, with a wooden frame that fit snugly in the corner. No ornate headboard or over-the-top furnishings. Just a bed meant for sleeping, for comfort.
And yet, the room was drenched in her presence. Every inch of it. Damn.
I could still smell her—faint traces of perfume hanging in the air, that soft scent that was hers alone. It hit me like a punch to the chest, knocking the breath from my lungs. My gaze fell to the dresser against the wall, the surface cluttered with little things she probably didn’t even notice she left out—hair ties, an old book she hadn’t finished, a few scattered bits of jewellery. And there, right in the middle, lay my locket. She didn’t take it with her, not that I expected her to. Ever since she wore it years ago, I had never looked at it the same again. It was hers. It wasn’t meant to be in my hands. It suited her so perfectly. A part of me wanted her to wear it again, but the other part of me knew what dirty things my head would stir up if I saw it on her. She’d been lucky in high school. But now, I wasn’t so sure.
My eyes drifted towards her closet, and before I could stop myself, I opened it. As expected—trousers. Row after row of them, neatly hung up. Nothing that screamed femininity, even if her body was an absolute killer.
I knew when she bought the pair on the right—she’d been at some shop across town, a little corner boutique. I’d seen her hesitate before picking it up, running her fingers along the fabric before heading to the counter.
Stepping back, the locket still in my hand, I leaned against the dresser. She had started suspecting how closely I’d been watching. How I’d seen it all—every move, every choice, every moment she thought she was alone.
My phone rang in my pocket. It was Blake.
“Hi.” He attempted to sound lively, thought twice about it and cleared his throat. “Did as you told me. But Ainsley said she can’t make it.”
Like I didn’t know. I released a deep breath and sat on her bed. “Persuade her.”
“But—”
“If she isn’t going to be there, there’s no point holding the damn get-together. And if there’s no get-together, you know there’s no life for you.”
“I-I-she...I’ll try to convince her. I’m sorry.”
I disconnected the line and held up the locket, opening it. I’d had this image of her for so long and I thought putting it in the locket was fitting. I had no clue why I held onto it.
Blake Everett didn’t really have any choice. When I sent him the video of him fucking his step mother, he was at my feet in a heartbeat. He came here last week because of me. He knew he was in deep shit if I sent it to his father. He’d lose his assets and his trust. And he’d be in deeper shit if I posted it online.
I had to use him in particular for this party because of his influence, and I couldn’t wait to see the look on Ainsley’s face by the end of the week.
Dropping the locket, I stepped out of her room.
10
AINSLEY
The air had that sharp bite to it, the kind that clung to your skin and made you wish you’d worn something warmer. October was always like this—cold, but not freezing, just enough to remind you that winter was on its way. The rain had stopped not too long ago, leaving the streets wet and slick, the puddles reflecting the dull grey sky above. I could feel the chill creep up through the soles of my boots as I walked, the plastic bags in my hands rustling with each step.
Halloween was still weeks away, but people were already getting into the spirit. I passed houses with pumpkins on the porch, some carved, some just sitting there, waiting for their turn under the knife. Fake cobwebs hung from fences, and I even spotted a skeleton sitting on a lawn chair in someone’s yard, like he was just enjoying the brisk October air. The decorations were premature, but they already gave the neighbourhood a bit of that eerie, festive atmosphere.
I pulled my jacket tighter around myself, my breath misting in the cold air as I made my way back to Vin’s. The trees lining the street were starting to turn, their leaves more yellow than green, but most were still clinging to the branches. It wouldn’t be long before they all fell, littering the ground in a sea of gold and brown. There was something about October that always felt like the calm before the storm—quiet, but full of anticipation.
It was nice.
“Hey, Ainz!” A boy ran past me, his loud voice echoing round the blocks. I smiled and waved when he looked back briefly.I was quite often at his grandpa’s house, and he helped out sometimes.
“Careful, Cal,” I shouted after him when he tripped and almost fell. He waved without glancing back.
My phone buzzed, drawing my focus from the running boy. I unlocked it to find a message from Blake. The last message was the get-together location, he’d shared it four days ago, along with a pleading emoji to be present.
The new message read:
Blake:The party is tomorrow. Sure you still can’t make it?
Why was he so hell bent on making me come? I wasn’t even a popular freak in high school.
Me:Sorry. Got business to take care of.
