Page 23 of The Unravelings

“Fuck,” he shouts, tossing up his arms.

The people of the diner stare at us with wide eyes at Jordy’s outburst, recoiling.

“Jordy,” I murmur, putting a hand on his arm. “You’re drawing attention to yourself.”

“My keys and phone are gone,” he hisses, pulling out his empty pockets. “That…” His eyes dart around the restaurant several times. “It was her,” he hisses again.

“Who?” I ask, looking in the direction of the counter.

“That fucking thief!” he growls, marching out the front door.

Fuck.

I quickly pay at the register and book it to the parking lot behind the building.

Jordy hangs his head, pulling at his hair with a groan.

“Jordy?” I ask cautiously, approaching him and laying a hand on his shoulder.

“I’m so fucked, Liv. So, utterly fucked. My SUV,” he frantically gestures to the empty parking spot with what looks like a blonde wig clutched in his hand. “My phone. My laptop. My evidence. It’s all gone. I had her!” he shouts the last part.

“Who?”

“The waitress,” he groans. “It was her! Look! She left her wig! And…and…” He violently shakes the blonde wig several times in my direction.

“And what?”

He pulls away from me and whirls to face me.

“The waitress is the thief I’ve been searching for. I knew she was on the move! And…and… God, I’m an idiot,” he groans, tossing his head back. “She’s the reason I ate bacon this morning,” he whispered. “She probably knew who I was and seduced me for information.”

“Her?” I sputter. “You…you fucked your mark? You screwed her and didn’t fucking recognize her?” He is so damn fucked in every which way. This is against every ounce of protocol. We don’t get into bed with our marks. Ever. It only complicates things and dilutes the mission.

“She looked different in the light and this!” He shakes the wig a few more times until a small note falls out and lands on the ground between us.

“She left you a note.” I tilt my head when Jordy swiftly picks it up and unwraps it as I move to look over his shoulder.

Sorry about your car and your case. But thanks for the heads-up. I better get a move on. Can’t have you catching me.

Also, you were average dick. Like, really, really subpar.

-Z

“Jonathan is going to murder me! And now, he’ll have no choice but to send the wonder fucking twins to assist me. Pains in my ass.”

6

Olivia

After a grueling twenty-minute walk from the diner to the hardware store and back to campus, Jordy frowns as he plops on my bed. He’s silently stewing in his rage and embarrassment. He hasn’t shut up about his dick the entire trip here.

“Average dick?” he grumbles, holding the note and reading it for the millionth time. “Average?” he cries out, falling back onto the bed. “Subpar? This is ridiculous. A fallacy.” He dramatically covers his eyes with his hand. “My dick is the king.”

I roll my eyes as I finish installing a fancy new lock on my door with a deadbolt. No one is going to get into my room now. I’ll have a little privacy here. No binder? No fucking problem, because Simon and Wade won’t be able to get through. If Dane, my poor, dead roommate, were still here, then I’m sure he’d have something snide to say. But he can’t, because he’s gone.

Another mystery to unravel here. Poor Dane. He may have been a dick, but he didn’t deserve to die. Not like that. Alone in the woods, reaching toward someone, taking his picture over and over while he probably begged for help. Shit. I need to send that to Carter to see if he can track down whoever posted them on the SlamApp.

I would have asked earlier, but I was more in freak-out mode than in “ask Carter to track something” mode. Besides, he was doing gross, sexy things to Kaycee, and I don’t want to be involved in that at all. In fact, I think I need to bleach my brain.