Page 89 of The Boyfriend Experience

He’s home! I text him again. Asking if he got my message. Which I know he did, because it was delivered.

I chew my thumbnail as I wait for the comment bubbles…

Nothing.

What’s happening right now? Are fears two and four justified?

I know I shouldn’t call, but I can’t stop myself. I press the green button on my phone and it starts ringing. And just when I think it’s gonna go to voicemail, he picks up.

“Hey,” he says, his greeting short and sharp.

“Heeeey,” I say back, my greeting soft and long. “So… what happened?”

“I should be asking you that, Oaklee.”

“What do you mean?”

“What did I tell you about Vivi’s stupid plan last night? I mean, Jesus Christ. What the fuck were you two thinking?”

“I needed proof, Lawton. And I got it. She has all my father’s recipes on her computer!”

“You broke into her computer?” He sighs. And it’s clearly an exasperated sigh.

“I didn’t. I don’t know how to do that shit. Vivi did.”

“Vivi did,” he says. “So she’s a hacker, she’s a tattoo artist. Any other special skills I should know about Vivi Vaughn, Oaklee?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. Hanna told me all about her family.”

“Hanna told you,” I scoff. “What exactly did she say?”

“That she comes from dangerous people, that’s what she said.”

“Well…”

“I looked her up, so don’t bother. Everything Hanna said seems to be true. Her cousin is some infamous rapist—”

“Bullshit!” I yell. “He is not! That’s all bullshit!”

“Her uncle killed a guy back in the day. And pretty much every newspaper in Colorado—not to mention several national and international publications as well—has done extensive exposés on the crime syndicate she’s connected to.”

“Crime syndicate?” I laugh. “Come on. And you believe her?”

“All I know is that you and Vivi broke into Hanna’s apartment—while I was there—and… and… what the fuck, Oaklee?”

“Calm down,” I say. But I have a very sick feeling in my stomach. “What exactly did she say tonight? Because you didn’t answer my texts and now you’re angry with me.”

“Damn fucking right I’m angry.”

“I saw the proof, Lawton. She has stolen everything from me! And she’s gonna continue to take, and take, and take until I have nothing left.”

“You know”—he sighs again—“she told me quite a story tonight.”

“What story?”

“A bunch of shit you left out.”