Chapter 29
“DON’T GO ANYWHERE. She’ll go away,” Cole whispered into my ear, and I didn’t think he wanted to let me go.
“I don’t think she will,” I said right before Elizabeth started banging on the door.
Hopping to my feet, I headed for the window.
After I hauled myself out, I carefully moved over the roof so I could find a good hiding spot.
Hopefully, Elizabeth wasn’t going to take a look through the window, but if she did, maybe I could kick her in the face.
“Hey,” Elizabeth said, and I assumed Cole had let her into the room. “What are you doing here all on your own?”
Bright light was coming through the window.
Cole must’ve switched on the lights.
“It’s my room,” he said.
“Well yeah, but that doesn’t mean you have to be alone.”
“Maybe I want to be alone.”
I couldn’t help myself, so I took a peek through the window.
Elizabeth had placed her hand on Cole’s chest and was trailing her fingers down.
Hands off my boyfriend, you stupid bitch!
“Stop it.” Cole caught her wrist and shoved her away from him.
“I’m your girlfriend. It hurts me when you act like this. Don’t you remember all those times when we came here to your room and just lay on the bed for hours? We were talking about everything.”
Whoa, now she was going to lie about that too?
Incredible.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t recall any of that,” Cole said. “And I’m tired. You should leave.”
“How about we create some new memories, huh? You could get to know me.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Maybe some other time.”
“All right. If that’s what you want. But I miss you.”
When I heard the door open and close, I took another peek inside.
Cole had just locked the door and he was looking at me.
I hopped back inside with a groan.
“She’s crazy,” I said.
“And annoying.”
“I know.”
We took a seat on the bed, and Cole wound his arm around me.
“Do you really have to go?” he asked.
“Yeah, I do. I can’t risk someone catching me here.”
“Ah, fuck them. I’m tired of my plan.”
“Nuh-uh. We said you’d keep trying to find out who’s really behind this.” I tapped my finger against his nose.
“I know, but it’s fucking frustrating.”
“If you think tying Elizabeth up and torturing her is going to work better, then I might be willing to give it a try.” I grinned.
He let out a laugh. “That’s our plan B. We don’t want her to lie.”
“Yeah, I guess. But now that I think about everything, maybe Elizabeth was the one who tried to kill me that night and she’s been here for a while. She could’ve been watching us and we didn’t even know. I mean, your mother couldn’t have come here, right? Your father would’ve found her.”
“It’s possible.”
“But what was her plan then? She couldn’t have known what would happen between your father and you.”
“I don’t know.”
“If she was trying to get rid of me, then maybe she intended to go after you next. Maybe to replace me or something. And once you fell for her, she could do whatever she was supposed to do. She didn’t know what you were planning, but maybe it didn’t even matter to her since she was confident that she’d succeed. Of course, as long as you were alive.”
“But my father would’ve never agreed for me to marry her, unless he thought it was in our family’s best interest. But if it was, then she would’ve gone straight to him, or at least her family would.”
“So it’s not in your best interest, whatever it is.”
“I think we can be sure that it’s not,” he said. “Or she wouldn’t be playing me like this. But what about my mother? How does she fit into this scheme? I guess she really hates me that much.”
“Cole.” I placed my hand on his cheek. “She’s crazy. They both are. They’re here for their own selfish reasons, and I don’t think they’re capable of actually loving someone. Don’t you dare think that it’s because of you.”
He gave me a small nod.
I pressed my lips against his.
“I need to go,” I said.
When I tried to pull away from him, his fingers intertwined with mine, and for a few long moments, he didn’t want to let go of me.
Once he did, it took all of my willpower to walk over to the window and get out of there.
