This is it. Finally.
I leaned outside of the closet and confirmed the shower was still on, and then returned to the notebooks. There were pages and pages filled with Tyson’s handwriting. I figured he’d been writing something, but had no idea what.
Why would he want to hide that he’s writing?
My nerves frazzled as I opened one of the notebooks.
Here goes nothing.
And then I began to read the first page.
July 4th
I don’t know when the games started.
I just know I can’t stop.
Ashley lets me do anything to her. At this point, I’m wondering if I can break her...
My heart slammed against my chest. My stomach twisted in grief. It was like some big person had punched me in my gut and then slapped me.
My best fucking friend Ashley?
I dropped the notebook. The noise of the shower stopped as he returned to whistling.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
I rushed to pick up the notebook, placed it back in the box, checked to make sure everything looked normal, and closed the closet. I thought about what I’d just read.
“Ashley lets me do anything to her. At this point, I’m wondering if I can break her.”
I had to breathe in and out to stop the dizzying effect. There was no fucking way he was talking about my friend. While I have only known her for a year or so, I never got the feeling that she would be the backstabbing, disrespectful type.
What the hell is going on?
My phone buzzed. I walked over and checked the screen. Logan’s name appeared.
I answered, “Hello.”
Logan’s deep sensual voice rode the line. “Are you dressed?”
I quirked my eyebrows. “What?”
“Are you dressed yet?”
For a minute, I was lost, and then I realized the ninth novel in the Kingmaker series was coming out today.
Logan and I had been waiting for this for months. We talked about it obsessively, reread the series together, and forced our friends to binge-watch the first three TV seasons one weekend. It had been a fabulous three days of food, alcohol, and Kingmaker.
Now, the final book was coming out and there would be crowds of people everywhere trying to grab the book.
Logan’s voice held disappointment. “You’re not dressed?”
“No, I—”
“Really?”
“Logan, it’s. . .” I checked my phone’s time. “It’s freaking six in the morning. Are you serious?”
“The bookstore opens at eight.”
“Which means we have two hours.”
“Two hours to stand in line, if you don’t get dressed.” He chuckled. “I’m outside, by the way.”
He is insane.
This morning was getting crazier and crazier. At least Logan could brighten up my mood.
I shook my head. “You’re outside of my place at six in the morning?”
“Yes.”
“You’re crazy.” I blew out a long breath. “Give me ten minutes.”
“Make it five.”
“If I’m down there in five that means I’m coming to whip your ass.”
He chuckled. “Okay. We’ll make it ten. Oh, and don’t get anything to eat. I have coffee and bagels for you in the car. Your favorite—sesame lathered in cream cheese with a blonde roast large.”
I smiled. “You’re good.”
Logan’s tone turned to wicked. “That’s why you love me, baby.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re also very humble.”
“Of course. There’s no arrogance in these perfect god-like bones.”
I was about to laugh, Tyson walked out of the bathroom in a towel. Water dripped all over his muscles.
That had been another reason why I’d been dragging myself with breaking up. Tyson was not bad to look at. Not at all.
But after reading the notebook, I’d confirmed why I’d been feeling icky around him. He’d been doing something with Ashley.
Unless, this is an old notebook? It could be another Ashley from his past. Please, let it be that.
Tyson raised his eyebrows and whispered, “You okay?”
And on the phone, Logan caught my attention too. “Mia, are you still there?”
Still holding the phone, I nodded at Tyson and gave my back to him as I spoke into the phone, “Yeah, Logan. I’ll be down in ten minutes.”
Behind me, I heard a sound of annoyance come from Tyson.
My boyfriend wasn’t a fan of my friendship with Logan. Thankfully, Tyson never told me to stop being cool with Logan, he just made snide comments and noises of annoyance here and there. Tyson was sure that Logan was using my love of the Kingmaker series to spend time with me. I thought it was absurd. First of all, Logan had no problem with finding women to spend time with. If anything, he needed help keeping all the hordes of women away.
Logan’s sexy voice filled the line. “And Mia?”
“Yes?”
“Wear sneakers,” Logan said.
“Why?”
“Because we may have to leap over kids and knock a few out of the way.”
Even with the fucked-up mood I was in and this new possible discovery of Tyson cheating, I couldn’t help but relish in Logan’s attention. He was the hottest guy I’d known. Women fell over him wherever we went. And he paid them no mind, giving me all his focus when we hung out.