I shoot Sofia a grateful look. Because it seems like only she and Connor are on my side right now. It’s comforting to know we’re still a team, I guess. Even though everything that comes with being teammates is about to be read aloud for everyone to hear.
“Open it,” Camille says.
“We already know it’s a fucking notebook,” Connor says.
“There’s a message,” Camille retorts. “And I want to know what it is.”
Hayes says, “Read it out loud, Kiera.”
“Jesus Christ,” I mutter. My fresh hell is just getting started.
The box is shiny and black, wrapped in gold ribbon. And it’s tied in a way so that you can lift off the lid without pulling the bow apart.
Inside, predictably, is a notebook. It’s softcover with a linen spine, filled with handmade papers. One that looks very much like a notebook I’d own. One that looks very much like the notebook I wrote our story in.
Blank, thank God. Because if this was our book I was gonna die. I’m holding out hope that The Dirty Ones that Camille is holding isn’t our story at all. That it’s just some weird coincidence. And this untouched notebook is a much-needed reprieve so I can pull myself together.
The small envelope inside is white and written on it is ‘For Kiera’ in fancy calligraphy.
I pull the card out and read. “‘Time to start a new story.’”
“Great,” Bennett says. “That’s just fucking great.”
“No,” Sofia whispers. “No, I won’t do this again.” She stands up, takes a moment to collect herself by smoothing out a wrinkle in her dress, and heads for the door.
Hayes catches her by the arm before she makes it halfway, pulling her back to her chair. “Sit down, Sofia. No one is walking out yet.”
“I’m not doing this, OK?” She looks around, holding a steady glare as she finds each of our faces. “I won’t do it. So if we all have to go down because of me, that’s how it’s gonna happen. I refuse to do this again.”
“Chill, bitch,” Camille says as she sips her drink with one hand and flaps the book around with the other. “No one is playing games this time around. Whoever did this to us is gonna get their payback. That’s why we’re here, right?”
Is that why we’re here? Is it really?
“We know it’s Emily now,” Connor says. “She’s the one who had the gift delivered.”
“Come on, Connor. Use your brain for once. How the hell would Emily get her hands on a gift like this? Let alone have it delivered?” Hayes asks.
“Her fucking family?” Connor says. “She does have one, you know.”
“They disowned her years ago,” Hayes says. “I’ve kept meticulous records of all her visits and no one has gone to see her in over five years.”
“God, no wonder she’s so crazy,” Sofia mumbles.
We all think about Emily’s past decade for a few moments. And I’m sorry she’s been alone in that place this whole time, but she did shoot me, for fuck’s sake.
I should not have to feel sympathy for the person who put a bullet through my shoulder.
“Let’s just… calm down,” Hayes says. “We have to know what this book is if we want to understand what it means.
“We know what it means,” Camille says. “It’s a fucking threat, that’s what it is. The notebook just proves it.”
“You never answered our question,” Bennett says, looking at me. “What did you do with the book on the last day?”
“I left it in the tower,” I say.
“You just left it there?” Bennett asks.
“I was following instructions, Bennett.” I’m losing patience with him. “They told me—”
“Who told you?”
“The same fucking people who told you to show up when you did, Bennett.”
“And you have no idea who they are?”
“Jesus Christ, Bennett,” Connor says. “Would you stop already?”
“I just want to hear it again. And that question isn’t just for Kiera. I want everyone to tell me if they know anything about who started this bullshit.”
“I have no idea,” I say.
“Me either,” Connor adds.
Sofia and Camille both shake their heads no.
“Hayes?” Bennett asks.
“No. But I have ideas.”
“Who?” Connor asks.
“Dr. Eldridge, for one.”
“The president at Essex?” Camille snorts. “Well, a lot of good that does. He died three years ago. So he’s definitely not responsible for what’s happening now.”
“No,” Hays agrees. “But he could’ve been a part of something bigger.”
“Like… a secret society?” Sofia asks.
“Exactly.”
“This is ridiculous,” Connor says.
“It would be,” Camille says. “If it wasn’t real. But it is, Connor. Bennett and I have talked about it a lot over the years and we think it’s definitely got something to do with the college.”
“And the alumni,” Bennett adds.
For some reason this makes Connor look at me. “What?” I ask.
“Your mother went to Essex?”
“Yeah, so? Everyone in this room comes from an Essex legacy.”
“And your grandmother too?”
“What are you getting at?”
“Did you guys know that Kiera comes from a long line of erotica authors?”