The Consequence of Revenge (Consequence 2)

With a shaking hand, I knocked on the hut door.

It flew open.

Reid stared at me hard, his eyes taking in my dress and then looking behind me. “I knew you’d come.”

“What?”

“I could sense it.”

“Are you high?”

Reid’s eyes narrowed. “No, why?”

“How are you awake?”

“Aw, sweetheart, you rather I be sleeping so you could crawl into bed with me?” He laughed. “I knew it! Screw you, Max! She’s mine!” His gorgeous smile made me want to punch something. “Doesn’t do it for you, does he? I can’t say I’m surprised. I mean, once you go Reid you don’t go Max. That would be like driving a Ford and then ignoring the BMW. It’s just ridiculous, and baby, my ride”—he smirked—“is very, very smooth.”

“Funny,” I said through clenched teeth. “Because I like it rough.”

The smile froze on his face.

And then I jabbed the tranquilizer into his arm.

“What the—damn it,” he shouted, stumbling backward. “I’ve been hit!” His eyes crossed and then he tripped over his suitcase as he went flying onto his bed. “I’ll get you, Max. So sleepy, oh, look, it’s Big Bird.” He started laughing hysterically, tears running down his face, and then the tears turned into a choked sob. “I’m so damn afraid of Jurassic Park.” He shivered. “Hold me, Becca, just this . . . once.” He grabbed the pillow. “Oh, that’s nice, make the T. rex go rawr! Rawr, T. rex, get your bitch.” Cough, cough, cough. “Why don’t you love me?”

“Reid—”

“Sing me a song.”

I looked around the room. Why wasn’t he passing out? Should I just leave him? And where the hell was Max? “Demi Lovato is so damn hot.” He sighed. “Noooooo!” he wailed, punching the pillow with his right hand, then his left hand. “My girl! Jonas Brother suck-ass!” He lifted his leg and kicked, then fell off the other side of the bed.

No noise.

Nothing.

Quietly I got on the bed and peeked over the edge, just in time for Reid to shoot to his feet and make a gun motion with his hand. “Put ’em up!”

I held up my hands. I was going to kill Max.

“I’m a cop!” Reid burst out laughing, his eyes were crazy, wild, unfocused, and then he put the fake gun down and slumped. “I never knew my father.”

“Good Lord,” Max said from behind me. “What did you do?”

“What did I do?” I hissed. “I did what you asked!”

“You broke him?” Max pointed. “Because there was enough tranq in that one shot to make him sleep for at least five hours, and right now it looks like he thinks he’s Jack on the Titanic.

“Don’t let go, Jack, don’t let go!” Reid wailed, holding on to the bedpost.

“Or Rose.” Max nodded. “No shame in wanting to be rescued.”

“Curse you, iceberg!” Reid shook his fist at the sky, and then looked over at me. “Gummy bears kill.”

“Max!” I elbowed him in the ribs. “Make it better.”

“Oh, shit.” Max paled. “Give me the needle.”

I handed it over.

The minute Max read it his eyes widened. He quickly ran into the bathroom and disposed of the evidence.

“Max—”

“He’s high.”

“No shit!” I slapped him across the shoulder. “What did I give him?”

“Er . . .” Max swallowed. “Let’s just say Reid feels nothing.”

“Absolutely,” Reid said slowly, joining in the conversation. “Nothing!” He laughed. “Watch!” And then he punched himself in the jaw.

I winced.

Max laughed.

“Not funny.” I glared. “Fix this.”

“Oh, I’ll fix it, all right.”

Max dug through his black bag and pulled out duct tape and the iPad.

“Wait, what are you doing?”

“I don’t have a drug past,” Max said, ignoring me. “I mean—I experimented, sure, but the thing about being high?” He looked at Reid and smirked. “Let’s just say fears are heightened, joy is heightened, and Reid, well, he’s never going to mess with me again.”

For the next ten minutes I watched as Max adjusted Reid onto one of the chairs, duct-taped him, and then set an iPad in front of him on the desk. I was more confused after he pressed “Play.” It was a home video of a sweet old lady celebrating her birthday. How was that scary?

And then that same sweet old lady winked at the camera and slowly licked off the candles. Only to hand them to the person on her right, who just happened to be a trembling Reid.

“Makes sense now, doesn’t it? All the little pieces of the puzzle coming together.” Max wiped a fake tear and grabbed the Bengay, then started rubbing it on Reid’s chest.

“What are you doing?”

“Feels sooo good.” Reid laughed. “Harder, bitch, harder!”

“I bet he’s so good in bed . . .” Max sighed. “Pity he may lose all ability to perform sexually after this, eh, Becca?” He slapped Reid lightly on the face with the Bengay and sighed. “Our work here is done.”

“Wait, that’s it?”

“Hey, Reid.” Max pointed at the iPad. “Look, a movie!”