ECHOES OF PAST

. The truth is

ce in my head- "Rabbit with donkey brain". The words pl

un come up. The city looked peaceful fr

now what people really thi

the sheets rustle, then his f

ou're up

same smile I'd given him for ten years i

p. I was think

. God, he actua

his arms around my waist and kissed my

wanted to scream. Instead,

good t

s and she melts. Thank God she's not lik

y stomach turn. This is goin

," I say, pulling awa

now that?" He slaps my

. She'll do a

my knuckles went white. Breathe,

ikes them, golden brown with chocolate chips. I even cut up

t of him, he barely l

ks, b

I read

Can't let anyone know I'm undercutting the pri

the spatula

thousand dollars. This was it.

asked innocently, sliding i

ff. Nothing yo

need to know about the business. W

ded. "You work so hard.

up and grins. "Da

through his phone. Every few seconds, a

about the Henderson property. I need to make the docum

t just a cheater.

e says in

gym. The second the door closed,

el

s me. Can

eight in the morni

ed to see you tod

hen, "Come to my pla

die and caught a cab to Le

ging everywhere and art prints covering the

pants and a tank top, her curl

like hell,

ank

and shoved a mug of

Ta

coming back. But I told her about Evan. About

on you?" Lena's

And he's stealing mon

ou know a

I just... I kn

moment. Then she nodded. "Okay

d to know everything about Marcu

The real estate

him?" I

me make some calls." Lena answer

tiny living room.

s fraud, I will ruin him, not

ust the b

inutes later with a not

y cousin says he's been involved in at lea

o close next week, but there's r

aimed. What ki

permits. The whole property mi

y face. "Can your cousin get

brow. "What are yo

sti

me. Then she grins, "I'm in.

thought I might bre

. This is going to

ke it messy

one: get the documents. Step two: figure out how to use t

o back home and play

an sat on the couch watching foo

e wer

r a walk. Nee

's acting weird lately. Hope

nd rested my head on his

he is. My sweet, du

stab him wit

his cheek. "Want m

ke sure they don't forget

urse,

phone and pretended to scroll through the d

r cousin get tho

t me at the coffee sh

rf

t Evan a beer without him even asking

eep her around even after I marry E

od wen

ry

nning to leave me for her. He is jus

. My hands were shaking. I stare at myself in the

weak. Scare

nymore". I

d take a deep breath. When I walk

eet Marcus at some bar downtown. He told me he

rything I say. This is

I grabbed my laptop

ebsite, a LinkedIn,

cars and luxury vacations. Eve

d. One case involved a retired couple who lost th

iness that got evicted becau

dator. And Evan wa

of evidence I could find. Then I created a folde

elt

d through the door drunk. He

he slurred.

kiss me. I dodged and helpe

et you so

ket in case he threw up. Then I sat on t

I read

ng care of me. Emma

hts are i

conversations

ng caught. Exciteme

deal, I'll have enough to propose t

ails into

snoring like a chainsaw. I grabbe

t because it's what the

d the door. Then I pulled out m

's Cri

(Henders

org

cy with Ma

leave me for

t Ste

ents from L

expose him witho

my own

harder so the

for a long time. Then

oy him co

bed. For the first time since I came

t pow

e proof I needed. And tomorrow, Evan Grayson

idn't kno

yes and smile

woke me up. I grabbed it off

wn nu

it. But somethi

el

le

, Deep, Smoot

ve been waiting fo

topped. "W

at you can do. And I

ne wen

. The clock said 3:47am. Evan wa

hell w

d they kno