Page 77 of Cruel Abandon (Fallen Royals 5)
Maybe she tucked it away to save me the embarrassment.
We follow her back to the apartment. Whitney is still there, sitting on the couch. She stands when we enter.
“Can I talk to you for a minute?” she asks me.
I nod and follow her into her room. It’s practically bare, the closet empty. Just a few forgotten boxes. We only lived in this apartment for a few months, but we had made it home. I was happy—as happy as I could be, anyway.
But maybe it was a bit stifling for Whitney. No friends ever came over. I doubt she told people who she lived with.
“I’m sorry,” I offer. “For everything.”
She nods, crossing her arms over her stomach. “I considered us friends. But you were a real bitch when Natalie went missing.”
I glance away. That’s not how I see it, but whatever. I’m not going to waste energy on explaining it.
“So I’m just going to repay the favor,” she adds.
“What are you going to do?”
“What did I do, you mean?” She smiles, but it isn’t nice. It isn’t an I’m saving you vibe. It’s an I’m holding your head underwater and enjoying it expression. “You had to have known that video didn’t come from your phone.”
My stomach drops. “What are you talking about?”
“You were a drunk idiot,” she informs me. “And honestly? It was a pity invite.”
I narrow my eyes. “I was only drunk because you gave me a water bottle full of vodka.”
“And Natalie and I certainly enjoyed the mess you made.”
Focus. “So, what? You took the video of Liam and posted it on my account?”
She pretends to focus on her nail. “I didn’t expect it to blow up.”
“But you’ve been nice to me for the past two years.” The anger is slow-building, but my body is heating. I’ve lived with the fact that the video going viral was my fault. I didn’t remember taking it, certainly didn’t remember posting it, but none of that mattered. “Why start any of this?”
Whitney sneers. “It’s how good you were after. You never suspected me, and I’ll admit… that made me feel a bit guilty about it.”
“Not guilty enough to tell me,” I snap.
“No.” She squares her shoulders and meets my glare. “So, this is the last time I hope to see your face. You’re only nice when it counted for you—not when I was suffering.”
“Oh, fuck off.” I yank the door open and point. “And get out.”
If I thought she might take a walk of shame, she doesn’t act like it. She sails past Mom and Liam, several workers, and out of the apartment.
“What was that?” Mom asks. “Are you okay? Your face is red.”
My damn face.
I shake my head. “Fine. She was just saying goodbye.”
And admitting her lying ways. I don’t know how to process it. I endured two years of torture for nothing? Because I was set up? And then I lived with her. She stayed with me because of guilt, and then when her best friend disappeared…
Yeah, fine, I acted like an ass. Normal people move on and forgive each other.
Someone knocks on the front door, and Mom throws up her hands. “How many visitors are you going to get?”
I shrug and open it, half expecting Taryn. Instead, it’s Jeff.