6. Preston #2
“So then I thought—what does he actually care about? And boom. The motorcycle. So Hayes and I went to their shitty Stantonville college parking lot and stole it. Hayes cried the entire time, insisting it was ‘not a good idea’ and ‘below his pay grade,’ but he’s a Goody Two-shoes, so his opinion is worth approximately nothing. ”
I hold up a finger like I’m presenting a prize on a game show.
“But we got it. Oh, we got it. Right before I came here. Osborn is probably losing his fucking mind as we speak. He spent money and hours custom-building his precious little Frankenbike. Apparently, he works part-time as a mechanic just to get employee discounts and mess with bike parts. Yes, it’s a shit bike, but it’s a one-of-a-kind shit bike.
And now—poof. Gone. Thanks to my genius. ”
I laugh, feeling somewhat lighter now that I got back at the prick.
Forget about women. He loves that bike more than women, and if it’s gone, he’ll be hurt the worst.
“What happens now?” Dr. Duret asks in her usual monotone voice. So much for celebrating my wins, I guess.
“He’ll come crawling to me and beg, the way he was supposed to from the start instead of picking ‘antagonize Preston.’ Bold choice. Wrong one, but bold.”
“Why do you believe you went through all this trouble just to have him come find you…hold on. Let me word that differently.” She sits taller. “If you feel so uncomfortable around Osborn, why do you want him to come find you?”
“To make him beg me so I’ll give him his bike back. I just said that. Focus, Dr. Duret.”
“Do you want to feel a sense of power over him?”
“Yeah, that.” I snap my fingers in her direction. “No one offends me and gets away with it.”
“Do you believe you’re making it too personal?”
“He’s the one who did that when he targeted me in the game. Whose side are you on anyway? You’re my doctor, not his. Believe me, he can’t afford you, so don’t go biting the hand that feeds you.”
My phone vibrates, and I pull it out as I stand up, a grin curving my lips. “Hold that thought. Good talk, Dr. Duret. You tell my dad or Julian any of this, and I’ll strangle you with your precious plants. Compris?”
She doesn’t recoil. Just keeps staring at me with her usual expression. Guess I’ve been threatening her with murder for so long, she doesn’t take me seriously anymore.
I walk out of her house, staring at the screen.
So right after I stole Osborn’s bike, I had to tell him. Otherwise, how would he know it was me and not some other thief?
Hayes worked his magic and got me his number, so I texted him earlier.
Me
If you apologize, I might give your bike back.
I attached a picture of his bike parked in a warehouse.
He just got back to me, while I was gossiping about him in Dr. Duret’s living room.
Speak of the devil, am I right?
Osborn
If you want my attention, all you have to do is ask.
I don’t want your meaningless attention. I’m telling you that I’ll be holding your bike hostage until you apologize.
Apologize for…?
Everything.
How about you apologize for stealing my ride?
Nah. You, however, need to do something to get your mode of transportation back.
I like being threatened.
You won’t like it when your ride magically disappears.
What if you magically appear in front of me instead?
Charming. Is that how you get people to fall on their knees for you?
Sometimes. Is it working?
No. Try harder.
Noted, baby.
Why the fuck are you calling me that?
Calling you what?
“Baby.”
Because.
That’s not a reason.
Wasn’t offering one.
You’re the definition of a migraine.
Does that mean I’m living rent-free in your head?
You wish. Are you going to apologize?
Let me think about it. In return, I’ll give you a gift.
Sounds cheap. No, thanks.
Careful, Armstrong. I’m finding you extremely amusing.
Everyone does.
Everyone isn’t me.
I don’t see the difference.
The difference is that it’s not good for you if I keep finding you amusing.
Fuck Osborn with a broken hockey stick dipped in glitter.
Amen.
It doesn’t matter that he didn’t get back to me for three days straight. Because I’m having fun tonight!
And by fun, I mean that I’m going on a hunt.
Technically, it’s Jude’s hunt. Some people stood by and watched in a public square as his mom was stabbed to death over twenty times. Nasty business, I know.
And Jude is on a revenge mission since he also has mommy issues—we bonded over that, isn’t it poetic? Spoiler alert, Dr. Duret says it’s not.
His form of revenge gets my heartfelt stamp of approval.
Because here’s the thing, the cameras for that incident were wiped clean by Julian—starting to see the pattern with that control freak?
He probably did that because he didn’t want Jude to be distracted by what he believes is “meaningless” revenge.
However, Kane managed to access one of the camera’s recordings before it got deleted. In true nerdy Kane fashion—also spelled overachiever, if you wish—he made a list of the people who were there.
Every so often, he gives Jude a file, and the big man starts by stalking them, making their lives hell, manipulating them to kingdom come. Then, at the final stage, he kidnaps and releases them into the forest, hunts them down, and kills them.
It’s the most satisfying shit ever, if you ask me.
Mostly because I always get to participate, and if I’m fast enough, I even manage to kill some of the suckers.
Today, unusually, Kane joined, probably chasing some demons so he won’t think about Dorothy—his sort-of girlfriend, whom I still don’t approve of, FYI.
Can’t trust anyone who dated that sucker Osborn—even if it was only for a couple of weeks.
Anyway, Jude and I are suited up in full black—gloves, shiny knives, the whole homicidal starter pack. Big man even put on a raincoat so he “doesn’t get too drenched in blood.”
Boo. That’s literally the best part.