Chapter 16
CHAPTER 16
CHRIS
Someone was screaming in his face.
Yelling at him. Crying about something.
Chris struggled to open his eyes, telling himself he was dreaming, and to go back to sleep. The screaming and yelling was just a dream. A nightmare, like what his life had become. Probably a manifestation of his worries and fears about the law firm. And Phil. Those notes. Who had sent them? Chris had no idea. Maybe Grace? But why would she do that? Maybe to get back at Alex?
Grace hated Alex.
She’d hated him since that night at Phil’s party, fifteen years ago. The truth was, Grace had never really liked Alex. After Chris had introduced them, Grace had privately expressed her dislike, which had grown exponentially until the night of the party, when Alex’s actions had justified Grace’s animosity.
Since that time, Grace had warned Chris to be wary of Alex. “You’re going to end up in prison or dead hanging around him,” she’d once told him. Chris thought she was being dramatic. Sure, Alex could be self-centered, manipulative, and cruel, but Chris couldn’t fault him. Refused to fault him. Alex had taken Chris under his wing when he’d been branded an outcast at WBU and couldn’t buy a friend even if he had the money to afford one which he didn’t. Chris would never forget that Alex had befriended him, at the peril of his own fragile social connections at the school.
Beyond that, Alex was the kind of guy Chris wanted to be, but never would.
Because of that, Chris would remain loyal.
Even if it meant?—
“Chris! Wake up!”
Something clamped down on his shoulders, compelling him to twist away as his eyes fluttered, then shut again. He was so damn tired. He just needed a few more minutes of rest, and then he would get up and?—
Something slammed against his cheek, hard and harsh, forcing him awake.
Scrambling to a sitting position, confused, his face stinging, Chris blinked, staring at Grace who glared at him, her face twisted with anguish and fear, eyes wide and red, filled with tears.
“What is it?” Chris whispered, his heart slamming .
“You have to come with me …” Grace sputtered, barely able to get the words out. “Please … you have to?—”
“Grace, what is it?” Chris demanded, pushing the bed sheets away, jumping out of bed. “What happened? Why are you crying? What’s wrong?”
“Please …” Grace sobbed, trying to catch her breath. “Please … you have to come with me …”
“Why?” Chris asked, trembling, fear threatening to overtake him. “What is going on?”
Staring at him, her expression haunted, Grace said, “He’s … dead …”