*Shelby*I shook violently as I scrambled to look over the side of the boat, only to see the water gurgling in the place where Blaine and Michael had fallen in.“MICHAEL!” I screamed, still trying to loosen the ropes tying my hands together. The desperation with which I twisted and pulled worked, and I managed to set them free. I quickly untied my legs and was about to jump in the water when I heard splashes and froze. If that was Blaine…In a split second, I saw that it was Michael’s arm that appeared on the side of the boat, holding on to the metal rail. “Michael!” I screamed again, reaching out to him. Pulling at his soaking shirt, I helped him up, and he collapsed on the boat. Pinkish stains covered his formerly white shirt, and I patted him frantically as he coughed and spit water.“Did he shoot you!? Are you alright?!” I cried out, mumbling more questions until he finally shook his head.He took several deep breaths as he struggled to si
*Shelby*Officer Walker drove us back to the house, which was also surrounded by police cars. As soon as we stopped at the entrance, Lin and Aubrey ran out, still in the clothes they had been wearing to the party.“Shelby!” Aubrey cried out, running up to the car and grabbing me the second I opened the door. I was so happy to see them, and it wasn’t until they were all over me that it seemed like an enormous weight had been lifted from my shoulders. She and Shelby hugged me, and we became a tangled mass of arms and hair, bawling our eyes out. When we’d calmed down a bit, they started firing a barrage of questions at me. “We went looking for you…”“And no one could find Michael…”“Then the police came!”“What happened?”Jerrick stepped between us and gave me a one-armed hug. “We’re all so grateful you’re okay,” he said. “But Shelby needs to go change. We should let her breathe a little.”Michael joined us too, and together all of us w
*Michael*When we landed in New York, we were greeted by a police car waiting for us right outside. Shelby wasn’t too happy about it, but I had to reassure her that their interest in me was more of a formality than anything else.With the details provided by the police in the Bahamas, they had finally been able to locate Blaine’s apartment. “We’d like you to come see it before we gather everything to take in as evidence,” the police officer said. “You can follow us in your car. It won’t take long.”“This would’ve been much more useful BEFORE Blaine killed someone and managed to leave the country,” I said, a little too harshly. It wasn’t this specific man’s fault, but one of the reasons Blaine had been able to go on for so long was because the police and the FBI had done a terrible job of cooperating with each other. “We know, sir. We did everything we could, but unfortunately, it was too late.”“Do you want me to come with you?” Shelby asked me, he
*Shelby*“We have more news this morning about the accidental drowning that happened just off the coast of the Bahamas this weekend. It turns out there may have been more nefarious intentions of the drowning victim than what we were first told. “The deceased man, thirty-five-year-old Blaine Blake, was currently being investigated for blackmail and first-degree murder committed earlier this spring. The two others on the boat at the time were the deceased’s half-brother, Michael Astor, and his Mr. Astor’s fiancee, who still remains unnamed. According to police reports, both Mr. Astor and his fiancee were being blackmailed by Blake,” the news anchor reported.I pulled the pillow closer to my chest, wrapping it in a bear hug as if it could protect me from the media storm that was brewing.“It has been suggested that Blaine Blake was actually attempting to kidnap Mr. Astor and his fiancee in an attempt to inherit Mr. Astors multibillion-dollar estate. A fight appears to
*Shelby**Two Weeks Later*The doorbell echoed down the foyer of the townhouse, pulling me from the world that had enveloped me as I read. I set the book down on the couch cushion next to me and padded to the foyer, my fuzzy socks sliding slightly on the wood floor. “Hello, ma’am. That will be fifty-six dollars,” the pizza delivery boy said.I reached for my wallet, sitting on the entryway table, and pulled out the cash.“Thank you so much,” I said, handing the boy the money and awkwardly shuffling the boxes into my arms.“No, thank you!” he said, pocketing his tip with a smile.I closed the door behind me, clicking the lock back into place. “Michael, pizza’s here!” I called down the hallway on my way to the kitchen. “Come on. It’s Friday night. Time to take a break from work.”Michael had been swamped with work ever since we returned from the Bahamas. At least, that’s what he told me. Part of me suspected he was purposely burying himself
*Michael*“Michael? What are you doing here?” Marmie said.I was standing outside the door to her penthouse apartment in New York City. I had my security team watching her place to let me know as soon as she was back from London. Marmie was standing in front of me in an obnoxious pink wrap decorated with feathers around the cuffs and hem.“We need to talk about Lauren,” I said, hoping this statement would get me in the door without too many other questions.I was determined to let Marmie know that I knew all about her and Lauren’s involvement in Blaine trying to murder Shelby and me. I didn’t want to start a screaming match in the hall, but I would if I had to. Marmie raised her eyebrows and pulled her wrap tighter around herself, but she stepped back and let me inside. I strolled through the gap and made my way into her sitting room, which was a mess. Discarded clothing hung over the couches, and shopping bags littered every solid surface.“I’m sorry abo
*Shelby*I’d just slid the baking tray, with two salmon filets and vegetables, into the oven when I heard the front door open. It abruptly closed with a shutter that echoed through the house.“Michael?” I called down the hallway.“It’s me, Shelby,” he called back, and my heartbeat slowed at the sound of his voice.“You’re just in time. I just put dinner in the oven, and it should be ready soon,” I said as Michael walked into the kitchen.I looked up to see him wearing a very serious expression on his face. The corners of his mouth were tugged down in concern, and there was a strange expression in his eyes—a mix of sadness and anger.“What’s wrong? Did something happen?” I asked, my heartbeat speeding up again. “Is Bruce okay? Lucille?”“Everyone’s fine. I just had a very unpleasant conversation is all,” Michael said, sliding onto one of the barstools.“With who?” I asked, picking up and folding a dish towel with nervous anticipation.“I went
*Shelby**One Month Later*“I can’t believe it’s the end of the summer already,” Lin said with a sigh.I pushed open the door to the salon and was instantly enveloped with the smell of cucumbers and ocean salt.“I know. It seems like it went so fast, but I’m so glad we get to spend more time together before you have to go back to Cambridge,” I said.“Damn, this place is so posh,” Lin said rather loudly.I chuckled, “Shush, Lin. Just pretend that we come to places like this all the time.”“Oh, right,” she responded, a small smirk on her lips.We walked up to the front desk where a woman with purple hair greeted us. Once she found our appointments, she took us back to a private room to get our pedicures. The lights were dimmed and soft piano music played from an indistinguishable place in the room. She handed us each a glass of champagne before leaving us to wait for the nail artists.“So what are we having done today?” Lin asked me as we slip