Page 26 of Revenge Cake

“Do you remember that first night you met him? Remember how he and Armaan were going back and forth shit-talking Logan’s ex for being crazy and then Logan basically admitted he was going after her best friend behind her back?”

That wasn’t exactly what Logan had said, but I appreciated that Brenna was riled up in true girl-code fashion. I do remember doubting his innocence even back then. I almost want to laugh at how history has repeated itself. This is the nature of relationship amnesia, and Logan isn’t even to blame. He can’t help repeating his mistakes over and over again, but I knew better. I shouldn’t have let him wear down my guard when I knew it would all eventually lead to this.

“He’s such a fuckboy!” Brenna shouts.

I snort. “He should have kept it written on his car.”

Brenna’s eyes fill with laughter. “I forgot about that!” She bursts into a cackle. “Oh man! Logan’s ex, whoever you are, you’re my hero!”

“Brittani, remember? Brittani with an ‘i.’ We had it written on her Closure Cake. I felt a kinship with her even then. I could feel what it would be like to lose his adoration and become the ‘crazy ex-girlfriend.’” I smile weakly. “Now I’m living it.”

My eyes fixed on the wooden table, I see Brenna’s hand slip into view as she wraps it around mine. “Honey,” she says, delivering a tight squeeze.

I allow myself the comfort for a moment before pulling my hand away. I shake my head. “None of this. I’m sick of being sad. Let’s plan my revenge.”

Joyful wrath flashes across her face. “Yes!” she says through clenched teeth. “My mouth is literally watering thinking of making him cry.”

A giggle bursts from my chest, even as I inwardly cringe at her words. I haven’t quite reconciled myself to the last item on my list. It still feels a little cruel, even after rehashing his wrongs against me.

Maybe it’s because I know deep down that I wronged him too.

“For starters,” I say, stifling the rising panic at what I’m about to say, “we need to recruit his greatest weakness. Or rather…his greatest weakness where I’m concerned.”

I suppress the rise of awful memories threatening to choke my throat. What I’m about to ask of Brenna is a low—very low—move. Underhanded and dirty. Logan hates her older brother probably even more than he loves me.

If he still even loves me at all.

At her intrigued stare, I tell her, “We need to recruit Dean.”

Her eyes open wide. “Yes! Make him think you’re fucking Dean. He’ll go out of his mind!”

“No. Not that far.” Even in my rage, I could never hurt him that much. “It’s important to me that he never thinks I crossed that line, but I want him to think I’m considering it. It’s the only thing he would care enough about to break his rule and reach out to me during our break. He may not want me anymore, but he definitely doesn’t want Dean to have me.”

When Brenna starts flapping her hands excitedly, a small laugh escapes my throat. “Dean said just the other day that he’s been wanting to visit Santa Barbara before we graduate. I’ll see if he can come next weekend, even.”

“Okay, but we have to find a way to get him to do what we need without telling him anything. I don’t want him blabbing to Logan that I have a revenge plan.”

That would mean the end of everything.

She rolls her eyes. “And he definitely would too. He’s such a dumbass, which thankfully makes him really easy to manipulate. Leave it to me, girl! I have at least seven years under my belt of getting him to hook me up with booze. I’ll come up with a plan. It helps that he lo-o-oves you.” She winks at me.

“Right, which means we have to make sure he doesn’t get any ideas. I don’t want to lead him on…”

Brenna waves a dismissive hand. “Oh, he already knows you’re way out of his league.”

Biting my bottom lip, I nod slowly, surprised that I’m feeling so exhilarated over such a low, dirty move. I must be a sadist. When my eyes meet Brenna’s, I say, “Let’s do it.”

CHAPTER 10

Past—The Compromise

Leilani

I loathe social obligations in general, but there is nothing I loathe more than the social obligation of meeting my boyfriend’s parents.

Even when he’s not technically my boyfriend.

I don’t know what tonight entails, but since both John and Helen Henderson added me on Facebook this morning, I don’t expect it to be pleasant. I expect a lot of questions. A lot of focus on me and my relationship with Logan.

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