Page 11 of Villainous Summer

“That couldn’t possibly be . . .”

“Cory Otis Thompson, birthday June seventeenth,” she muttered. “Of course he’s a Gemini.”

“What does that—”

“Born in Redmond. Parents Don and Sheila. Mother’s maiden name Maguire. Went to Gonzaga for two years but didn’t graduate, favorite color blue, favorite food . . .”

“Okay, I get it. Stop.” I huffed. “God, you’re scary sometimes.”

“Only when you’re hurt.”

“I’m not hurt. I’m annoyed. There’s a difference.”

“Annoyed?” Behind me, Autumn raised a brow. “Should I call the police now or wait until you’ve cut his brakes?”

Pulling the cap off my head, I scraped a chunk of blue bleach off my hair to see how light it was. “I won’t murder the guy.”

Arms crossed against her chest, she frowned. “But you’re not going to leave him alone.”

“He’ll get what he deserves.” I pulled the cap off and unwound my hair.

The roots were lighter than the bottom, but that was okay. A good purple toner would take away the brassiness.

“Nothing illegal. I don’t make enough at the Marine Science Center to bail you out.”

“Me neither,” Devin chimed.

Although that wasn’t the case. Out of all of us, Devin was, by far, the most successful.

I widened my eyes in mock outrage. “I would never.”

“Promise me no laws will be broken. Pinky swear,” Autumn said.

I hooked my pinky with hers, and on the screen, Devin held hers to the camera.

“Fine. No laws will be broken.”

Autumn smiled. “Good, I’m glad you’ll do the right thing.”

Shooing her out of the bathroom with my phone, I gave her a last coy look. “By whose definition? Just because something is legal doesn’t mean it’s right. And I plan on being all sorts of wrong.”

As I shut the door, she grumbled on the other side.

The shower on their morality speech faded. It had been a while since I had put any effort into my own brand of justice.

Cory thought he could use me to cheat and that I’d be okay with it? That he could come into my place of business and proposition me feet away from his fiancée?

It took one month for me to lose my shit again. Truly, was it right to say it was my fault? A woman can only handle so much humiliation before she is forced to act.

I would stay away from Cory, sure. But not before I let him regret that day he sat beside me at the bar.

All my life, I’ve fought the fury inside me. I tried to be calm, tried to be cool. But I was livid.

I’d show them just how villainous I could be.

Summer

When I sat at the two-top at The Cabin, I expected nothing different other than being there for their sweet potato fries on the happy-hour menu.

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