Page 98 of Adoring Delaney

“No.”

Belatedly, warning bells started ringing—as a matter of fact they were blaring. Natalie looked different. Crazy different. Like maybe she hadn’t showered, brushed her hair, and was off her meds, crazy.

“Sorry to be so rude.” I tried to smile. “You startled me and I banged my elbow. You know how much that hurts.”

“Wanna go to lunch?” Natalie asked.

What the hell? Was she serious?

“Can we do it tomorrow? I have plans with my sister and I’ve already rescheduled twice,” I lied.

“It’s rude to reschedule,” she snapped.

“Hey, Laney,” Quinn said from my parents’ porch.

Shit, fuck, goddamn. She needed to get back into the house.

“Hey, do me a favor, yeah?”

“Sure.”

“Call Carter and tell him I’m gonna be home late tonight.”

Confusion was clear on my sister’s face.

“Oh-kay.”

That’s when it happened. And it happened so fast, in the blink of an eye, I couldn’t stop it.

Natalie pointed a gun at Quinn and without hesitation she fired three shots. My hands went to my ringing ears and I watched in horror as wood splintered from bullets hitting the porch balustrade and the front window shattered. Quinn turned and thankfully disappeared into the house.

“Get in,” Natalie demanded and shoved me across the driver’s seat into the passenger side. “Try and get out and run, I’ll shoot you, then your sister.”

I had no doubt she would. Carter was right. Natalie was fucking nuts.

“It’s showtime, Delaney.” She laughed and started the car. “Finally showtime.”

How had today started with me being the happiest I’d ever been in my life, to this?

“Please don’t do this, Natalie,” I begged.

“Do what? You have no idea what I’m going to do.” She pulled away from the curb.

The happiness in her voice scared the shit out of me. She was giddy with it.

“Please, whatever it is, don’t do it. I have no idea why you’d want to hurt me but—”

“Of course you wouldn’t because you’re a self-absorbed bitch who ruins people’s lives and doesn’t care. You just do whatever you want and when people die you go on with your life like nothing happened. Like it isn’t your fault.”

What the hell was she talking about? I’d never killed anyone.

“I think you have me mixed up with someone else,” I whispered.

“Delaney Lillian Walker. Twenty-five. Graduated from Berry College. Teacher at Parkside. One older brother Jason married to Mercy. Three younger sisters. Youngest two are twins. Your parents are Jasper and Emily Walker. Your boyfriend is Carter McGrath Lenox. His parents are Lillian and Carter Lenox. Brother Ethan, sister-in-law Honor, niece Carson.”

What the hell? “How do you know all of that about me?”

“I know everything about you. Everything, bitch. I’ve watched and waited and you didn’t even know I was there. I sat right next to you in a bar once, I even talked to you.”

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