Page 90 of Living Hell

THIRTY

Iona

“I ALWAYS WONDERED WHATwas in this shack?” I said, hoping to lure the mayor to a secluded spot so he’d tell me everything.

“I come here sometimes to think.” He tried to put his hand on the small of my back as we moved toward the rundown shed. I was too quick for him and darted forward in time to open the door. The smell that wafted out was a combination of rotting wood and skunk.

I frowned. This wasn’t going to be fun, but it had to be done.

As we stepped inside, I couldn’t imagine anyone volunteering to come here to think.

“Really?”

“Oh yeah. It reminds me of the past. When people lived by their wits and there were no grocery stores or fast-food places or movies to entertain.” The way he said the last part made me realize he didn’t care for my profession. I wondered if it was because he didn’t like movies or if it was me. “Your people get that.”

I turned to face him in surprise that he had said that out loud. Perhaps I heard it wrong. “M-my people?”

“Yeah, you know. Indians.”

I gritted my teeth and reminded myself this was for the greater good. Sheriff Heart put a lot of trust in me and I refused to let him down.

“You mean Penobscot. My mother grew up on the Penobscot reservation.”

“I can’t pronounce that. You’re an Indian.”

And you’re an idiot.Did the people of this town realize what a racist dick this guy was, or did he hide it from them?

“No, people from India are Indians. I’m descended from the native peoples from this area—the Penobscot tribe.”

“Whatever. My point is, we all long for the past. You know?”

No. I didn’t long for my time growing up in this town where people treated me like less, especially this guy. All because I didn’t look like him or act like they wanted me to act.

And that’s when I realized how much danger I was in. Keaghan Bailey hated me. He hated that I wasn’t his idea of perfect; he hated that I grew up struggling, yet I made it.

I made more money than him. I had more fame than him. And I had more power than him. That ate him up inside. He wasn’t used to people he looked down upon flourishing.

“Yes. Old times. Great,” I bit out the words as I shifted toward the door, but his hand reached for me before I could leave. It was going to take all my talent as an actress to get through this with him.

“You know, Iona, I’ve been waiting for this moment a long time. It’s one thing to watch the woman you’ve wanted to fuck for eleven years give it to someone else. I admit, I had jacked off to it, but it wasn’t the same.”

My heart beat wildly in my chest. The sheriff prepared me with the facts about Keaghan, but he never mentioned this part—the sick, twisted part.

“I don’t understand.”

He grabbed my arms and it hurt as he pushed me back until I hit the wall. The wood was rough, and splinters were digging into my skin through the thin sweater I had on. I regretted leaving the coat at the float but Keaghan promised what he had to show me would only take a minute. I was eager to get this over with, so I stupidly believed him. I really needed to stop taking him at his word considering how often he proved to be a dick-hole.

“You were meant to open your legs for me after the dance, not Tyler. Do you think I didn’t follow you? You were my date and that meant you were mine to have. So, while you were busy being a stupid whore for your loser boyfriend, I was in here watching the whole thing.”

Bile began to rise in my throat, and I wondered if he would stop if I threw up on him.

“I’m pregnant,” I said, hoping that would get him off me.

I knew it was a long shot but maybe Keaghan had a conscience deep in that black heart of his.

“Not going to abort it again?”

I pushed against his hand, but it was no use. The man had a strong grip. I tried to reach for his finger to pull back one—having learned that trick from Olivia—but the way he pinned me made it hard to reach his hands.

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