Page 124 of Brassy Bigwig

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

CHLOE

“Reed?”

I have no idea what’s happening.

“I thought you were dead? Shelby!” I shout, as I sluggishly run up the stairs behind the door.

I don’t hear any movement when I get to the top of the steps.

What the hell is going on?

“Where’s Shelby?” I lock eyes on Reed as he slowly climbs the stairs.

“I don’t know. Off doing whatever idiotic thing she does. It was getting really hard to put up with her after a while. She almost didn’t make it.”

What is he saying? Why is he talking about her like that?

“She’s not here?”

“Uhh, no.”

“I’m so confused. Blake texted me with a horrifying picture with the two of you in it.”

“My roommate is a design major. I asked him to make it look brutal. He delivered.”

“It was fake? Wait, is Blake here?”

“Oh, Chloe. You’re usually much smarter than this. I think I slipped a little too much Rohypnol into your wine last night.”

The more I try to make sense of things, the less things make sense. I take a deep breath and shake my head to try and break through the fog. Rohypnol?

“You drugged me?”

“I had to. I couldn’t listen to one more goddamn word about you and D fucking for hours.”

“Oh my god. You’re the stalker…” I whisper more to myself than to Reed.

My entire body is trembling. I want to run, but he’s blocking my way to the stairs.

“Yes, you’re finally getting it,” he confirms, breathing a sigh of relief.

“Where is Shelby?”

“I’ll answer whatever questions you have, but I want you to sit down first.”

He waves his hand toward the doorway to my right. In the room I see a bed and a dresser, and there is also a chair set up in front of a television set. There’s no way in hell I’m going into a bedroom with him.

I shake my head, “I don’t want to sit.”

His eyes narrow slightly, and I can tell he doesn’t like being told no.

“I’ll only ask nicely one more time, Chloe.”

He takes an intimidating step toward me. His frame towers over me, and he’s never seemed taller than he does right now.

I look toward the room again, but I also take note of a large gap between Reed and the wall. It gives me an idea. A stupid idea, but I have to try.

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