Page 3 of Dark Reasons

"Take it easy," he whispers. "Just relax. There's a few hundred in my wallet, grab it, or I can take it out for you myself. Whatever you prefer."

I blink as his words sink in. "You think I'm robbing you?"

"You're not?" he asks, his frown stretching.

"This has nothing to do with money."

"I don't get it. Then why the whole story about bringing me here to sell some merchandise?"

He's not breathing as quick as I am. He's not sweating like me.He's used to getting into trouble... this isn't his first time being held at gunpoint.Sanford Grecko. A man who surrounds himself with scum. I must seem like any other hungry bastard to him.

But I'm not.

I'm different.

I jam the tip of the pistol into his white tee shirt. There are Dragon Ball Z characters on it; I put the gun between Goku's teeth. "You really don't recognize me, do you?"

Sanford cranes his neck back, getting a better look at me. The way he scrutinizes me from top to bottom makes my skin crawl. "No, I've got no clue. What the fuck is going on?" He freezes, eyes narrowing. "If Crater sent you—that's gotta be it. Okay, hey, let's call him and we can work this out."

"Who's Crater?" I nearly scream it. The gun pushes into his ribs so hard he inches a step back; I follow until he's against the wall, which takes no time in the small room. "Look at me. Look real close. My hair is pink now, but imagine it being blonde."

He shakes his head quickly. "Sorry, I don't know you! Maybe if you took off the costume?"

"Oh, you'd like that. Is that what you said to her?Take off the costume?"

"I really don't have any idea what the hell you're on about! I swear!"

"You sound angry," I snarl. "You don't get to sound angry! I'm the one who's angry! If you don't remember me, then what about Valoria?"

Amazingly he grows more pale. "You're Valoria's friend?"

"My name isSelena!And yeah, I'm her best fucking friend."I was. I was. I was.

"You were there with her at the comic shop," he says in wonder.

I chuckle sourly. "Now you remember."

"Look, Valoria agreed to everything—"

"Shut up!"I screech. "You sold my friend's nude videos. You ruined her fucking life."

"You've got it all wrong, she was okay with the gig."

"How can you say she was okay with anything? You blackmailed her!" I shout in his face. "You're beyond sick. People like you... people like you..." Nausea swims up my chest. I'm both hot and cold, and my body doesn't know how to process anything.

His voice is a gentle scratch that moves up my brain stem. "Think this through, alright? Just think. You don't have to kill me. If you're after an apology... or... or like, I don't know, restitution... I can pay you. Hell, I can pay her more. A bonus check. Whatever you guys want."

At first, I think he's laughing. That's because I don't recognize my own voice. "You really come back to money every time," I giggle. "That's all you care about. How much did you make off of her videos, huh? How many twisted perverts paid to view her on your stream?"

For the first time, Sanford looksafraid.The last of his doubt that I'll pull the trigger has faded away.

"I went with Valoria to her first big meet and greet. She was excited to see her new fans, thrilled to finally break into the voice acting industry," I seethe.

Sanford was one of those "fans."

I hadn't suspected a thing when he gave her his card, told her to come to his studio for a recording session. "You told her you'd take her to the next level," I breathe heavily. "She trusted you."

He doesn't reply. He's focused on the gun, on my pretty pink nail curled around the trigger.

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