Page 125 of Stroke of Fate

When the video starts, I feel the familiar prickle of queasiness as I watch it. It’s no easier than it was the first time, but I make a conscious effort to push my emotions aside.

I swallow the lump in my throat when the girl takes a step forward. Her intentions are clear, almost calculated. And as much as I want to squeeze my eyes shut when his hands move toward her waist, I force myself to keep watching.

Those same hands that once gripped my waist with such tenderness and care are now on someone else’s skin. My hands itch to turn off the TV, but I fight the urge.

I take a deep, steady breath and focus on the small details I missed the first time, like how his movements are more uncoordinated than I realized. His grip is too firm to be considered a lover’s caress.

These things might have gone unnoticed by someone else, but over the past few weeks, I’ve studied Levi’s body language. Both consciously when I’d watch his practices for my assignment and subconsciously when we were intimate.

What I thought was him pulling her onto his lap now seems more like he’s trying to stop her from coming closer.

Maybe. I don’t know.

I chew my lip, my thoughts a jumbled mess.

I need something more concrete that doesn’t make me sound completely crazy when I explain this to my best friend. I need—

“There!” I practically jump off the couch as I point to the screen just before it goes blank. “Pause it and back up two seconds, then zoom in as far as possible.”

Pia follows my instructions. The static frame enlarges, becoming more grainy, but what we’re looking at becomes more obvious.

“Oh my gosh,” Pia breathes, staring at me wide-eyed. Slowly, her head turns back to the TV, “Is that—”

“A Wig?” I finish for her. “Yeah. That’s exactly what it is.”

And peeking out from under it is the color I suspected we’d find. Thank God she did such a shitty job of putting it on. It’s the only real proof that my theory might not be a theory after all.

“It’s not so far-fetched to think whoever it is was wearing one. It was Halloween, after all. The whole point of the holiday is to dress up as someone else.”

“That’s true,” I agree.

Levi should have known it wasn’t me seducing him, even if it was her real hair. If you can even call what’s happening between them ‘seduction.’

His sluggish movements make it look like he’s not putting up much of a fight. But there could be another reason for that—a reason that makes me sick to think about but would seamlessly fit into this weird, messed-up puzzle.

I quickly fill Pia in on my theory. Including the odd threats over the last few months. The ones I brushed off as nothing but now might have been the catalyst that started all of this.

“Shit, Bear,” Pia says, still in shock. “If you’re right, then this is so beyond fucked up.”

“I know, but I’m not sure about the last part.” I nibble my lip. The thought of accusing someone of doing something so terrible makes me hesitant. “What if I’m wrong about that?”

If I am wrong, it means Levi willingly entered the room with her. Who she is wouldn’t even matter. We’d be over either way.

“You won’t know until you talk to him, but if your gut tells you this could be the answer, listen to it. You’re not the only one who thought something about this whole thing seemed off.” Pia says gently. “I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want you to feel like I was disregarding your feelings. You had every right to be upset.”

I nod, understanding where she’s coming from and knowing she’ll stick by me no matter what. We’re each other’s biggest confidants; at the end of the day, we only want to see each other happy.

“We could go over there now and see if he’s home?” I say, feeling more hopeful than I did this morning.

Pia presses a button on the side of my phone, lighting up the screen. When she looks up at me, her mouth pulls to one side.

“I wish I could. But I need to book my ride soon to make it to the airport on time.”

Shit, that’s right. I didn’t realize how much time had passed since we got back to my apartment.

I was supposed to work tonight, but Elsie texted me earlier, offering to cover my shift so I could spend more time with Pia. After that, I didn’t even bother keeping an eye on the time.

Pia hands me my phone. “I don’t want you sitting on this until I leave. The sooner you talk to Levi, the sooner you can clear up this mess.”

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