Page 105 of Perfect Deke

I blow out a disbelieving breath. “Word of advice: I’d up your caring game for the next girl you meet.”

He doesn’t say anything as I reach a quieter part of town and root around in my pocket for my key.

“Is that all you called to say?”

“I need you to see something. I get that it’s coming from me, and you don’t exactly see me as a credible source, but like I said, I care about you, and I can’t let you make a mistake without letting you see it. I don’t think I could live with myself.” Tylersounds kind of pained as he delivers a sentence that makes my stomach roll with nausea.

“Tyler, what are you talking about?” I’m agitated—a product of how vague he’s being and how anxious it’s making me feel.

“Look, I might be a lot of things, and I genuinely accept there’s no way back for us.” He exhales deeply when my phone buzzes in my hand, and a message with an attachment comes through from him. “But I’ve known about this for a long time. An old college buddy of mine showed it to me back then because he thought I should see it. I did nothing about it, but kept it close to me since …” He trails off. “Since I always knew there was something I didn’t trust about him. The last thing I want to do is hurt you, Kendra. But whether you think of me as a friend or not, I do you. And friends wouldn’t let you make a fool of yourself like this.”

I bristle at the last sentence. “I’m not making a fool of myself. I’m happy.”

“Just … look at what I sent you and then ask yourself again if you really believe this whole thing is real to him. I was always about you, Kendra. Not sure if he can say the same thing.”

Dread crawls through my bones as I stand motionless and a few hundred yards from Jack’s apartment.

“Open the message, Kendra. I gotta go.”

When the line goes dead, I keep the phone to my ear.

I don’t trust a word that left his mouth, but that isn’t going to stop me from reading whatever he sent. I know it isn’t.

In slow motion, I open the thread with him and then click on a compressed file of messages.

The first thing I notice is the date stamp from over three years ago. We were just finishing up on our second year of college.

The next thing I see is Jack’s name, along with a couple of other guys from his former team. I knew he hung out with them at the time, and one of them was also friendly with Tyler.

My heart beats wildly in my chest as I scroll through the firstfew. There’s nothing here but typical nineteen-year-old boy banter about girls.

Until there isn’t, and my back thuds against the wall behind me as I slide down and sit on the cold, damp ground, drawing my knees up in front of me.

I’ve read this all wrong. There’s no way it says that.

I look up and blow out a calming breath, trying to steady my shaking hand before I center myself and read it again.

Ben

So, to be clear, you want to fuck Kendra Hart?

Kurt

Don’t deny it. It’s obvious.

Jack

Yeah, I do.

Ben

Called it!

Kurt

She’s with Tyler.

Jack

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