Page 232 of The Invite
“What if she goes back on her word?”
Dread paralyses me when he says, “I don’t know how Anonymous knows about my past, but I can’t risk it getting out because it’s the only leverage I have over my mother. If there’s even a whiff of the authorities investigating us, which they will if he puts this out, then she wouldn’t hesitate to put me or Scarlett behind bars to save herself.”
It’s too late for that. The detectives are after them and they have it all wrong. I need to make sure it stays that way. But how do I do it?
“She may use it to separate us,” Augustus says quietly.
“No!” I vehemently shake my head and crawl into his lap. “I won’t let it happen.”
“I won’t either,” he vows. “Because we’re going to catch Anonymous.”
“How?” I heave. “He’s always two steps ahead of us. Always slipping by.”
“You didn’t notice it, did you?”
“Notice what?”
His arm reaches out to grab the letter, and he points at a few lines.
Teaming up against me?
All of you.
When I catch on to it combined with the lines floating to the forefront of my brain from my own letter, it’s like seeing a ray of light.
Theneedlehas been found.
My eyes flash to Augustus, who figured it out before me, and we both say it out loud at the same time. “Anonymous is one of us.”
CHAPTER – 58
Nessa
Anonymous has bested us at every turn because he’s been hiding in plain sight among us. We fed him our plan on a silver platter.
Predators are always the ones closest to you. Haven’t I learned that by now?
The question remains—how do we draw him out?
Out of all of us, who stands to gain the most by exposing our torrid pasts? Is Anonymous out for revenge? Does he even have a motive? Or is he a psychopath making us play his sick game for his enjoyment? If that’s the case, then we’re just objects to him.
“Don’t cross off Wolf,” Maverick points out. “He’s been at every meeting.”
Maverick, Augustus, and I are gathered in Augustus’s underground room to narrow down who Anonymous could beand brainstorm a solution to catch him with proof. So far, the only solid leads we have are the SIM card found in the phone and the CCTV footage from Augustus’s and my homes.
I was pissed to discover Augustus let his best friend into my house without my permission the night I stayed with him. I assumed Maverick went over to leave the envelope on my doorstep and came back.
With Agent Michael closely surveilling my house, I cannot risk it happening again. If he gets a hint there’s another unhinged psychopath after me, everything will go up in flames. I’ll die before I become the reason Augustus’s secret is unveiled.
I’m also not giving in to Anonymous’s ultimatum, now that I know Scarlett’s secret which is connected to her brother. I’ve also forgiven her for revealing my relationship with Augustus. She must’ve been super scared. Being seen as a rape victim in front of the public changes how the world views you.
“I haven’t,” Augustus replies to his friend without looking away from the whiteboard. “He could be helping Kaid, for all we know.”
Another tidbit I learned—Maverick is a talented videographer and edits most of Augustus’s videos. Did he also edit ours? I hope not.
Has Augustus uploaded the last one we made right here? My treacherous pussy pulses at the thought of seeing it. I’m too shy to ask Augustus.
“By that logic, there should be another name on the list,” I say from my perch on one of the beanbags.
