Page 1 of Deadly Web
Prologue - Tatum
I’m sitting at the vanity in our bedroom doing my makeup when I pause and just stare at my reflection.This is all I ever wanted. To be married to Jeremy, to live a lavish life and to carry his baby.Reaching down, I rub my belly, the full round stomach that is carrying our little girl.
“I took everything from her that night; this is how it was supposed to be. She didn’t deserve him. She wouldn’t have been good enough for him. I’m the only one who can truly make him happy and give him what he needs,” I say to myself in the mirror, just as baby Quinn kicks me in my side.
I smile to myself, a sinister grin playing at my lips while I grab the eyeliner and draw a thin line on my eyelid. Reaching for the mascara next, I flick the brush over my lashes. My favorite red lipstick sits off to the side, the same color I have used since high school. Popping the top off, I roll it up and paint my lips in the blood red color, rubbing my lips and smacking them together. My grin widens when a memory comes flooding back.
Three months ago, I went and left the invitation to our baby shower in Savannah’s mailbox. Did I think she wouldwant to come? No, but it was one more way to taunt her. I had the chance to kill her that day and fucking didn’t. Missed opportunity. That’s okay. Jeremy killed Tripp that night, which was even better. She can’t be a brother fucker anymore. Now, that bitch has nothing, absolutely nothing, to live for. We’ve taken it all away. She will never have kids. Her precious Tripp is gone, and her friends? Well, we all turned our backs on her. I don’t regret what we did to her senior year, maybe my only regret was not killing her then. Meh, her time is coming.
Standing up, I scoot the bench seat back, double-check myself again in the mirror and walk towards the bedroom door. Just as I go to turn the knob and open the door, Jeremy walks in.
“Oh, hey baby. You look sexy as hell. Especially carrying my baby,” he croons, leaning down and kissing the top of my head, while reaching down and rubbing my belly.
“Aww, thanks, babe. Let’s get down there, no need to keep them waiting any longer,” I reply quickly, grabbing his hand as I walk past him.
Making it to the bottom of the stairs, I see the living room is full, all the girls from the cheer squad and their husbands. It’s nice to see all our friends and family have gathered around to celebrate the life of our baby girl. I’m walking around making conversation with everyone while Jer walks over to bullshit with the guys,per usual.
Once I’ve made sure to at least greet and talk to everyone, I take a seat in the rocking chair while the girls gather around. I go through the motions of opening each and every gift, clothes, blankets, bottles. All the things a newborn baby might need, plus some stuff for me since I want to breastfeed.
“So Savannah didn’t show up?” Jeremy walks into the room and asks. The girls let out an audible gasp and turn to face me.Are they shocked I invited her?
“Nope, did you really think she would though? I mean, come on,” I shoot back at him with a raised brow.
“Well, after what happened to her in high school, I heard she doesn’t really leave her house much. Then I heard her boyfriend died during a break-in or something. That girl just can’t catch a break,” my friend Andrea replies, me and the squad girls just share a look and nod. She didn’t go to school here, but she’s heard the “rumors,” so she calls them. Little does she know, they aren’t rumors.
“Yeah, who knows. We’ve all heard the rumors that float around.” I shrug it off and start packing everything into bags so it’s easier to carry up the stairs and to the baby’s room.
The girls stand and start helping fold and put stuff up. We all carry bag after bag and diaper box after diaper box up the stairs. The trip up the stairs alone is a workout; I basically have to force myself down them on the way downstairs. Why we didn’t make the guys do this, I’m not sure.
After a couple of hours and the last goodbye, I walk up the stairs one last time, ready for bed. I know my feet are swollen, and I’m exhausted from the day. Stopping by Quinn’s room, I look at all the beautiful things we got today for our little princess. What catches my eye, though, is the box in her crib.Hmm, I must have missed one.
Walking over to the crib, I reach in and grab the box, then go sit in the rocker and untie the ribbon wrapped around it. Pulling the lid off, there is black tissue paper decorating the inside. Unfolding the paper with my hands, I’m not expecting what’s underneath. Pushing the box out of my lap, I jump up and scream, because what the fuck is that? Just as Jeremy runs into the room, I see two spiders crawl off the creepy-ass doll that lies in the box.
“What’s wrong, babe? Why’d you scream bloody murder?” he asks, and all I do is point down at the box. “What in the fuck is that ugly thing?”
“I’m not sure. I came to turn things off in here, and the box was in the crib,” I reply through my fingers, my hands still covering my mouth.
The porcelain doll has long black hair and hazel eyes that seem to stare right into my fucking soul. Her long red dress and black boots with white stockings sticking out from the top seem to be the only things “cute” on her. Dolls are just creepy, but porcelain dolls are the fucking spawn of Satan.
“Come on, babe, I’ll get rid of it tomorrow,” Jer says, grabbing me by the hand and leading me towards the bedroom.
Getting out of these maternity jeans and changing into something to sleep in, I slip into bed. Jer climbs in next to me and pulls me close, rubbing my belly. The feel of him next to me helps me feel at ease. Closing my eyes, all I see are creepy hazel ones looking back at me.
Chapter 1 - Quinn
Present Day
Slamming my locker closed, Charlee walks up to hers right as I’m about to walk off.
“You good?” she asks with her hand mid-turn trying to put in the combination to unlock her locker.
I don’t even have time to tell my best friend about the complete shitshow of a day I’ve had before Stacie comes up and flips her blonde hair over her shoulder. Fucking cheer squad girls always walking around thinking their shit don’t stink.Popular girls in general.Apparently, everyone is going to piss me off today.
“If it isn’t slut one and slut two,” she purrs, holding her hand out and looking her nails over,like she probably hasn’t just done that a million times today.
“Really? Is that the best you can come up with these days?” I raise my eyebrow at her. Looking up at me, she pins me with a stare and walks closer. Pushing me against the lockers, she jabs her finger into my shoulder.
“Listen here, you dirty, dried-up nobody. Why did you even come to this school? Your mom was a legend, and then she had you. You will never live up to what she is,” Stacie says while continuously digging her nail into my skin. The laugh I let out is anything but sane, but Charlee grabs my arm, getting my attention. Stacie mumbles something about being a crazy bitch and turns, walking off.
