Naked by Francine Pascal Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Francine Pascal
tell you everything. I need to tell you. Iâm being blackmailed, and Iâm not even sure who is doing it. Josh is working for them, and now Iâm working for him. I donât even know if Iâm going to come out of this
Gaia,
I have to put an end to all of this, and I have to tell you everything. You have to meet me tonight. But if I have to leave, itâs only because they canât see us together. If they see us together, you could be
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Time: 7:03 P.M.
Re: Tonight
Gaia,
Iâm sorry about this morning. I shouldnât have surprised you like that. It was the wrong choice. Please agree to see me tonight. Say you will, even if you donât want to. Itâs urgent. And I wouldnât say that if it werenât true. I need to see you. Please write back as soon as you get this. Iâve tried calling you, and thereâs no answer. I donât know where you are, and I worry about you.
I love you.
Sam
bullshit smiles
For the first time in weeks, he felt he could safely unload the enormous guilt heâd been carrying with him. Heâd drop it like a sack of bricks.
âDELIVERY!â
Calculated Risk
Josh Kendall now barged into Samâs room at will. Sam jumped slightly but managed to click on the send command before Josh had a chance to see what he was doing. Not that it particularly mattered if Sam were caught. Whatever Josh missed, somebody else was sure to see. Sam now operated on the principle of âcalculated risk.â It was something heâd learned from chess.
At least there was an upside to the whole situation: he was able to put his long-standing paranoia to rest. He no longer had to wonder if âtheyâ were watching his every move. He knew now that they were. He accepted it as just another part of his lifeâlike homework, or labs, or classes. That was half the reason heâd been careful not to mention any specifics in his e-mail to Gaia. The other half was that he didnât want to worry her until he could explain everything face-to-face.
Josh exhaled with a grin. He dropped yet another brown paper package on Samâs clothing-covered bed.
âShit,â he said. âThis has got to be delivered by six-thirty, Sammy, so you better get going now.â
Sam turned to Josh, his jaw tightly set. He made no attempt to mask his hatred. There was no point.
Josh clapped in front of Samâs nose like some psychotic inspirational football coach.
âCome on, Sammy, letâs move,
move.
â
Sam shot out of his chair, knocking his shoulder into Joshâs chin as he stood up. Another calculated riskâand well worth it. Joshâs head snapped back, and his features contorted as he winced with pain.
âHey, are you all right?â Sam asked, locking eyes with him. âYou should be more careful around me. I can be really clumsy.â
Josh massaged his jaw and shook his head slowly. He met Samâs gaze with that Teflon smile still pasted back onto his perfect, handsome, evil face.
âSam,â he said, oozing with condescension, âthe thing you
donât
want to do now is get cocky. That would be astronomically stupid.â
âI donât know what you mean,â Sam replied as he picked up the package.
âWeâre almost there, Sam,â Josh said. âWeâre so close. So what I strongly suggest you do. . . is
behave.
â
Sam was already standing at the doorway of his room. âJosh,â he said, holding up the package, âIâve got a
delivery,
man. Youâre going to make me
late.
â Then he turned away and slammed the door behind him.
ED STARED AT THE PHONE AS IF it had radioactive properties. As if it might burn through his hand if he actually picked up the receiver. He considered some of the things heâd rather do than call Heather and arrange a dinner for the sole purpose of letting her
Gaia,
I have to put an end to all of this, and I have to tell you everything. You have to meet me tonight. But if I have to leave, itâs only because they canât see us together. If they see us together, you could be
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Time: 7:03 P.M.
Re: Tonight
Gaia,
Iâm sorry about this morning. I shouldnât have surprised you like that. It was the wrong choice. Please agree to see me tonight. Say you will, even if you donât want to. Itâs urgent. And I wouldnât say that if it werenât true. I need to see you. Please write back as soon as you get this. Iâve tried calling you, and thereâs no answer. I donât know where you are, and I worry about you.
I love you.
Sam
bullshit smiles
For the first time in weeks, he felt he could safely unload the enormous guilt heâd been carrying with him. Heâd drop it like a sack of bricks.
âDELIVERY!â
Calculated Risk
Josh Kendall now barged into Samâs room at will. Sam jumped slightly but managed to click on the send command before Josh had a chance to see what he was doing. Not that it particularly mattered if Sam were caught. Whatever Josh missed, somebody else was sure to see. Sam now operated on the principle of âcalculated risk.â It was something heâd learned from chess.
At least there was an upside to the whole situation: he was able to put his long-standing paranoia to rest. He no longer had to wonder if âtheyâ were watching his every move. He knew now that they were. He accepted it as just another part of his lifeâlike homework, or labs, or classes. That was half the reason heâd been careful not to mention any specifics in his e-mail to Gaia. The other half was that he didnât want to worry her until he could explain everything face-to-face.
Josh exhaled with a grin. He dropped yet another brown paper package on Samâs clothing-covered bed.
âShit,â he said. âThis has got to be delivered by six-thirty, Sammy, so you better get going now.â
Sam turned to Josh, his jaw tightly set. He made no attempt to mask his hatred. There was no point.
Josh clapped in front of Samâs nose like some psychotic inspirational football coach.
âCome on, Sammy, letâs move,
move.
â
Sam shot out of his chair, knocking his shoulder into Joshâs chin as he stood up. Another calculated riskâand well worth it. Joshâs head snapped back, and his features contorted as he winced with pain.
âHey, are you all right?â Sam asked, locking eyes with him. âYou should be more careful around me. I can be really clumsy.â
Josh massaged his jaw and shook his head slowly. He met Samâs gaze with that Teflon smile still pasted back onto his perfect, handsome, evil face.
âSam,â he said, oozing with condescension, âthe thing you
donât
want to do now is get cocky. That would be astronomically stupid.â
âI donât know what you mean,â Sam replied as he picked up the package.
âWeâre almost there, Sam,â Josh said. âWeâre so close. So what I strongly suggest you do. . . is
behave.
â
Sam was already standing at the doorway of his room. âJosh,â he said, holding up the package, âIâve got a
delivery,
man. Youâre going to make me
late.
â Then he turned away and slammed the door behind him.
ED STARED AT THE PHONE AS IF it had radioactive properties. As if it might burn through his hand if he actually picked up the receiver. He considered some of the things heâd rather do than call Heather and arrange a dinner for the sole purpose of letting her
Similar Books
Carla Kelly
The Ladys Companion
Rausch & Donlon - Can Be Murder 01 - Headaches Can Be Murder
Marilyn Rausch, Mary Donlon
Defying Instinct (Demon Instinct Series)
Jaye A. Jones
Recessional: A Novel
James A. Michener
Guardians of Ga'Hoole 15 - The War of the Ember
authors_sort
Nooks & Crannies
Jessica Lawson
Enon
Paul Harding
A Mistletoe Kiss with the Boss
Susan Meier
Crowbone
Robert Low
Suicide Run
Michael Connelly