Wicked (Somerset University #2) - Ruby Vincent Page 0,82
Sallys and Sams who left under difficult circumstances. I bet they’ll question why that could possibly be wrong.”
“I’d be happy to explain it to them,” she replied, tone even. “Binder, please.”
“Excuse me?”
We whipped our heads around.
Juliet eyed us with the same scrutiny we gave her. “Is there a problem, Valentina?”
“None.” Just like that, I handed over the binder. “Jade was offering to take a few things off my plate. Super nice of her.”
“If you’re all done here, we should head out. The bell rings in twenty minutes.”
I checked my watch and confirmed the time. Arguing with Aiden and ambushed by Jade nearly made me late to pick up Adam.
“Let’s go.” I stepped around Jade.
“Drop this, Valentina.” The soft voice stopped me. “I won’t say it again.”
“Don’t say it at all.”
Juliet and Hadley waited in the hall with Sofia. She was coming with me to pick Adam up from school and then staying for dinner. Fortunate since we had a new topic for dinner conversation.
The four of us made our way through campus to the parking garage near the science building. I filled her in on my short conversation with Jade.
“Val, it sounds like she threatened you.”
“Threatened or warned. It was hard to get a read off her other than pissed.”
“She proves there’s something going on,” said Sofia. “I just wish I knew what. Every explanation I come up with is more horrible than the last, but how can there be a good explanation for almost a dozen people vanishing off the face of the earth?”
“There isn’t one.” We stepped off the sidewalk and climbed up the side stairs for level B. “But I won’t stop until I find out the truth and put a stop to it. Jade’s threat/warning guaranteed it.”
My car was sandwiched between two Jeeps in the middle row of the garage. Juliet and Hadley walked us to the car and continued on to their own. We jumped inside, reaching for our buckles.
“Val, what’s that?”
“What’s what?” I asked without looking up.
“There’s a present on your hood.”
My head snapped up.
A small box wrapped in metallic blue paper and secured with a green bow lay innocently on the hood of the car. I cycled through the possibilities that it could indeed be innocent. A gift from my guys or a thank-you from a friend.
Every possibility turned up no.
“Sof, run out and grab Juliet and Hadley, please. My new friend finally figured out where to leave their gift.”
She rushed out, calling for the guards. Carefully, I climbed out of the car and edged closer. My caution was warranted. This person made it clear they wanted me dead. That they hunted me down and found my car despite me constantly changing parking spaces shows they were highly motivated to get this to me.
“Valentina!”
I jumped.
“Step away from that, please,” Juliet ordered.
The request was quickly followed by Hadley grabbing me by the forearms and dragging me away. She shoved me behind her as Juliet approached the gift.
Peering over her shoulder, Sofia and I held our breath, watching her inch the present closer, pause as though she was listening for ticking, and then begin to unwrap.
She revealed a white box. Juliet pried off the lid and looked inside.
“It’s safe,” she said, inviting us to breathe. “Val, you should look at this. Tell us what it means.”
“What is it?”
She tipped the box over and something white fell out. I went up and laid eyes on the toy car decorating my hood. Looped through the bottom was a gold string attached to a note.
“You can’t take a hint, so I’m spelling it out for you,” I read. “Jaxson doesn’t want you. Stay away from him, whore, or the next time we run into each other, I’ll finish the job.”
“The fuck?!” Sofia cried. “I’m calling the police.”
“Next time we run into each other,” I said. “Gotta love that wordplay.”
“Miss Moon, are you alright?” asked Hadley.
“I’m fine. More than fine actually. I finally know who I’m dealing with.”
JAXSON
“See you tomorrow, Jaxson.”
I waved across the cubicles. Meyer was a jackass, but not everyone he employed was the same. I was fetching coffee for some pretty decent guys. A few even offered to help me file or grab the lunch orders when they noticed Meyer riding me.
“I’ll sneak a chocolate chocolate chip muffin in with your coffee tomorrow.”
“My wife’s got me on a diet,” he called back. “Therefore, bless you. Make it two.”
I said my goodbyes, escaping into the hallway and rolling up to security.