The Arrangement Anthology 1(224)

“Mel, stop. He dropped me off so I could grab my things. I told him to leave me.”

“And he listened?” She plants her hands on her hips and gives me a how-dumb-is-he look.

“Who’s Ferro?” Amber asks.

Mel lies, “Her cousin, Miss Nosey. And why did that piece of white trash have this?” Mel holds up a key. “He said you gave it to him.”

Amber has a worried look in her eyes, but hides it quickly. “I did. It’s my room, I can do what I want.”

“No, you can’t Dumber Than Dirt. Don’t hand out keys or I’ll take your ass and toss it out the window. Do we have an understanding?” Mel looks like she’s ready to grab Amber right this second. When my roommate doesn’t answer, Mel steps toward her.

The smug smile falls off of Amber’s face and her hands dart up, palms out. “Fine! Don’t touch me! I won’t give out any more keys.”

“Who else has a key?” I ask, concerned. Amber’s an idiot, but I didn’t realize part of her calling card included handing out copies of keys to our room.

Amber laughs nervously and shrugs her shoulders. “Your boyfriend.”

Mel’s caramel eyes cut to the side and meet mine before I ask, “Marty?”

Amber laughs, “Not the gay guy. The other one. He came by here looking for you a few times, wanting to celebrate something, but you weren’t around. He gave me the bottle of champagne and left. I told him that you’re working a lot and never around. He was trying to surprise you with a gourmet dinner and wine that cost more than my car,” she shrugs, “so I gave him a key and told him that he could try to catch you late on a Thursday. It’s the only day you’re around anymore.”

“Awh, fuck. Amber, how stupid are you?” Mel sounds pissed.

I just stand there and wonder if Amber is really trying to kill me or if she’s that stupid. “So, you don’t know his name? Or you won’t tell me?”

“I don’t remember. He told me, but I thought you only had one boyfriend! I was trying to help.”

Glancing over at Mel, I ask, “Do you think it’s Henry Thomas?”

She nods. When her gaze flicks back over to Amber, she asks, “Is there somewhere else you can stay?”

“You can’t throw me out of my room!” Amber stands and pokes Mel in the chest.

One of Mel’s dark eyebrows lifts as fairy-like laughter flutters out of her mouth, which sounds totally wrong. She swats at Ambers finger and growls, “It appears that you’re too stupid to be here and since we’re knee-deep in a real life horror movie, complete with psycho stalkers, I thought you might want to opt out before someone kills you.”

Amber blinks her big eyes too many times. “What? That guy was a stalker?”

I nod and rub the heels of my hands over my eyes.

Sean chooses that moment to show up. His knuckles wrap the door and he pushes it open, peering inside. “What’s wrong?”

Mel goes crazy on his ass for leaving me alone, while Amber tries to tell me something that I can’t hear.

Sean finally holds up his hand, and yells, “Enough! Avery, get your things. We’re leaving.”

Mel is standing there like she wants to rip Sean’s head off. “He had her pinned to the floor, Ferro. And where the fuck were you?”

“Too far away,” he finally answers. Looking directly at Mel, he says, “It won’t happen again, and thank you.”

“For what?” Mel spits out.

“For pounding that guy into the ground. If I did it, well, let’s just say it was better that you walked in and not me.”

“Hmm. Meaning Naked Guy would be a smear by now.” Mel nods and rolls her eyes, like Sean is all talk. The blood on his shirt the other night would suggest otherwise. I’ve wondered what that was about and what he did, but I’m very certain that it wasn’t Sean’s blood and that means I don’t want to know. Mel reaches into her jean’s pocket and hands me a piece of plastic.

“What’s this?”

She grins. “Naked Guy’s cell phone. I swiped it from him while I was kicking his ass.”





CHAPTER 9




My eyes go wide as I clutch the phone in my hand. The screen is cracked, but it still works. I turn it on and find my videos. Oh thank god. I flick through and only see some of my pictures, and a few of the videos are missing. Glancing at Amber, I ask, “Where are the rest?”

For once Amber is helpful, and just answers the question. “I deleted them.” She grins like a five year old in a candy store, showing way too many teeth. “What can I say? I’m the jealous type.”