9. Montana

9

Montana

Seven nights ago

“ I can’t believe I’m thirty, Tana. And you’re still in your twenties,” Charlotte drawls over her third glass of wine. I’m the first one to arrive at the party, and she’s already getting slammed.

I stand behind her and help zip up her black dress that’s identical to mine. She wanted me to match her, and I couldn’t decline. I’d do anything for her. We’ve been friends since I was ten.

I toss my dark brown waves over my shoulder that dust my hips and pick up her hair brush to smooth out her straight blonde hair. “I’m nearly thirty, Lottie. And turning thirty is a good thing. You’re going to have some of the best experiences of your life soon.”

Her blue eyes meet mine in the mirror and she sighs. “I’m doing nothing with my life. Bailey broke up with me last week, and I’ve been living off ice cream and pizza since. I’ve gained fifteen pounds, Montana Elizabeth. Fifteen!”

I laugh in her ear and wrap my arms around her fair shoulders. “It’s water weight, baby.”

She frowns. “Still. I’m single and alone.”

I stand up and work on getting her hair in a fishtail braid. “At least you’re not a virgin.”

I had a steady boyfriend in high school, but he moved away senior year. I liked him a lot. Maybe even loved him. But we didn’t get past second base.

I’ve been on dates and fooled around with guy friends here and there over the years, but I haven’t had anything serious since.

Charlotte stands up and sits me down in her chair, putting flowers in my hair. “That’s because you only entertain losers. You need to give a hot guy a chance. Maybe you’ll get laid tonight.”

The hot guys she’s referring to are her asshole friends who want nothing more than to add another notch to their belts. I want a nice guy. A romantic guy who’s patient and will take his time with me. Not an animal who’s aggressive and uncontrolled.

“I’m not fucking any of your friends, Charlotte Jeannie. They’re pricks. I’d rather be alone. ”

She kisses the top of my head and squeezes my shoulders. “Suit yourself, sweetie pie. But I’d hate for my best friend to be an old virginal maid.”

I swat her hand away as the doorbell rings. She jumps up and down in her pink platform sandals. “They’re here!”

Rolling my eyes, I stand up and let her drag me out of her penthouse apartment bedroom to the front door.

I stand to the side while she lets the guys in. Derek, Bradley, John, and Jake. A few girls I don’t know well come in shortly after them, and I get caught up talking to Jake after I’ve had a few glasses of wine myself. He’s got light blonde hair like my father, but he looks nothing like him. His green eyes are friendly and inviting, and he tells me how he’s in school to be a nurse.

Charlotte’s flirting desperately with Bradley, but I don’t feel like stopping her from doing her thing. Wanting to take the edge off a bit, I have a fourth glass of wine, and before I know it, I’m on my back on the couch with Jake over me.

We start making out, and I let him lead. He puts his hands on my waist and slides them up my body slowly, but he’s calm and relaxed, so I don’t feel like stopping him. He’s a good kisser. Really good. He asks me to go to one of Charlotte’s guest rooms with him right when I hear a knock on the door .

It can’t be.

I don’t know why I would think it’s him. There’s no way he’d find me here. He hasn’t seen Charlotte in over ten years, and I never told him she moved to Colorado.

And I left when he was sleeping. There’s no way he could find me.

But I’ve seen flashes of his face daily since I ran. I take a breath, pushing Jake off me while I try to calm down.

He kisses my cheek. “You okay?”

I give his shoulder a light squeeze while my head swims. “I’m good. Just give me a minute okay?”

He smiles and stands up. “Sure thing.”

Charlotte breaks away to get the door while Jake goes to the bar to get us more drinks.

I wonder who’s here. Charlotte and I ordered food before everyone arrived. And we’re not expecting anyone else.

She opens the door, and that’s when I hear a loud gunshot.

My eyes follow the noise, and I scream at the top of my lungs while I stare at my best friend on her back with blood pooling around her innocent face with a gaping wound in her head that shows off her destroyed brain. When I look up at the criminal, my stomach lurches, and I hurl all over myself .

It’s my father. My father found me. After six months away, he finally found me. I get one look into Mason Barnes’ frigid icy eyes before he shuts the door to the apartment behind him. Everyone screams and tries to run, and Jake throws a knife at him, but it doesn’t matter. He’s the second one my father takes out.

I hardly get a chance to blink while bullets fire all around the room until the screams turn into silence. Then it’s just him and me.

I stand up, shaking while tears stream down my face, and when I feel warm liquid running down my leg, I realize I’m peeing myself. He comes up to me slowly with his guns in his hands. “You’re mine, Montana Elizabeth Barnes. You belong to me. And you’ll never leave me again.”

He puts his guns in his pockets and rears his head back, and then the world goes black when he slams his skull into mine.