benefit I’m sure. “Even slightly used, she’ll still be a valuable commodity.”
“We have big plans for you, Simi,” Bryce tells me. “However, you are no longer Simi Fremont.”
“Give me her purse,” Marcia says. I hear Rod walk across the room, and then I’m sure Marcia is going through my things. “Great. Here’s her phone. We know about her mom and Trista and the twins. But we don’t know Michelle’s last name or where she lives yet. You get all that information.”
“I’m already on it,” Bryce says.
“Get rid of the ID. And dump the phone in the usual place.”
“Yeah, yeah … hey, her girlfriend’s last name is Diedericks. With an unusual name like that, it’ll be a cinch to get her address.”
“Why do you want that ?” I demand.
“Who said you can talk?” Rod shoots back.
“Never mind,” Marcia says. “And really, I don’t care if she knows why we want this info. It’s all a matter of security, Simi. We want to make sure you don’t mess things up for us. Your mom and your friends are simply our insurance that you’ll cooperate fully.”
“If you care about their welfare, you’ll do what you’re told,” Bryce adds.
“Are you threatening to — ?”
“It’s all up to you,” Marcia says in a calm but chilling tone. “Your mom and friends, even the dear little toddler twins — everyone will be just fine as long as you play along nicely. But trust me, doll face, the minute you break the rules, your mom and friends pay the price. Do you get me? ”
I’m speechless. How can this be real? How can people be so evil?
“Do you get me?” she growls.
“Yes,” I mutter. “I think so.”
“Good. And don’t think I’m not serious. Rod, maybe you can fill her in on how you’re willing and able to carry out our orders.”
“That’s right. I got no problem going after your mom and your friends. Might even be fun. Especially if mom’s a looker like you.” He lets loose a wicked laugh that makes me feel like vomiting.
I can feel myself swaying now, getting dizzy. “I … need to sit — ”
“Catch her!” Bryce yells.
I feel Rod grab me.
“Get her a chair,” Marcia snaps.
I’m shoved down into a chair and I slump forward and the bag slips off my head. I remain down, pretending like I’ve fainted, but I’m peering through my hair that is over my face, seeing their feet as they hover around me.
Marcia has on ugly beige orthopedic-looking shoes and her ankles are swollen and pouring over the edges, which tells me she’s older. And not exactly the fashion icon I’d imagined while talking on the phone yesterday. Bryce is wearing shiny black loafers and jeans, which leads me to believe he’s somewhat more stylish and younger. They seem a strange pair.
They continue talking about how they plan to trick Mr. T with a bidding war as I sit slumped over. No one seems particularly concerned about me, but I can tell they just think I fainted. Finally I act as if I’m coming to, but before I can sit up, the paper bag is pushed onto my head again.
“Your new name is Serena Delray.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means from now on you will go by Serena . How is that not clear?” Her voice drips in irritation. “Are you really that stupid?” She shoves my purse back into my lap. “Your new ID is in there. Not that you should need it. But just in case.”
“We like to cover our bases,” Bryce says.
“And now it’s time for you to go,” Marcia announces. “Rod? Please see Serena to her limo.”
He chuckles. “You got it.” Now he jerks me to my feet.
“Easy does it,” Bryce says. “No bruises.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Rod is a little gentler as he pushes me to the door.
“Don’t let us down, Serena,” Marcia says. “Your dear mother and friends are counting on you.”
“Bon voyage, Miss Delray,” Bryce calls out cheerfully as Rod leads me out of the room and back into the dark garage. Bryce’s farewell makes me wonder if I’m going
“We have big plans for you, Simi,” Bryce tells me. “However, you are no longer Simi Fremont.”
“Give me her purse,” Marcia says. I hear Rod walk across the room, and then I’m sure Marcia is going through my things. “Great. Here’s her phone. We know about her mom and Trista and the twins. But we don’t know Michelle’s last name or where she lives yet. You get all that information.”
“I’m already on it,” Bryce says.
“Get rid of the ID. And dump the phone in the usual place.”
“Yeah, yeah … hey, her girlfriend’s last name is Diedericks. With an unusual name like that, it’ll be a cinch to get her address.”
“Why do you want that ?” I demand.
“Who said you can talk?” Rod shoots back.
“Never mind,” Marcia says. “And really, I don’t care if she knows why we want this info. It’s all a matter of security, Simi. We want to make sure you don’t mess things up for us. Your mom and your friends are simply our insurance that you’ll cooperate fully.”
“If you care about their welfare, you’ll do what you’re told,” Bryce adds.
“Are you threatening to — ?”
“It’s all up to you,” Marcia says in a calm but chilling tone. “Your mom and friends, even the dear little toddler twins — everyone will be just fine as long as you play along nicely. But trust me, doll face, the minute you break the rules, your mom and friends pay the price. Do you get me? ”
I’m speechless. How can this be real? How can people be so evil?
“Do you get me?” she growls.
“Yes,” I mutter. “I think so.”
“Good. And don’t think I’m not serious. Rod, maybe you can fill her in on how you’re willing and able to carry out our orders.”
“That’s right. I got no problem going after your mom and your friends. Might even be fun. Especially if mom’s a looker like you.” He lets loose a wicked laugh that makes me feel like vomiting.
I can feel myself swaying now, getting dizzy. “I … need to sit — ”
“Catch her!” Bryce yells.
I feel Rod grab me.
“Get her a chair,” Marcia snaps.
I’m shoved down into a chair and I slump forward and the bag slips off my head. I remain down, pretending like I’ve fainted, but I’m peering through my hair that is over my face, seeing their feet as they hover around me.
Marcia has on ugly beige orthopedic-looking shoes and her ankles are swollen and pouring over the edges, which tells me she’s older. And not exactly the fashion icon I’d imagined while talking on the phone yesterday. Bryce is wearing shiny black loafers and jeans, which leads me to believe he’s somewhat more stylish and younger. They seem a strange pair.
They continue talking about how they plan to trick Mr. T with a bidding war as I sit slumped over. No one seems particularly concerned about me, but I can tell they just think I fainted. Finally I act as if I’m coming to, but before I can sit up, the paper bag is pushed onto my head again.
“Your new name is Serena Delray.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means from now on you will go by Serena . How is that not clear?” Her voice drips in irritation. “Are you really that stupid?” She shoves my purse back into my lap. “Your new ID is in there. Not that you should need it. But just in case.”
“We like to cover our bases,” Bryce says.
“And now it’s time for you to go,” Marcia announces. “Rod? Please see Serena to her limo.”
He chuckles. “You got it.” Now he jerks me to my feet.
“Easy does it,” Bryce says. “No bruises.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Rod is a little gentler as he pushes me to the door.
“Don’t let us down, Serena,” Marcia says. “Your dear mother and friends are counting on you.”
“Bon voyage, Miss Delray,” Bryce calls out cheerfully as Rod leads me out of the room and back into the dark garage. Bryce’s farewell makes me wonder if I’m going
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