“You want answers? Then stop acting like some helpless little girl and do something about it,” Tessa said, her voice dripping with disdain.
I flinched at her words, but I kept my ground, standing in the middle of the empty coffee shop we’d agreed to meet at. The rain outside blurred the windows, matching the storm swirling in my chest.
“I’m here, aren’t I?” I shot back, my voice firmer than I felt. “Do you think I’d ask you for help if I had another choice?”
Tessa leaned back in her chair, her perfectly manicured nails tapping against the table. “That’s the thing about you, Lila. You pretend to be strong, but when it comes down to it, you’re just waiting for someone to save you.”
“Are you done psychoanalyzing me, or are we going to talk about Evelyn?” I snapped, crossing my arms to keep my hands from shaking.
Her lips curled into a smirk. “There she is. A little fire suits you better.”
I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to take a deep breath. “Look, I know you don’t like me. And frankly, I don’t care. But you know something about Evelyn, and I need the truth. So if you can stop playing games for five minutes, maybe we can help each other.”
Tessa tilted her head, pretending to consider my words. “Help each other? Interesting choice of words, considering the mess you’re in.”
I resisted the urge to snap at her again, biting down on my frustration. “You said you wanted the Cross brothers exposed. So do I. Let’s start there.”
Her smirk widened, and she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. “If you want the truth, Lila, you’re going to have to get your hands dirty. Can you handle that?”
I hesitated for a moment, the weight of her words sinking in. Could I? Did I really want to dive deeper into this twisted nightmare?
But then I thought about Evelyn. About the notes, the threats, the feeling that someone was always watching me. I didn’t have a choice.
“I don’t have a choice, do I?” I said quietly, meeting her gaze.
“No,” Tessa replied bluntly. “You don’t. But here’s the thing—you’re not going to like what you find.”
“Let me worry about that,” I said, my voice steady despite the fear bubbling beneath the surface. “What do you know?”
Tessa sat back, crossing her arms as she studied me. “First, you’re going to promise me something.”
“Promise you what?”
“That you’ll stop playing the helpless victim and start taking control. If we’re doing this, you’re not going to sit around and wait for the brothers to swoop in and protect you. Agreed?”
I hesitated, but I knew she was right. If I wanted answers, I couldn’t rely on the brothers—not anymore. “Agreed.”
“Good,” Tessa said, satisfied. She pulled out her phone, scrolling through her photos before setting it down on the table. “Do you know what makes my family different from the Cross family?”
I frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“My dad doesn’t rely on muscle to protect what’s his. He relies on technology. Security cameras, motion detectors, digital backups—you name it.”
“What does that have to do with Evelyn?”
Tessa’s smirk returned, but this time it was colder. “Because those cameras caught something the night she disappeared. Something no one else knows about.”
My heart skipped a beat, and I leaned forward. “What did they catch?”
Tessa held up a finger. “Ah, ah. Don’t get ahead of yourself. If I’m going to share this with you, I need to know you’re serious.”
“I am serious,” I said, my voice trembling with frustration. “Just tell me what you know.”