The Girl Thief: An addictive psychological thriller with jaw-dropping twist after twist by J.A. Schneider

Author:J.A. Schneider [Schneider, J.A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-05-30T00:00:00+00:00

40.

The doorknob jiggles. Fear bolts through me. The knob tries again, roughly with louder scrapes because the locked door is being assaulted by a drunk. I gape at Kate.

“Open it,” she says with the same weird calm.

My face shows my conflict.

Her forehead creases. “He’ll just break it down. Please, open it.”

On legs of rubber, I get up gripping my phone. I flip the slide bolt, then the lock, and turn the doorknob. Slowly, I crack the door open.

And step back.

Griff enters. Chin down, dark snide eyes on me, wearing the same rumpled chinos and…a safari shirt - his favorite with the torn, repaired sleeve. Mr. Insane Macho strutting his dominance. There’s also a growing-purple abrasion on his brow, either from my snow globe bash or Kate’s with her lamp.

He looks around mockingly. “Love what you’ve done with the place.”

“Then leave.”

“Aw, is that a nice way to greet a guest?” He’s so drunk. His gait is unsteady.

“No, come in,” Kate croaks from across the room. She clutches her glass, and her body hunches behind the table like it’s a barricade. “You came to placate me? Tell me lies?”

He brushes past me, reeking of booze. Kate’s features are rigid. He sees that and changes his expression. “Okay you’ve got me,” he says, raising his palms and sounding rehearsed. “I did a terrible thing and I’m sorry. Please come back to me.”

“Just to avoid divorce gossip?” Now she glares.

“No. I’m truly sorry.” He oozes fake sincerity, putting his hand to his chest. “I’ll mend my ways.”

“Ha, same old broken promises.” Kate’s voice is ragged. Unsteadily, she turns her glass before her brandy, around and around. It hits the base of the bottle with a clink and then she stops, staring at it. And pushes it away.

I watch them, heart thudding.

Griff steps closer to the table, eyeing the brandy. “Now that looks good. Extra good because there’s something else.”

He sighs dramatically, then flashes a beaten little smile. “I will lift the prenup, Kate. I know it has always hurt you. Stopped you from trusting me, and I’m sorry about that too. So no more prenup.”

“You’ve said that before.”

“I was wrong not to have kept my word.” He waves a hand and his voice is so earnest. “I was stupid and selfish, but now I truly mean it.”

Kate shoots a glance at me. Imperceptibly, I shake my head. Same bullshit.

Griff misses our exchange. He has stepped closer to Kate, attempting sweet-talk about how renewed their relationship will be. “A second honeymoon, anywhere you want,” he coos. “How ’bout Paris? Or London or you name it. C’mon, let’s drink to it and go home.”

He sees the glasses on the messy counter. How casual they look. He grabs two of them and puts them on the table next to Kate’s glass. Then he reaches for the brandy, and pours three drinks.

My breath catches. The cognac is amber-colored and the Hennessey bottle is tinted brown. I inch closer to see if there are any undissolved pill particles at the bottom.

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