The Arrangement 9

He nods and looks over at me, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. “Yeah, well, not for long. I didn’t realize it until she got there, but I didn’t want her. I wanted you.” I blink at him over and over again. He sees the look on my face. “What’s wrong?”



“Nothing.” Everything. The things he’s said that don’t make sense start to snap into place. I’m almost too afraid to ask, but I do it anyway. “Uh, Sean. What’s your cell number?”



He looks over at me. “Why?”



“Just tell me.” He does. The number doesn’t match the one in my phone from last night. “Is that your only phone?”



“Yeah…” he’s smiling at me, waiting for a punch line that doesn’t come. My mind reels, as I realize what’s happened. The guy last night, all the messages, the things I typed, the pictures, and videos. Oh God. Horror washes across my face as I stare blankly. I broke every rule Black has, thinking I was doing it with Sean, but it wasn’t him. Sean tilts his head to the side and catches my eye. “Avery, what’s going on?”



My heart pounds harder, slamming into my ribs. Oh my God. “Someone hired me last night, and pretended to be you.”