Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 75720 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75720 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Yvette wasn’t the only one who would need to be dragged out of here.
“Alright, everyone settled in?” I asked as we gathered around the fireplace. We’d already claimed our rooms (while I claimed Noah) and were ready to start the book club, wineglasses in hand and books on laps.
I looked to Noah, sitting directly across from me, his legs crossed and a pleasant smile on his face, likely brought on by the orgasm of his that I’d swallowed about fifteen minutes ago. I could still taste him on my tongue, a salty-sweet memory of his release lingering on my taste buds. Part of me was still in shock at the gift he got me, one of the nicest gifts I’d ever received. His thoughtfulness, his kindness, his heart—it meant the world to me. It felt like winning the lotto over and over again every time I caught his eye and felt the butterflies in my gut kick up again, creating a mini whirlwind of multicolored wings as they fluttered around in giddy excitement.
He was my guy. And I never wanted to let him go, ever.
I got a cluster of affirmations from the group, and suddenly, the warmth of Noah’s gaze shifted into nerves as the attention all turned toward me. I wasn’t exactly used to leading a group and always got a little stage fright whenever the spotlight turned toward me, but looking around at the group of smiling friends worked like an antidote, curing the nerves and allowing me to feel a deep sense of comfort. I sunk further into my seat and opened the book.
“Alright, guys, so we’re almost done with the book. Tonight, I wanted to talk about Gabrielle and how she still doesn’t know the jewelry she ordered is made out of bones. But before we get started, let me explain tonight’s game.” From out of my book, I took out a bookmark I got custom-made for tonight. It was a glossy bookmark shaped like a rainbow with the book club’s name printed across it. “For tonight, we’re playing Drinking under the Rainbow. Every time someone takes the stage to speak, you spin the rainbow first, and whoever the two ends land on has to drink. Sound good?”
Another round of head nodding and excited yeses followed. So far, so good.
“Let me kick it off.” I leaned forward and spun the bookmark, the rainbow stopping and landing on Tia and Jess. They both raised their glasses and clinked them together before taking their drink.
I clapped my hands together, looking around the group. “Now, I want to have a vote: who here thinks Archie is the killer and jewelry maker?”
Nearly the entire room enthusiastically raised their hands. Everyone except for Noah.
“Who do you think it is?” I asked, looking at the handsome man across from me and wishing he was sitting on my lap instead.
“I think it’s actually Gabrielle. I think she’s killing these people and then making the jewelry to sell online, but she’s been buying from her own store so that she can have the keepsakes. I think that the abuse Archie did to her was enough to make her lose it.”
The hands in the room slowly started to fall. Noah made sense, and he framed the narrative in a way I hadn’t thought of before. “So you think the few chapters from the murderer’s POV is actually Gabrielle?” I asked.
“I do,” he said, looking proud at his detective skills. “Think about it. Both Gabrielle and the killer are obsessed with the color red, while Gabrielle is also obsessed with making Archie’s life a living hell. I think he’s going to be the final victim.”
“Damn,” Tristan said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I think you figured it out.”
“Too bad I can’t figure out the mysteries happening in my own life,” he said, shoulders slumping.
That did something to the room. Shifted the mood. Noah was going through a living nightmare, and I was sure that we all wished we could crack the case. Eric, who was sitting next to Noah on the couch, put a reassuring arm around his friend’s shoulder. He was a big bear of a man, his frame dwarfing Noah’s next to him. “Why don’t we put book club on hold tonight and try to use those detective skills on figuring out what the hell is going on?”
“I like that plan,” Yvette said, pushing a rogue curl behind her ear. “I’ll admit, I’ve been doing some googling. Trying to figure out how other stalking cases have been cracked.”
“What did you find?” Noah asked.
She chewed on the inside of her cheek. “Nothing very helpful. It does always seem like the stalker is someone close to the person. It’s not usually some rando online that decides to fixate on you.”
“But the only person I can think of that’s close to me and would do something like that is Franky…”