Spoiled is the sequel to Rotten, set in a charming, small town in California, and it follows the lives of Tatum and Ethan as they try to leave their past behind and start anew.
With new identities, the two have worked hard to create a calm, peaceful...
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GROWING UP, ETHAN WAS NEVER SCARED OF GHOSTS. He thought they were just make-believe, a figment of people's imagination used to spook others. It helped that his older brother, Richie, was always a horror movie buff and Ethan had to get used to it pretty quickly.
But now, as he stands in the middle of his beautiful living room that smells like pancakes and baby powder, looking down at picture of Tatum that some creep took, he feels his heart pounding in his chest. The hair on his arms is standing on end, and he can't shake the feeling that someone, or something, is watching them.
The creaking of old floorboards echoes through the hallway, sending shivers down his spine. Every little sound seems to be amplified in the silence, making him jump at every noise. God, and he's fucking home. It's an old house, even if it's renovated, it has old bones and it creaks sometimes.
The shadows dance on the walls, twisting and contorting into unnatural shapes that make him question his sanity. Even the sunshine coming through their large windows is creeping him out, now.
Why the fuck did they choose a place with so much glass to break through and spots for people to spy inside, anyway?
Ethan takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He reminds himself that he's not a child anymore, that ghosts aren't real, that there's nothing to be afraid of. But the fear still clings to him, refusing to let go.
He can't stop looking through the stack of pictures while Tatum, Gale and Sidney speak quickly to each other. Each picture captures a moment of Tatum's life, moments that he thought were just between them. But now, someone has been watching them, following them, and taking pictures.
He examines every detail of Tatum's life, even the ones that he was not a part of. He sees her running errands, chatting with friends over dinner, working at Honeycomb, and even just laughing in their own home. He can spot some of himself here and there, his hand blurry in the background or the sleeves of his favorite shirt in the corner of the photo.
The pictures seem to mock him, reminding him that someone else has been watching Tatum's life unfold while he was blissfully unaware. Ethan's mind starts to race, wondering who could have taken these photos and why. He feels a burning anger towards whoever is responsible for invading their privacy. He'd promised Tatum that she'd be safe here, that Lucy would be safe here.
Tatum shoots a questioning glance at Gale. "And you just got this, nothing else?"
Gale shakes her head. "Two addresses as well, one to that Honeycomb place of yours and one here. Sidney and I decided we should divide to conquer."
Tatum heaves a sigh. "Divide to conquer, seriously? It's like you've never watched a horror movie in your life."
Ethan slams the stack of photos on the table, causing some of them to fly away and scatter across the floor. "And what movie is this, Voyeur Shitfuck Part 1? I can't believe someone's been watching us for God knows how long."
Tatum reaches out to caress Ethan's arm softly. She knows he hates feeling vulnerable, especially in his own home.
He takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He knew he couldn't let his emotions get the best of him. He turns his head towards Tatum, hoping to find some comfort in her gaze.
But Tatum's face is twisted with worry, and her hand on his arm is shaking. He realizes that he's scaring her with his outburst, and he feels a pang of guilt. He knows he needs to be strong for her, to protect her from whatever this is.
Gale scoffs, breaking the tense silence in the room. "Don't act like you're off the hook, pal. It might just be you."
Ethan can't help but roll his eyes. "Right, right. Because I need to be stalking someone I literally share a bed with and see every day, multiple fucking times, actually. And for sure, I'd send them to you, Gale, because I'm so happy that you broke into my house and nearly broke my nose."
Tatum lets out a quiet sigh and leans against Ethan. He doesn't doubt that she can feel the tension radiating off of him, his muscles taut with frustration and fear. She runs her hand over his back soothingly, hoping to calm him down.
It works, because of course it does. His girl knows every little thing about him.
Ethan watches as the group debates what to do next. Their voices are tense, their expressions worried. He can see the fear etched into their features, each one of them trying to hold it together.
"We shouldn't jump to conclusions," Sidney says, her voice steady but her eyes betraying her anxiety. "It's better to be safe than sorry, sure, but it might just be someone playing a messy prank."
Tatum's frustration is palpable as she responds. "This someone knows who we are. How the fuck do they know?"
Ethan takes her hands in his, trying to calm her down. He knows how much she must be holding herself back to stop herself from scratching her skin. "We knew this could happen, Riles."
Tatum lets out a dry chuckle, the sound bitter and tinged with anger. "We're not pulling a Thelma and Louise, Eth.''
Ethan nods, understanding her reluctance to leave their home. They've been through so much to get here, and it's not something they're willing to give up easily. Pulling a Thelma and Louise is what they playfully called their plan B back when they were on the road, which was basically just packing whatever they could in the least amount of time and taking off in the truck if someone ever discovered them. Discovered who they really were.
Maybe they got lazy. Comfortable people are sloppy, his father always said that.
Tatum continues, her voice rising in anger. "This is home. It's our home, it's Lucy's home. And I don't want us to leave just because some asshole thinks following me around town is fun or whatever."
Ethan couldn't bear the thought of Tatum and Lucy being constantly on the move, never settling in one place for too long. He knew firsthand the feeling of being a nomad, always on the run, and he didn't want that for them. He wanted them to have a home, a safe place where they could make memories and live a normal life.
He hated himself for putting them in this position, for making them constantly look over their shoulders and wonder when they would have to pack up and leave again. He wanted to provide for them, to give them a sense of stability and security that he never had.
Gale tries to interject, "This person, whoever they are, can be dangerous."
Tatum scoffs, her eyes blazing. "Or maybe they want some fucking money. Not everything that happens in our lives has to be related to a serial killer."
Ethan nods, mostly just in an attempt to offer support to Tatum. He isn't sure what to make of the situation, but he knows Tatum doesn't want to leave their home, and it's not like he was too excited to leave Le Domas and start anew somewhere else, either. He hopes Gale's worries are unfounded, but he can't shake the feeling that something isn't right.
"If it's money, that won't be a problem, and we'll know soon enough," Ethan says.
Gale asks the question that has been weighing on all their minds. "And if it's not about money? If this person comes knocking with something else in mind?"
Ethan's heart aches with the weight of responsibility he feels for Tatum and Lucy. He knows that he can't change the past, but he can make sure that they have a better future. A future where they don't have to be constantly on the run.
Tatum holds Ethan's hand tightly and looks straight into her mother's eyes when she says, "I'll shoot their brains off through the peephole."
And the craziest thing of all is that Ethan knows she means that wholeheartedly.
