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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TATUM WATCHES SASHA CLOSELY, TAKING IN HER TEAR-STREAKED FACE AND THE QUIVER IN HER VOICE. She can feel the weight of the story as it settles over the group, heavy and suffocating. It's like they're all holding their breath, waiting for the next shoe to drop.
"You all lied," Tatum says, her tone more understanding than accusatory.
Sasha lets out a sob, the weight of the truth finally breaking her. "He was already really fucking dead, so it's not like they could put him in jail, right?"
Tatum nods, urging Sasha to continue. She knows how hard it must be for her to relive these memories, but it's important that they all face the truth.
"So you moved his body?" Tatum asks, her voice barely above a whisper.
"It was Xander's idea," Sasha explains. "I was really drunk, I could get into real trouble. He just wanted to protect me."
Ethan's voice breaks the silence. "But we searched about the accident. Every report says it was just you, Xander, and Henry in the car."
Sasha nods, the weight of her guilt evident in her tear-stained face. "Mom and Dad would've sent Wyatt away. He wasn't supposed to get into any more trouble. I mean, Wit at military school? He would have crumbled, I'm sure of it. I told him to leave, and Maia had to help him because his leg was busted."
Tatum can feel the tension in the air, the guilt and fear and pain all swirling around them like a toxic cloud. She wants to comfort Sasha, to tell her it's all going to be okay, but she knows that's not true. They're all in too deep now, and there's no going back.
Tatum's heart is pounding as she looks at Sasha, trying to keep her own voice steady. "Sasha," she says, "do you think there's any way Henry didn't die that night?"
Sasha's eyes widen in horror at the suggestion. "That's impossible," she says, her voice trembling.
Ethan speaks up, his expression serious. "Is it?"
Sasha's voice rises with panic. "Yes! Yes, yes, it's just impossible, alright? He was as dead as they get."
Tatum and Ethan exchange a look, silently communicating their doubts. Three out of the five people in that car are dead. It can't be a coincidence.
Tatum turns back to Sasha, trying to be gentle. "Sasha, try to get in touch with Xander. We need to make sure he's safe."
Sasha starts to sob, her voice breaking. "Oh my God, is he the next target?"
Tatum and Ethan share a worried glance. It's a possibility they can't ignore. "Don't tell him where we are," Ethan instructs. "If he asks, we're with the police."
He might be the next target.
Or he might be the killer.
As Tatum watches Sasha fumble with her phone, her mind races with questions. Who could be doing this? And why? And is there any chance that Henry is still alive, somehow? She pushes the thought out of her mind.
