Dirty Little Tease (Book 2) The Dirty Little Secrets Series

Chapter Twelve-Becca

Hello, Lovelies, 

Thank you for reading Dirty Little Tease!  I hope everyone is having a wonderful day.  I am feeling a little under the weather, so I'll keep this brief.

News:  I am currently in two contests.  One is the Finding Alaska contest. My entry is on my profile.  It's called First Steps.  I would appreciate it if you would check it out.  Also, I am also in The Romance Reads contest for Wattpad Romance.   Dirty Little Secrets is entered in that under the genre Late Lovers.  Also, I'm still editing Sparked.  I will let you know when I'm finished.  

I hope you like this chapter.  If you do, please consider voting.  Comments are appreciated.  If you have questions, comment or send me a message.

-XXXX Amanda

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I glanced at the clock in the kitchen sighing in relief when I realized there were only fifty minutes left of my shift. Nica sent me a sympathetic glance, her beautiful almond eyes trying to send me comfort with just a look.

She smiled brightly, her gorgeous face brightening. As my eyes moved over her, I felt that small twinge of jealousy I always had when I looked at her. Nica was gorgeous, a mixture of her Samoan and African American roots with golden skin and long dark hair that curled down to her waist. Her shining personality only added to that beauty and it was hard not to give in to her optimism.

"The shift is almost over," she said, her eyes sparkling, "Is there anything you want me to do?"

My eyes traveled over the kitchen, "Only the trash is left," I said on a sigh, "After that, we can go home."

"I'll take the trash out," Nica said, moving toward it.

My stomach clenched in worry and Nica shook her head seeing my hesitance, "Come on...He's after you, not me."

"It didn't stop him from hurting Carina," I said, my heart clenching.

"That was because she was packing up your stuff," she said, raising her brows, "I'm just taking out the trash."

I sighed realizing I was being ridiculous and nodded, "Okay," I said, giving her a small smile.

She pulled the bags from the bin and I turned to get my purse pushing the strap over my shoulder as she stepped outside. I took out my phone and dialed Lance's number placing it against my ear. The service door opened as it began to ring and I dropped it on the counter, my nerves still on edge. The strap to my purse fell from my shoulder before crashing to the floor.

My eyes widened as my hand moved to cover my mouth as I took in the gun pressed against Nica's temple. Her honey gold eyes moved to mine as she shivered.

I backed up realizing my phone was on the counter, the call connected to Lance while I was silently thanking whatever god was above that I hadn't put it on speaker, "Please don't hurt her, Linc!" I said, saying his name as clearly as I could, hoping Lance could hear.

"You're the reason I am losing everything, bitch!" Linc screamed, pressing the gun against her temple harder causing her to flinch away.

"Nica didn't do anything to you," I said, hoping Carina didn't come from the front into the kitchen, "Let her go."

"She'll be a witness," he said, narrowing his eyes and I knew with that statement Linc meant to kill me.

I swallowed as I remembered every moment I had with Lance. My body trembled out of fear, not for my life but the fear I would never see him again. It left an ache in my heart that wouldn't be healed even after death but I still had to give Nica a chance.

"They are going to find out you did this," I said, raising my chin toward the video cameras placed around the kitchen, "There's no reason to kill her. They'll know you did this no matter what you do."

His eyes moved toward the cameras as he straightened, "I'll take out the cameras."

I shook my head, "The videos are uploaded digitally," I said, hoping it was enough to save Nica even if there was no hope of saving me, "The police are probably already on their way."

Linc gritted his teeth, "What will you do to save her?"

"What do you want me to do, Linc?" I said, swallowing because I knew whatever he required would be bad.

An evil glint shined in his eyes as his gaze slid over me, "I want you to beg," he said, raising his brows, "I want you to beg for her life on your knees."

I nodded once as tears fell from my eyes down my cheeks as I dropped to my knees knowing if I hesitated he would pull the trigger. My head was bowed, "Please let Nica live," I said, clasping my hands in front of me. My voice was broken as I continued, "She didn't do anything to you. I did. Please let her go."

"Look at me, bitch!" He growled, "I want to see your eyes. I want to see if you mean it."

I took a deep breath and raised my head. My eyes meeting his, "Please don't kill her," I said, as tears continued to slide down my face.

"She has helped keep you from me, hasn't she?" He asked, tilting his head as he stared into my eyes.

I knew if I admitted that she had, she would die. So, I shook my head, hoping I could find a way to make him believe me.

"Don't you think she would have been more careful if she was helping me?" I asked, my bottom lip trembling, "She would have known to be careful while taking out the trash. She would have been looking for you to show up."

The gun faltered for a moment but then, pressed into Nica's head again causing her to whimper, "I don't believe you," he said, his eyes narrowing, "You had that other bitch helping you."

"She was only packing my belongings," I said, raising my chin, "Until you attacked her, she only knew we broke up."

"She was taking you away from me!" He said, his voice low, "Just like him...Just like Lance."

I winced as he said Lance's name, that ache in my heart becoming more intense, "Lance didn't take me from you," I said, softly, "You did the moment you decided to hurt me."

"But you're with him," he said, narrowing his eyes, "You live with him. I've seen you kiss him...Today when he drove you to work."

I straightened as I realized he had been here the whole time. He was simply waiting for his chance to get to me.

"You've been here all night?" I asked, frowning.

His lips twisted into an evil smirk, "I was going to wait until he picked you up to do this but then, this opportunity presented itself and I couldn't pass it up," he said, narrowing his eyes, "You'll die and I wonder how he'll feel about that. I'm sure it will torture him for the rest of his life which is much better than simply killing him."

A tremble slid through me because he was right. If I died tonight, Lance would blame himself for the rest of his life. I closed my eyes as tears flowed down my cheeks. The pain of never seeing Lance again and the reality that he would blame himself for being unable to save me mixed into the most excruciating pain I had ever known because I knew what it was like to not be able to save someone. Barrett had died and if I had walked in a few minutes earlier I could have saved him. It was a pain I lived with every day. I didn't want that for Lance but I feared there was no way to stop it.

"Look at me," Linc growled but I knew the moment I did he would pull the trigger and I would die.

"I said look at me," he demanded, his voice taunting, "Unless you don't want to save your friend."

Pain twisted through me as I raised my head and opened my eyes and stared down the black tunnel of the barrel of the gun. Lance's face flashed through my mind as I waited for my life to end.