Tag(s):
• Crime
• Supernatural

Celine got into bed, downed a bottle of Xanax and a handle of Maker’s Mark, and never woke up. But when Maggie discovers secrets in the childhood lock box hidden in Celine’s apartment, she begins asking questions. Questions about the man Celine fell in love with. The man she never told anyone about, not even Maggie. The man who Celine herself claimed would be her ruin.

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• Total: 95

• 1

  PROLOGUE
  Maggie
  December 23, 2015
  My wrists burn.
  Hours of trying to break free of the rope that binds m

• 2

  But she never told me that. I found out through her mother just last week.
  Her apartment looks more l

• 3

  The house in La Jolla was going up for sale. Dad was buying a condo close to the airport, to make tr

• 4

  And I’m not just writing checks from my house in California. I’m right there in the trenches, witnes

• 5

  But no phone.
  I know she didn’t have it on her when she died. The funeral home arranged for all perso

• 6

  A girl who I just can’t believe would kill herself.
  What if the police have it wrong?
  When I drift off

• 7

  “Wow.”
  He must sense my lack of excitement because his mouth flattens and that snooty tone reemerges.

• 8

  “Okay.” I turn my phone on to check for any messages—there are several, most work-related that I’ll

• 9

  She only died two weeks ago. So far, I’m not impressed with Detective Chester Childs.
  With a big meat

• 10

  I throw an angry hand toward the picture I just showed him. “And you don’t think this is a tad suspi

• 11

  The receptionist adjusts her headset. “Do you have an appointment?”
  “Tell her it’s Maggie Sparkes.” I

• 12

  Isn’t she?
  “Are you feeling okay?” Dani leans in, scowling. “You’re a little pale.”
  “Yeah.” I clear my

• 13

  
  Rosa made Celine swear that she wouldn’t tell me just yet. They planned on telling me together, when

• 14

  Farther down are his qualifications for the “perfect woman”—confidence, attention to detail, an appr

• 15

  He eases himself upright until he’s sitting within the hammock, his brown suede slippers planted fir

• 16

  
  “You just moaned the old lady’s name.”
  “Oh, God! Ruby!” he moans again with exaggeration.
  I can’t help

• 17

  What Dani doesn’t remark on—and I’m thankful for it—is the fact that I’m wearing one of Celine’s dre

• 18

  “So he doesn’t want my money?” This is a first.
  “His time—and your time—is valuable. He wants to have

• 19

  
  I watch and wait, searching for a good opportunity to bring up Celine. I know there will definitely

• 20

  “Hot dog?” she asks, handing the vendor a twenty and collecting her lunch, dumping streams of condim

• 21

  “Venture to the LES again?” He heaves a dramatic sigh. “I suppose I could.”
  I decide that I both like

• 22

  
  Books spill out everywhere.
  The crates are full of little books, ranging from pink journals with unic

• 23

  She hated it.
  There are five diaries dedicated to how much she hated it. How the kids found out that

• 24

  But this diary, with its black, soft suede engraved letter C . . .
  I need to stop now. To catch a bre

• 25

  How I ended up with a roommate and friend with such loose morals, I’ll never be able to explain. She

• 26

  I hope Raymond didn’t rip me off.
  “How was it?” Patty exclaims as I push through the door and kick of

• 27

  And she tells herself over and over again that it’s okay. A lot of girls do it to get through school

• 28

  “I’ve had a really bad few days and I thought I might feel better up here.”
  He still says nothing, hi

• 29

  “I did. She never noticed any men visiting. Ever.”
  “Did Celine mention names or anything like that in

• 30

  Grady takes the foil packet from my fingers and tears at it with his teeth until it comes apart. I s

• 31

  “Would you happen to know of one who is good at more than catching cheating spouses?”
  He sighs, and t

• 32

  Doug frowns. “No, keep it up. It’s harmless and you may learn something else.” He smiles, the first

• 33

  
  “Hey, are you going to be okay?”
  “Claustrophobia,” I manage to force out. I rarely ever admit that to

• 34

  
  “Maggie!” I’m only faintly aware of two strong hands gripping my shoulders. “You’re hyperventilating

• 35

  
  Grady’s arm tightens around me, reminding me of the last time I was lying in this hammock with him.

• 36

  “Uh . . .” I follow him to her desk, where he grabs the sheet of passwords I set out, and then he ya

• 37

  My eyes veer to a box in which I had wrapped up a set of crucifixes and other ornate church parapher

• 38

  
  Right. I did do that. I was so relieved when I saw the email request this morning, I answered quickl

• 39

  
  “It was definitely something on her mind.”
  “That’s a great idea, Maggie,” Grady offers softly, close

• 40

  
  “Sure.” Though I don’t know that I’ll do anything with it. Yet. “Is there a Jay in her contacts list

• 41

  “A mixture of medication and alcohol.”
  “Was it . . . ,” she struggles for the words, a few tears slip

• 42

  
  “Celine stopped taking client calls through me after the incident, so if she was meeting with men af

• 43

  
  “Not a seal written in kaishu!”
  “Hans . . .” Sometimes I wonder if he truly forgets that normal peopl

• 44

  
  And this red dragon . . .
  I could have just spent fifteen dollars on something that came off an assem

• 45

  “Could mean a whole lot of things. Maybe your friend deleted the pictures and the blog post. She may

• 46

  
  “His parents. What for?” Doug asks.
  I tell him what I learned over lunch, specifically about the vast

• 47

  He taps the envelope. “Where’d you get this information?”
  “From Celine’s phone.”
  “So you found her pho

• 48

  
  Or . . .
  Grady glances over his shoulder quickly. He’s blocking the door from the inside with his kne

• 49

  
  We leave the store and head down Mott Street, weaving through throngs of pedestrians and around the

• 50

  
  “I think it’s exciting.” Her old eyes crinkle with her smile. “Do you think he actually has the vase

• 51

  
  “You said you were considering investing more money with me.”
  “No . . . Actually I said I wanted your

• 52

  
  “Maybe, señorita.” Carla isn’t even looking at me, as she continues her duties. Given that Carla’s o

• 53

  
  “I’m so sorry. Red wine sometimes does this to me.”
  I smile, and it’s genuine but for all the wrong r

• 54

  Jace’s motionless body still lies stretched out on the couch.
  “He’s still sleeping,” I whisper with a

• 55

  He Will be My Ruin Page 55
  
  “How far does this video feed go back?” Doug asks.
  “It’s motion-activated,

• 56

  
  He reaches a hand out for her, beckoning her closer. She hesitates for one . . . two . . . three sec

• 57

  
  And stare at my phone.
  Doug called to relay a message from Zac that Jace did wake up. I guess the Amb

• 58

  
  I feel him hardening against my wrist, so I guess the pain has faded. I help it along by wrapping my

• 59

  
  “Well, it’s certainly more glamorous than what I normally do on a Sunday night,” Ruby muses, smiling

• 60

  
  I’ve never responded well to that look. “How long have you known her?”
  “Almost seven months.”
  “Are you

• 61

  I knew this was coming and yet I’m still somehow not prepared. “I don’t know what you’re talking abo

• 62

  
  I was a week away from handing in my resignation to Vanderpoel so I could start school in a month. T

• 63

  He seems more amused than bothered. “Maybe I’ll see you around.”
  “Maybe.” I stand there like an obtus

• 64

  
  He shrugs. “We really hit it off. She was beautiful, smart, and motivated. Classy. We went out for d

• 65

  
  “Why were you there?”
  “Because she called to tell me that she had found the perfect gift for my mothe

• 66

  “Oh, dear. That can’t be good.” Her words are on point, but her tone says she’s more curious than co

• 67

  
  Finally, a reaction from the always calm and collected Grady.
  “So you’re saying it’s not true?” There

• 68

  
  “Would you know anything about that?”
  “I know absolutely nothing about how a technology genius the li

• 69

  “He was definitely on a high when I left him,” I mutter sarcastically. “Maybe he’ll forget.” I’m fur

• 70

  
  A knock sounds.
  Taking a deep breath, I open the door. “Hey.”
  I have always found his piercing hazel e

• 71

  
  He chuckles. “I have enough money.” He steps in even closer, settling his hands on either side of th

• 72

  
  Soon, all traces of my best friend will be gone.
  While that saddens me, I also need something to occu

• 73

  
  “She didn’t tell me anything.” Ruby slowly swirls the silver spoon around her cup and very simply sa

• 74

  Finally, they’re at the front door again.
  “It was nice meeting you,” Jemma offers, eying me cautiousl

• 75

  
  “Oh . . . I’d say so. But let’s wait for Doug. He’ll be here in five. He likes to do the grand revea

• 76

  “So he’s a hacker.”
  Zac chuckles. “A hacker? No. I’m a hacker. James Hartford is a fucking god. He go

• 77

  December 15, 2015
  “I think it’s safe to say we have enough proof that Grady was paying Celine for sex

• 78

  
  “And Grady gets jealous? Angry?” I can’t picture him angry.
  But I also can’t picture him paying Celin

• 79

  “Are you kidding me?” I stare at Doug and Zac in shock.
  This seems far too easy.
  CHAPTER 40
  Maggie
  “He d

• 80

  We’re now in his apartment.
  Well, the police are.
  “I didn’t think you were Missing Persons, Detective

• 81

  “Or a shrine. He clearly felt something strong for her. But we haven’t seen anything that indicates

• 82

  
  With glasses poured—our second pricey bottle—and alone once again, Jace turns back to me. “All right

• 83

  
  “Whatever makes you comfortable,” he says easily. “I don’t want you to worry. I’ll take good care of

• 84

  
  “You have to find him.”
  Doug squeezes my shoulder. “And you have to get on that plane tomorrow mornin

• 85

  
  “It doesn’t matter where you are, it feels like they’re watching you, doesn’t it?” a deep male voice

• 86

  
  I chug back a large gulp as he pulls out onto the street. “I hope so. Hans said there was a lot of i

• 87

  
  I don’t even scream. Without even trying, I know that my voice is long gone.
  Is this his place?
  Pickin

• 88

  
  I catch Jace’s icy gaze in the mirror and I hold it defiantly, refusing to show the fear he wants to

• 89

  
  I bolted from my desk and ran for the office restrooms, but not before several people saw the tears

• 90

  
  It must be infectious because I can feel his excitement now, too. “What would something like this be

• 91

  I laugh through my sobs and I sound even more pathetic. “You’re only just realizing that now? I’m he

• 92

  
  I’ll sleep well tonight. I can feel it.
  CHAPTER 47
  Maggie
  December 23, 2015
  “She was fucking obsessed wi

• 93

  
  “Maybe not. But then there’s also his car, which has a soiled trunk full of your DNA—thank you for t

• 94

  
  “And his lawyers will argue that you were ‘not of right state of mind,’ pumped full of drugs. Best t

• 95

  
  The police confirmed that the two other women in videos found on Grady’s computer are alive and well