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Chapters (45)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Pulse
  4. ONE
  5. TWO
  6. THREE
  7. FOUR
  8. FIVE
  9. SIX
  10. SEVEN
  11. EIGHT
  12. NINE
  13. TEN
  14. ELEVEN
  15. TWELVE
  16. THIRTEEN
  17. FOURTEEN
  18. FIFTEEN
  19. SIXTEEN
  20. SEVENTEEN
  21. EIGHTEEN
  22. NINETEEN
  23. TWENTY
  24. TWENTY–ONE
  25. TWENTY–TWO
  26. TWENTY–THREE
  27. TWENTY–FOUR
  28. TWENTY–FIVE
  29. TWENTY–SIX
  30. TWENTY–SEVEN
  31. TWENTY–EIGHT
  32. TWENTY–NINE
  33. THIRTY
  34. THIRTY–ONE
  35. THIRTY–TWO
  36. THIRTY–THREE
  37. THIRTY–FOUR
  38. THIRTY–FIVE
  39. THIRTY–SIX
  40. THIRTY–SEVEN
  41. THIRTY–EIGHT
  42. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  43. RESOURCES
  44. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  45. What’s next onyour reading list?

“Not like this,” Maddie said, “Nothing like this. But manipulated, used? By a guy I thought I could trust?” And now that she’d started, Maddie was gripped by the need to share the feelings she’d kept bottled up for months. “You know what sucks the most? I’d gotten to a good place, not going to college, staying home, staying with my brother.” Her hand rose to her four-leaf clover. “I had my business. I’d worked hard for it. Landing a big client and my first five-digit paycheck was less about the money and more about proving I could do it.” Tears pricked her eyes, and she fought to hold them back—instinctually at first and then, then because he wasn’t worth it. “He stole it from me. And I didn’t say anything. I should have.” She stood in front of Lucy. “Ryan Thompson’s a bully, a dangerous one. Nice hair and cute smile and a bank account the size of Maine, but he’s a bully all the same. It’s your decision, but I want you to know I’ll support you no matter what. If you’re in, I’m in.”

Lucy was gnawing on her bottom lip like it was a chew toy. But quietly and carefully, she said, “I’m in.” The two of them gravitated toward each other. They turned at the same time . . . to Delia.

TWENTY–ONE

MAJORITY • The percentage of shareholders that must approve significant company decisions; usually greater than fifty percent

THE AIR SMELLED DIFFERENT here. Not here in the common room but here at Mountain View U. Not exactly cleaner, not exactly what she’d had to learn was marijuana, just different. Maybe it had to do with the persistent sunshine or the sprays of wildflowers or maybe . . . maybe the way Delia breathed here was what was different.

She missed it already. They had two weeks of the program left, and she missed it already. Maybe if she didn’t, this wouldn’t be so hard. Because Delia believed that Ryan should be reported, that he couldn’t be allowed to do what he’d done to Emma and Lucy, that no girl should ever be in the position Lucy was in last night.

Delia’s stomach twisted when she imagined what could have happened, what she’d have done if it were her in that passenger seat.

Which was why she was awash in shame at the other thought she was having—that she wished this hadn’t happened to a member of her team, her friend, because of what it meant for her.