SAMANTHA
I was finishing my shift by taking the garbage out at midnight when I felt someone behind me. Dropping the bag, I whirled around. I didn’t know if I was going to launch myself at them or run, but my knees were bent and ready to do one or the other.
I did neither.
It was Kate.
I felt the old disdain automatically rise up. Mason’s psycho ex-f**k buddy. I wouldn’t have recognized her except for the cold hatred in her eyes. She’d filled out, gaining a few pounds since high school, and she wore a low-cut red corset. Her blond hair was pulled back in two French braids, and she wore heavy makeup with raccoon-style eyes and bright red lips. Glitter on her lipstick matched the glitter spread over her chest. She took me in as I stared right back at her.
“Holy s**t,” I breathed.
“What’
