Fraud

Ivy

What a dumbass, I think as I climb from the back of a rental car to step out into the warm sunshine of Miami.

It’s been a little over a month since I bagged and tagged Gabriel before dumping him on Ta

Yet, I am.

On a daily basis.

Fine, more like constantly, unfortunately, my thoughts happily moving along throughout the day only for a glimpse of him to ride in like one of the four horsemen to ruin my peace and serenity.

Not all the thoughts are the same, though.  They change with each passing day.

Some are memories of the past, all painful, hilarious or bittersweet. While others are of the date we had, a toxic stew of conflicting emotions I haven’t yet been able to manage.

Today, my thoughts are disbelief.

Mostly I can’t believe he fell for my game. Gabriel has always been smarter than that, and it makes me wonder if he had been playing me the entire time.

I wouldn’t put it past him to play along for the exact purpose of forcing me to strike out. That way, he has an excuse to wreck my life to get even.

When it comes to Gabriel, there is one golden rule you must always follow:

Never believe him.

Not even once.

To do so is to guarantee your world is about to be ruined.

It was smart of me to run the next day. That, I know for sure.

Telling my father that I needed a little rest and relaxation, I set off for a six-month leisurely tour of all the best beaches the States have to offer.

Really, I’m just keeping moving because it’s easier than constantly watching my back.

So while the first month was spent traveling the lengthy shores of su

After this, I have no idea where I’ll go, just that I’ll keep going. And honestly, when the six months are up, I might just head out of country.

This is the Inferno we’re talking about, and anybody with any level of intelligence knows pissing them off by not paying their price is a very bad idea.

Was it stupid of me to poke the angry bear?

You better fucking believe it.

But was it something that had to be done?

Also a yes, because I refuse to let the Inferno bully me.

Thankfully, Ava has been keeping me apprised of all their ongoings, a warning sent out when Gabriel left the state a few weeks ago, which turned out to be nothing.

At least, according to Ava, it was nothing. To me, it was another sign that ru

The problem with having a family that’s involved with shady people is that they do shady things. Things I wouldn’t know about if I hadn’t walked down the wrong hall, on the wrong day, at the wrong time.

I don’t want to know the things I know, and I’m not sure Gabriel and the rest of his group would be opposed to physically torturing me to get me to spill the details.

For what reason? I’m not sure. But as soon as Ava mentioned Gabriel went to Georgia, I knew the only thing that would keep me safe is to never stop moving around so that he can never find me.

And that’s what I’m doing.

The skies above my head are a pristine blue with a speckling of white clouds chasing the distance, the sunshine radiant where it paints my skin, now tan from the weeks I’ve spent vacationing.

I walk into the luxury hotel that sits front and center on a picturesque stretch of beach, with white sand, blue water and carefree days spread out like heaven in front of me.

Scott trails at my back, my luggage stacked in a rolling cart, my strappy heels clicking merrily across the glimmering polished marble floors as I approach the desk to check in.

The front desk attendant is a younger man with a pressed uniform, thick brown hair and honey brown eyes. His smile is insanely charming, but not quite as stu

Then again, nobody’s smile compares to the liar’s.

I wouldn’t be surprised to know he stares in the mirror on the regular just to perfect it.

And there I go thinking about him again.

This shit needs to end.

“Checking in?”

I return the friendly grin and answer, “There should be a reservation for Ivy Callahan. Room 14B.”

He taps his agile fingers over the computer keyboard, his smile stretching wider to confirm I’m a big spender. 14B is one of the coveted corner suites with a large wraparound balcony providing a breathtaking view of the ocean.

“Yes, Miss Callahan. We’ll need a credit card on file to book your room.”

Digging through my wallet, I grab my father’s black card, which is an endless supply of cash that never lets me down.

The attendant swipes it, clicks a few keys, and is printing me out an electronic key within seconds.

“Enjoy your stay, Miss Callahan. If there’s anything we can do for you, please let us know.”

Scott and I head up to my suite, and after depositing my bags, Scott does his usual disappearing act after confirming he’ll pick me up again later to drive me around town. I have no idea where he stays when we’re out of state. It’s just never the same place as me.

I’ve always found that odd, but then he’s not really a bodyguard like we led Gabriel to believe, he’s just a regular driver who happens to be in really good shape. For that reason, he has no need to be at my side 24/7. He only needs to be available when I want to go somewhere.

His acting on the night of my date with Gabe, however, was amazing, the entire thing a ruse to make me seem as meek and mild as possible.

Like an idiot, Gabriel believed it. But then, a lot of people do. I have two distinct and separate lives, the one I make available to the public and the real one.

After getting busted in high school for all the trouble I caused, I learned quickly that on the surface, I need to appear like Mary Poppins, while the real me continues with the normal shenanigans outside of view.

That’s typical of life lived under a microscope, though. You present one public face that’s only a practiced mask intended to deceive.

That’s why I have two accounts on every social media site, one under my real name, and another using a fake name only my i

I spend the next few hours updating both.

According to my fake accounts, I’m back at home attending to all my usual functions, while on my real accounts, I’m documenting all the fun I’m having without mentioning exactly where I am.

After accomplishing that, I step outside onto the balcony, my eyes sca

The crash of waves lulls me into a relaxed stupor, my hair lifting from my shoulder by a light breeze that carries the scent of the ocean with it.

Seagulls dance through blue skies, their high-pitched calls adding to the chorus of serenity the beach provides.

I could live in a place like this if my father would let me, but he insists I stay in the city near him, although he’s never given me a reason why.

The man won’t let me do anything with myself. A job is out of the question, as well as anything else, and I’m of the opinion that he is determined to mold me into a replica of my social butterfly mother.

Except, that’s the last thing I want, and while I could rebel and take off to do my own thing, there is still the weight of loyalty and responsibility that sits heavily on my shoulders.