All or nothing (Love in chaos #1) - Missy Johnson Page 0,65
the company.” He sighs and finally looks at me fully. “Listen, man, for the last five years, I thought that you messed around with my underage sister. When the rumors first started, of course I ignored them. I mean, you're my best friend, and I know you. You wouldn't ever do that to me, or Liv, or our family. You're not a fucking creep, I know that. But the rumors kept getting bigger, more and more people insisted they were true… I didn't know what to think.”
“You could have asked me,” I can't help muttering, even though I probably wouldn’t have told him the truth.
“Yeah, well, I was going to, and then I overheard Mom on the phone with Dad, saying that she caught you running out of Liv's room. My sister admitted it.”
I frown. My knuckles go white around my glass. Handon. It's a good thing I haven't seen the guy for years, otherwise I'd have some choice words for him. Maybe more than words. Maybe I’d let him know my feelings on the matter using my fists.
“You knew all this time,” I breathe. He nods. I glare at him. “Jake, I'd never go there, especially not with your little sister, and not when she was only fifteen,” I say. “You know me better than that.”
“I thought I knew you better than that,” Jake replies. “But then I heard Mom saying what she said… words don't lie. I flipped out, because I thought you were getting away with it.”
“So why didn't you confront me? You've been holding onto this for five years?” I ask.
“Because it wasn't what Liv wanted. Now I know the real reason, I understand why she wanted it kept secret, but back then I just thought she was doing it to protect you,” he explains. “Besides, you could’ve come to me,” Jake points out. “I know your mom spoke to you about it.”
“Yeah, well I didn’t for the same reason you didn’t,” I mutter. “I figured she had her reasons for using me as a decoy. She was being shipped off to Australia… I didn't want to get her in any more trouble than she was already in.”
Jake looks me in the eye. “Just to be clear, if I’d asked you directly, would you have told me the truth?”
I think about that for a second and then answer honestly.
“No, I wouldn't have.”
Jake takes in a breath and then reaches forward for his drink again. He takes a slow mouthful, killing it, and looks at me when I slide mine over without a word.
“I never expected to win the bet.” Jake takes a mouthful of my drink. “I didn't care either way, I just wanted to see you publicly humiliated, the way my sister was. I wanted you to take me to court.”
I can understand that, as fucked up as it is.
“I don't blame you if we can't get past this,” Jake adds, sizing me up.
“I appreciate you apologizing to me, and I appreciate that you’re voiding the contract,” I answer honestly. “As for getting past this, I’m going to need some time. You fucked with my life, my mom. Hell, you even blackmailed a guy who’s supposed to be your best friend.”
Jake hangs his head. “I feel terrible about all of that—”
“It doesn’t fix things, though, does it?” I sigh. “Look, I get it. I do. If I thought someone had messed with my sister like that, I’d probably be in prison for murder. But fucking with me is one thing. You didn’t give a second thought to using whoever you had to in order to take me down. That’s going to take time for me to get over.”
“Would you feel better if I let you punch me in the face?” He sounds like he’s only half kidding.
“Probably,” I admit. “But it would be a temporary fix and I wouldn’t want to stoop to your level.” I get to my feet and start walking off, but then I stop and turn around. “Oh, and Jake?”
“Yeah?”
“I’d have appreciated this a whole lot more if it came before I racked up an eighteen-thousand-dollar hotel bill.”
Jake’s eyes widen. “Holy fuck, are you serious?”
I shrug. “If I was going out, I was going out with a bang. And I like spoiling your sister.” I grin at him. “Don’t drink too much. You turn into an asshole when you’re drunk.”
Jake smiles sadly. “I’m an asshole all the time.”
Liv is still waiting for me when I get back to my room. I