you. I wanted you to feel a fraction of the pain you left me feeling.”
And there it is. What I always knew and always hoped wouldn’t be true. It was me who drove her into his arms, all because I was a pussy and pushed her away. Still, I can’t let it go.
“Fucking him would’ve destroyed me, Jamiee. You stayed with him for nearly two fucking years.”
“Things changed—I changed. When I was with him, I wasn’t hurting over you. Don’t you dare be angry with me for moving on from you.”
“Angry? You think I’ve been angry all this time?”
“It sure looks that way.”
Turning her back on me, she heads for the bathroom. “I was mad jealous!” I yell, stopping her. “It’s been eating at me, driving me crazy, and torturing me since the day you said you were dating him.”
I can still remember the day like it was yesterday. We were on tour. Alice and Joel were with us, and Jamiee blew in, told us she was dating Deacon, then blew out like a tornado. Only, the blow was more to me than anyone else.
“This isn’t fair,” she whispers, a lone tear falling over her cheek. “You’re twisting things, and you shouldn’t have gone after him.”
“Why did you bother calling me that night? You must’ve known what I’d do.” Regardless of how I feel about her, she knew what would’ve happened. Not just by me, but everyone in the band.
“I…”
I step forward, not wanting to hear more excuses.
“I love you so much, I stood by while you went off with someone else. But, when he hurt you, all bets were off.”
“If you loved me so much, why didn’t you fight for me?” she screams.
“So many fucking reasons,” I mutter.
“List them. I want to hear every single one,” she seethes.
“I was a coward. For a while, I actually thought you were better off with him. And then, I heard you were having his kid…”
My rant fades to nothing when she gasps. I shouldn’t have mentioned the baby.
“How do you know I was pregnant?”
Her voice is so small, I barely hear her.
“Damon told us.”
Believing I’d lost her forever, it broke my heart to hear she was starting a family with him. I swore I’d get her back after Joel died, but when we heard about the baby, it changed everything. I didn’t care if I took her from Lockheart, but once a baby was involved, it would’ve been selfish and wrong. That’s family level shit, and I’m not a guy who destroys families, especially hers.
“You have no idea what I’ve been through,” she says softly. “Please, leave.”
“Jamiee—”
“Just go.”
She flees into the bathroom, and I listen to the lock clicking into place. The last thing I want to do is cause her pain, so I force myself to leave and head back up to my suite. I ignore everyone still lingering around in the living area, apart from Baz. He’s crashed on the couch with my hat pulled down over his face.
Now that I’ve spoken to Jamiee, I’m getting that shower.
7
Jamiee
My mom promised she wouldn’t say anything about my pregnancy until I was past the three-month mark and was ready to tell people myself, including Damon. I’m so glad Freddie doesn’t know the full story. He flipped his shit over a black eye and busted lip, and if he knew the truth, he’d definitely be in jail on a murder charge.
I was shocked more than anyone to find out I was pregnant. I spent two days crying, and another three days holed up with Deacon in his hotel room, thinking my life was over, questioning how we would make a baby work. He was happy, listing off all the reasons we should do it. Freddie was far from my thoughts at that point, and I was glad. I was enjoying all the new possibilities coming my way once I had my head wrapped around the idea, and the world seemed so much bigger to me. He’d made his feelings for me very clear, and I didn’t have the time to waste on what-ifs while I had a new life growing inside of me, preparing to come into the world.
Pulling myself up from the bathroom floor, I dampen a towel with warm water and cover my face with it, when someone knocks at the door. Freddie left hours ago, and I don’t have the energy to go another round with him. Walking to the door, I lean up on my tiptoes and see Alice