Never His Girl (Kings of Cypress Prep #2) - Rachel Jonas Page 0,22
the option, I wouldn’t even want to know what I know. Seemed unfair to dump it on them, too.
But if I’m being honest, I’m tired. Tired of being the sole keeper of my father’s secrets. Tired of trying to figure things out on my own. Tired of being the only bad guy when I definitely don’t hold that title alone.
When I drop down onto the edge of the bed, staring at the floor, I realize I’m done holding it all in. Right or wrong, I’m ready to spill everything I know to the two people I trust most. Ricky’s comment—and the questions it has me asking myself—might be the reason I’m suddenly over it.
“The first time I realized Dad’s a world-class asshole, I was eight,” I confess. “Sneaking into his truck to surprise him on his birthday gave me a ringside seat to him getting head from some random bitch who works for him.”
There’s a weight that lifts off me the second the words leave my mouth, but in no time, it’s replaced with guilt. For having just shifted that burden to my brothers’ shoulders.
“He told me to stop crying and to man up when he realized what I saw. Then, he told me I’d break Mom’s heart if I opened my mouth about it,” I add. “After that, there were clues here and there—a condom wrapper underneath the backseat, sick fucking phone conversations I’ve overheard. But, more recently, there was a picture.”
Instead of explaining, I go for my phone and scroll through the gallery. Dane and Sterling hesitate to leave their post at the door, but eventually step closer. When I lift the screen, showing them the image I found in the safe months ago—covering her tits with my thumb, of course—they both look as confused as I did first laying eyes on it.
“Southside?” Dane questions.
“You think she and Dad are…” Sterling’s voice trails off before finishing his thought.
“Found it on a phone in his safe. The day I stole his credit card,” I explain, lowering my own phone back to the pocket of my sweats.
“This is why you went after her,” Dane finally understands.
“It is,” I admit, “but a lot’s gone down since then.”
Including my stupid ass falling for this girl, without any clear resolution at that.
I sigh, remembering how sure I was about everything back then. How positive I was that she deserved everything I did to her. It was all so black and white.
“That why you freaked out with what her ex said today? You think he knows how Vin and Southside are connected?” Dane asks next.
I shrug. “Honestly, I don’t know what to think anymore.”
Which is true. There’s so much more to tell them, but I don’t even know where to start, or what’s true and what’s a lie.
“Before regionals, when Vin came down to talk, it was about the pics of me and Southside in the pool. He insisted that I stay away from her, admitted they were a thing, then claimed she was only using me to hurt him because he broke things off.”
“He admitted it?” Sterling asks, prompting me to nod. “And you’re sure it’s not bullshit?”
My eyes fall shut and, just like that, I’m back at that night, back in that hotel room. Staring into Southside’s eyes, I could’ve sworn whatever she felt was real. Could’ve sworn it had nothing to do with revenge and had everything to do with her and me.
But then, there were Vin’s words.
“At the time I couldn’t see him copping to something like that if it weren’t true, but … now I’m wondering if I got it wrong.”
My head spins, knowing I have only a few pieces of the puzzle. Knowing I don’t even know where those pieces fit.
“If you were wrong,” Sterling reasons, “that means whatever he’s actually covering up is somehow worse than letting his son think he’d screw a high school girl.”
An affair made so much sense. I mean, this is Vin we’re talking about. Cheating comes as naturally to him as breathing. Not to mention, Southside fits his type to a tee. And he sure as shit doesn’t want me connected to her, but now nothing I know adds up.
Nothing.
When I lean forward and grip my head, my brothers are silent. They have no idea how it feels to question whether I could’ve fucked this all up because of another of our father’s mind games.
“Don’t spiral.” Dane’s words are stern, spoken at the precise moment I need to hear them.