Broken and Screwed 2 (The BS Series) (27 page)

“I told your parents to fuck off.”

“What?”

“Your dad came to a game over the break. He tried to talk to me afterwards and I told him to fuck off. I didn’t want to hear anything.”

“Oh.” Now I was really spinning inside. Jesse had stood up for me. He’d been loyal and stood against my parents when so many hadn’t stood beside me. I had no idea what to do, or feel, or think, or…I had no idea.

He pulled me close and pressed a kiss to my lips. “Your parents were shit to Ethan and they were shit to you. They’ve been nice to me, but if they don’t make it right with you, I told him to take a hike. They’re trying to make things right with you.”

“Oh my god,” I whispered.

“What?”

“Oh my god.” I couldn’t say anything more. I already knew what they were going to do. My parents were going to force themselves to be nice to me. They were going to ‘make things right’ so they could still have Jesse in their lives. The information about Ethan confused me. They’d been horrible to him as well? But I thought they wanted to replace their son with a new one? That had been Jesse’s purpose, hadn’t it? And now hearing this—I couldn’t formulate a single thought anymore. I was spinning out of control.

“Just come to dinner and hear them out.”

I was still in shock when Jesse pulled me back to the group. He kept a hand in mine as he introduced me to his sister. I hoped that I was nice because I didn’t remember anything I said or did until we got to the restaurant. Beth must’ve sensed how I was feeling because she stuck close the entire ride there.

I didn’t know what my relationship with him was anymore, but he kept a hand on my leg the entire time. And because of the latest betrayal from my parents, I clung to him. Ethan’s secret took second priority to my first, just surviving the night.

Malcolm had
the back of a restaurant reserved for us. As everyone took their seats, Jesse’s roommates were at one end of the table along with their dates. Tiffany was the closest to us and she sat beside her cousin, who was beside me. Jesse was next to the head of the table, where his father was located. The model girlfriend was across the table from Jesse. My parents were next, directly across from me, and his sister sat between my mother and Kara.

So far, my parents hadn’t said a word to me. I was thankful, but I whispered to Jesse, “I thought this was supposed to be a small thing.”

“It was until my dad showed up at the house before the game. He invited everybody else. I’m sorry.”

This was way easier. He had nothing to be sorry about. I shrugged as my wine was poured. “I’ll need more of that stuff.”

He grinned and nodded. “Noted.”

“So, Alex,” Malcolm boomed, drawing everyone’s attention to us. “Your father mentioned on the way over here that you’ve been seeing my son for a while now. I wasn’t aware the two of you were official as a couple.”

“Dad.”

“What?” He turned an innocent eye to his son. “From what I gathered, it was a casual situation with you two. When did it become more?”

“Stop it, Dad.”

“You were aware of the two?” my father spoke up, frowning.

“I walked in on them.”

“Dad, stop. I mean it.”

“What? Come on, Jesse. You must remember. You keyed Laurel’s car that day.”

“Who’s Laurel?” Malcolm’s girlfriend spoke up. She’d been eyeing Jesse since we sat down. The soft seductive tone wasn’t meant for his father.

Jesse stiffened, but clipped out, “It was the day before, but you two were so engrossed with each other you didn’t even know when we came home.”

“Because you snuck in. You knew I wouldn’t have approved.”

“You had no idea,” Jesse tossed back. “And you wouldn’t have given a shit. You never did. Alex had been around the house long before that.”

His father pinned me to my chair, but he spoke to his son, “You mean this had started before that?”

“No, but I grew up with Alex. You wouldn’t have given it a second thought. That was my point.”

“I would’ve appreciated a heads-up, Malcolm.” My father was still frowning fiercely at his friend, sharing Jesse in the look. “But I would like to know the same as your father. When did this become more serious?”

Jesse shrugged as he leaned back. One of his arms came to the back of my seat. I sucked in my breath and hunched forward, but his hand caught my shoulder. He pulled me back so his head could rest more comfortably there. He patted me when I did as he wanted. As he responded, his hand began to trace a light circle over my skin, “It’s always been serious for me. I stayed away because of Ethan.”

Malcolm nearly choked on his wine. He sat it down forcefully. Some of the liquid spilled out from the movement. “Ethan knew?”

“Ethan knew I had feelings for her. He always told me to stay away from her.” Then Jesse pinned my father with a look. He was unusually calm as he discussed my brother, while my father shifted now in his seat. “His lawyers delivered a letter to me that he’d written before his accident. He wanted his little sister to be unharmed. He felt that included me. I was supposed to stay away from her, so she wasn’t hurt by any additional emotional stress.”

I sucked in another breath as I saw my father pale. The blood drained from him and he jerked a hand forward for his wine. He drank the entire thing in one gulp.

Malcolm seemed impervious. “Jesse, I have a few movies coming up. You’d be perfect for some of the roles. And I’ve already checked with your coach, it won’t interfere with basketball or your training schedules at all.”

“Dad. Stop.”

“Extra exposure is good for you. It will never hurt to get your face out there. You’re already known in your basketball circles and people are starting to take notice because of my relation to you, but I really think it would be wise if you capitalized on this. Hollywood’s knocking at your door. You could be famous, more than your old man.”

“Stop,” he hissed. His hand was permanently attached to my shoulder now, as if holding himself back. “I’m pursuing basketball as far as it’ll take me.”

“But the endorsements would help—”

“No, they wouldn’t. I have to prove myself before the endorsements. I have years to still prove myself.”

“Oh, come on. I can name a ton of athletes that have endorsements.”

“Not in college. Are you kidding me?”

“Alexandra,” my father interrupted them. The chill from him sent shivers down my back. “Since Jesse isn’t answering my questions. You will. When did this become serious with you two? Did you give him your virginity?”

“Don,” my mother joined the conversation. She placed a hand to her husband’s arm. “Not here.”

“No, Shelby. We need to know. We were ignorant the last time. I want to get on top of this one before it grows into something like before.”

My mother fell back against her chair, ashen. She looked down and drew her cashmere sweater tighter around herself, but I caught the trembling in her arm.

Jesse bit out a laugh. “Like last time? Are you kidding me?”

My father looked ready to reach over the table and strangle Jesse with his bare hands.

Things had definitely changed between him and my parents. And I sat up. He wasn’t going to take them on alone.

“Last time?” Malcolm was in the dark. “What are you talking about? This has happened before?” He swept his gaze over me. “I thought you said you weren’t together before that day?”

“Not us, father.” Jesse’s gaze never left my father’s. “Ethan.”

“Oh.” He frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Then Jesse shifted to me. There was hidden meaning behind his depths and he looked to my father. He hadn’t said a word, but I knew he was trying to tell me something. I sat up further. Jesse’s hand fell to my back. He trailed a finger down my spine. He was the epitome of calm and calculating now while my father was squirming in his seat. Something was going on here and Jesse was trying to give me answers. I felt it in my gut. He couldn’t tell me, but then a light bulb went off in me. My parents could. My parents knew.

Determination kicked in. I was going to find out Ethan’s secret, one way or another.

“I don’t think this is like the last time. From what I recall, I doubt my mother had been sleeping with you.”

My mother sucked in her breath. Her trembling started up again.

My father didn’t move. He didn’t say a word, but I knew he was enraged. The threat of violence was imminent in the room. And Malcolm had been reaching for his water. His hand jerked, sending his glass to the side. All the water spilled onto his girlfriend’s lap. She screeched, pushing up from the table and started dabbing at her lap. “Malcolm!”

“Oh.” He blinked rapidly, but only turned back to Jesse. “Your mother and Don?”

“No, Dad.” Jesse never tore his gaze from my dad’s. “That’s the point. Mom was faithful to you.”

“Oh Jesse,” my mother whimpered. “You went there.”

Then my father erupted. He burst out of his chair and leaned across the table. His hand reached out, but Jesse never moved. He didn’t bat an eyelash and my father was forced to retract his hand, but he shook his finger in Jesse’s face. “You stop this. Right now. I won’t have you drag my name through the mud.”

“Not like last time, right?” Jesse’s tone had cooled. My father was boiling mad, but I grew wary. I knew my father would never touch Jesse, not the son of Malcolm Hunt, but that didn’t go for Jesse. He would do violence. This was the Jesse that was starting not to give a damn. And his father grew quiet as well. This was the son he was used to over the years. We shared a look, both concerned, but I didn’t say anything. Jesse was making my father like this. He was doing it on purpose so I could hear the truth. My gut was telling me that’s what was going on. He added, so cold and disdainful, “Not like Ethan did.”

A vein popped from my dad’s throat. His hands slammed down on the table and a pin could’ve been heard. I glanced towards the end of the table. All eyes were on us. Cord was watching Jesse, as was his other roommates. Kara had a hand to her mouth. Cord’s date seemed confused, but Tiffany surprised me like last time. She was watching me. There was no fear. She looked ready to handle anything.

I took a deep breath. If Tiffany was this cool, calm, and collected, by damn that I wasn’t going to be. I met Jesse’s gaze. He’d been holding my father’s in a standoff, but he caught my gaze. I felt his push then. He wanted me to take over so I put my napkin on the table and stood. I felt everyone’s eyes now on me and my father stepped away from the table. It was a small movement, but enough for me.

My mother lifted a hand to her husband’s arm. She began to shake her head and her fingers tightened.

“Stop.”

She looked to me. I caught the fear there, and the guilt. She was so damned guilty. How had I not seen this before? This wasn’t about me. This was about Ethan, whatever secret there was. I remembered Barbie’s revelations. Ethan had become friends with her and Jeremy Benson. They were known for using drugs. She told me that Ethan had been with her on his last night before Jesse called.

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. “I blamed Jesse, but I was wrong.”

My mother’s chest lifted as she took a deep breath.

“Wasn’t I?”

She tore her gaze away and stood beside my father. “Don, honey. We should go.”

“Not before you tell me!”

“Jesse, what is going on?” Malcolm hissed under his breath.

But Jesse didn’t answer. He didn’t move. He remained in his seat—a lurking predator that chose to stay crouched down. I knew he would spring up if I needed him, but this was my time. This was my fight. He laid the path for me. I would see it through now.

“What happened with Ethan, Mom?”

“Oh, honey.”

“Dad?”

My father was taking deep breaths. I could hear him wheezing as his lungs were rattling inside of him. He was a monster. So I asked, “Who did you sleep with? And Ethan knew about it? You said like last time. What did you mean?”

“Stop this, Alexandra,” my mother pleaded.

I swallowed the last bit of sympathy for her. As I saw my father still struggling for composure, I grew even more determined. “Who was it? How did Ethan know about her?”

“Shut up.” Finally. My father snapped. His face grew red and his Adam’s apple was bobbing up and down. It wouldn’t stop. He seethed at me and I saw that his teeth were grinding against each other. “You shut up now.”

“Don!”

No one else spoke. This was a family moment, in front of an audience, but I heard Jesse lean forward behind me. His hand touched the back of my leg and my father lashed out, “You stop touching her.”

“Then start telling the truth.” There was no fear in Jesse’s tone. It was even keen.

Malcolm stood now, skirting between the two sides of the table. He slowly put his cloth napkin on his plate as well. “I think this dinner has moved past social etiquette. Don, Shelby, I’d like to thank you for coming. It was a pleasure, as always.”

Jesse laughed, “Are you shitting me, Dad? Isn’t this what you wanted?”

My father’s icy gaze never left mine, but he asked Malcolm, “What is your son referring to?”

“Nothing, Don. Nothing at all. Jesse, you stop this right now.”

“No.”

“Jesse.”

My dad was teetering. He wanted to lose his cool. He wanted to yell at me, but he kept himself restrained. He was right there. Only a small nudge and I had him. I could taste all the secrets.

I drew in a breath, ready to deliver a taunt, but then I heard, “Oh, for goodness’ sake. Don, tell her. It’ll come out someday.”

“No!”

“Tell her.” My mother lifted her chin to him. The trembling was gone and defiance had taken over. “Or I will. This is your secret. You should be the one to tell her.”

“Not here.” He scanned the entire table. “Not in front of their friends.”

I half expected a flippant remark from Jamie, or even Tiffany. None came. I relaxed slightly, but dug my fingers around the table’s edge. They couldn’t leave. Not like this. I was so close. “Who did you sleep with? What does that have to do with Ethan?”

“Everything.” My mother gave up. Her shoulders went down in defeat and she hung her head. “It has everything to do with Ethan and everything to do with his accident.”

“Shelby.” My father twisted and gripped her arm. His hold tightened and she whelped from pain.

“Stop it, Dad,” I cried out.

“Don,” Jesse started.

“You don’t talk to me anymore. You don’t have that right, Jesse.” My father looked ready to murder. “You have lost all privileges with my family and with my daughter. Remove your hand at once.”

“No.” His hand moved to my back and he took a possessive hold now. “I don’t have my privileges anymore? Are you fucking with me?”

“Jesse,” Malcolm admonished.

He ignored his father and addressed mine, “To cover your ass, you’ve hurt the one person who was innocent in all of this.”

“Stop it!” His fist hit the table again. A glass tipped over from the reverberations.

Malcolm’s girlfriend scrambled from her chair again, squealing as she fled to the bathroom.

“Tell her. This is ridiculous.”

“Tell me.”

“Your father had an affair.” The words came low and swift from my mother.