I looked behind her and frowned when a man old enough to be her father came up behind her. He placed an arm around her waist and laid a kiss on her head. All the while, he hungrily raked my body with a lecherous gaze. It made my stomach churn and threw me back to a dark time, when I was almost raped by a guy just like that … and the fact Nina was letting him touch her like that made me even sicker.. Bile built in my stomach, threatening to spill as I looked over at Nina, who cleared her throat. Was that supposed to be her date?
“This is my cousin, Tori Bowers.”
“Watson,” I corrected.
“Tori Watson? I’ve never heard of your surname before,” he said, mulling her introduction for a moment, a grin on his face. “Though I would have remembered a pretty face like yours.”
“Gerald,” she whined, pouting.
“Though no one is as beautiful as you,” he quickly added, laughing. I couldn’t believe my cousin had lied and was sneaking off to see someone at least twice her age. Usually, I couldn’t care less what she did, but something about him made my skin crawl as he turned his attention to me again. “My name is Gerald Everingham.”
In the ensuing pause, I was reminded of when I’d met Colten. He was waiting for me to recognize his name so I’d gush and fall at his feet. But, instead, I blinked a few times and nodded, while catching sight of an attractive-looking fruity drink I planned to taste soon. “Well, enjoy yourself then. It’s a pleasure to meet you, and I’ll see you back at home, Nina.”
Without missing a beat, I headed over to the waiter, grabbed a drink, and thanked her. All while trying to calm my nerves and the sickening feeling in my stomach. It was then that I realized my phone was buzzing in my pocket. Shuffling, I found it and realized Justin was calling me. I picked up, not even able to greet him when he spoke.
“Hey, where are you?”
My brows gathered in a frown. “What do you mean?”
“I’m in front of your aunt’s house,” he stated on the other end of the line.
“What? Why?” I asked, shocked and stumped. Finally, the lights started to dim, and I cursed while everyone started to quiet down. Then, without a second thought, I made my way to the nearest exit. “Why are you at my aunt’s place?”
“I was serious about running away with you,” he professed and I was truly confused. I never thought he was serious about that. “I realized that no one is home, so I called you to see if you were sleeping. I have everything here, and I’m ready if you are.”
“Are you for real?” I hissed. “I told you I’m not leaving until I graduate as part of a deal with Aunt Winnie. Justin, we need the money. Cleo needs the money.”
“Cleo said if you’re miserable, then she understands,” he retorted back.
Was he serious?
I could barely think straight as I stormed out. The cool air licked at my skin. The moon shined so brightly, and I would have admired it if it wasn’t for the feelings running through me. “Justin, I told you I’m staying. I’m sorry, but I can’t let you do this. I can’t let you throw away your dreams because—"
“You are my dream!” he roared. “Jesus, Tori. You are it for me. I’m in love with you, okay? I can’t bear to see you here, secluded. Just let me take care of you. Where are you?”
“I’m with Colten at a stupid event right now,” I told him, trying to process everything he had told me. I couldn’t believe he was saying all this when I’d already told him in the past how I only saw him as a friend. Shit, did I ever act like I wanted him?
Maybe I was never clear enough, because I remembered when he got really jealous the time went on a date with this guy from school. I had never really dated anyone before, but Robert was so sweet and he kept insisting. Justin went mad that day—now I could see why.
He trashed his trailer and started calling me stupid for wanting to be like people on the outside. My thoughts were racing, because I knew that this didn’t happen only on that one occasion.
Sometimes I would catch him staring at me when we were doing something like watching TV.
I wanted to stick my head in the ground because now I began to realise how many signs I’d missed. So many little details. Maybe Justin had been in love with me for years and he never told me.
I wondered why Cleo never said a word. She must have known. I felt like a complete bitch now.
Something must have prompted him wanting to run away with me if he showed up outside my aunt’s house. I truly didn’t want to lose him as a friend.
“Why?” he snarled, sounding very angry now. “May I remind you that you don’t belong there? Are you in love with Colten? Is that why you’re not reciprocating in the first place?”
In love?
I froze at his question. I’d never been in love to start with. I didn't think I was capable of loving anyone. Since I was born, it had always been about defending myself, about surviving, so much that I never placed my trust in anyone else. I didn’t even know if I could understand what love meant. I wondered if I should tell him about Colten. He and Cleo didn’t really know what was going on with me, how far I’d gone to feel normal. Yes, we talked regularly, but so much had happened since I moved here. It was a rollercoaster.
“Justin, I can’t reciprocate your feelings. Maybe I have been a bad friend and I should have been clear from the start, but this … this thing you’re mentioning between us. I love you as my friend and it’s not fair for you to give everything up for me. I’m sorry, but I’m staying.”
After a short pause, he gave a dry chuckle.
“I can’t believe you’re doing this to me? You want to stay because of Colten, because you jumped in bed with him?”
That hurt, because he knew well enough that I wasn’t easy. I’d never even had sex with anyone before, for Christ’s sake.
“That’s not fair, Justin, and you should be ashamed of yourself. We both know I’m not experienced at this shit and I shouldn’t have to explain myself over and over. It’s embarrassing. None of this is about sex, nor has it ever been,” I said. “Besides, you haven’t been very interested in what I have been doing lately, especially with Colten.”
A long silence followed on the other end of the line.
“So you haven’t slept with him yet?” he finally asked.
“Justin, come on, you’re my friend, but this is none of your business. I’m not ready to discuss anything like that with you.”
“Well, it didn’t take you long to start acting like his girl, like a slut,” he spat. I could hear the accusing tone in his voice. ”Whether you did anything or not, it’s what people see that matters.”
“And what have you seen, pray tell? When have you—” I stopped myself because this was ridiculous. And wrong.
I could have snapped back with something equally cruel, but that would have done nothing but compound the issue. Justin meant too much to me and I knew he was only lashing out because he was in pain. Fresh guilt spread down to the pit of my stomach. I’d been so clueless!
Yet, it hurt more than I liked to admit that he would say these words to me. He’d never used such a tone with me, let alone call me names—a slut—when he well knew I would never give it up to just anyone. I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Justin—”
“Stop it, Tori, you said you’re not coming, so it’s done now,” he cut me off.
“I have never called you names and this has gone too far. Don’t punish me because I can’t return your feelings,” I said quietly, as tears forced their way to my eyes.
“Forget it.”
He then hung up before I had a chance to say anything and there was plenty more that we needed to talk about. None of the words that had come out of his mouth sounded like him. I couldn’t leave this problem hanging like that and at the same time, I couldn’t just ditch Colten. For a moment, I stared up at the sky in a daze, trying to comprehend everything. In the course of one month, so much had changed. I was dragged here against my will, bullied, lost my best friend, and now Justin was c
onfessing his undying love for me. My heart ached as I rubbed the spot where I felt it beat in my chest.
How did it come to this?
When had I started to feel emotions, when for years I tried my damnedest to be cold and distant?
With a sigh, I started to make my way back inside when suddenly, I heard footprints behind me.
My gut told me to make a run for it.
Before I could pick up the pace in my heels and pull out my phone to dial for help, the footsteps got louder. Faster. A rough hand snaked around my waist. I started to scream but another hand clamped around my mouth. The person was strong—strong enough to drag me back to the gazebo.
Only then did I realize who it was.
Chapter Fifteen
Colten
“Who the fuck is the bimbo you were with?”
It took every fiber of my self-restraint not to punch the living shit out of the man standing in front of me, spew. But the past ten years of building myself up would have gone up in flames if I did. However, it was pretty damn tempting right then, especially after what he called Tori.
I sized up my father, narrowing my eyes in response. He had summoned me behind the stage alone to ensure I understood what would be expected of me in regards to the company. The media would be present at the event, and the last thing he wanted was a mishap of any sort. After the speech, I would assume the role I’d been groomed for. Maybe my father would travel more, so I wouldn’t have to see him much.
“Fuck off,” I snarled, loosening my tie and trying to breathe at the same time. “I only agreed to do this stupid ass speech because you insisted.”
“Watch your tone,” he snapped back. “Who’s the one who’s about to let you have all this responsibility? Be more grateful and answer the fucking question. Don’t make me want to change my mind.”
If anyone here heard their conversation, they’d be on every tabloid magazine and trending on Twitter by tomorrow. But, as the CEO of Accessicom, the man had an image to uphold. That would mean being the strict but loving father that could do no wrong in everyone’s eyes.
Not the manipulative, scheming, cheating alcoholic who used to beat his son for fun.
I had less than one college year left, but I could run the business and study at the same time. Luckily, his need for control was no match for his desire to wash his hands of all the responsibilities. He really wanted out.
But I had a monster of a plan … and idea I’d been mulling for a while. After a couple of years, I’d keep an eye out for merger possibilities—to slowly segment the business until none of the original mission would exist anymore. Everything my father worked for would become nothing more than a memory, buried under the vast umbrella or some huge conglomerate.
Hudson and Zayn were privy to all this. However, since they would soon be taking over their own responsibilities and careers, I had to make sure their IPO and image would remain intact.
Since my father had stopped using me as a punching bag, he assumed I had forgiven him for his wrongdoing. But I wanted to make him pay, which was why I’d play his game until the time was right, until just about now.
Accessicom would one day become something else—everything, including the name, would change. I could stay on or leave and go in another direction, my freedom finally within grasp.
I glared at him. Of course, I didn’t owe him any sort of answer, but it was only a matter of time before people in my social group found out about Tori, anyway. Although my emotionally detached father surprised me with his keen interest. “She’s my date for the night.”
“Date?” he repeated in disbelief. “Since when do you date? You know girls are nothing more than a distraction and money-grabbing whores. I mean, look at your mother and where that got me. Without a prenup, I would have lost more than my reputation.”
Each moment with this man sank me deeper in an ocean of anger. Tori wasn’t materialistic or after my money. Hell, she didn’t even want anything to do with it. I still couldn’t figure out why she came to this town, but I wasn’t complaining about it either. “She’s different,” I let myself say.
“That’s just your dick talking. Trust me, I was a teenager once,” he scoffed, completely dismissing me with a wave of his hand. Maybe he was the reason why I was the way I was. Distant and unable to connect with anyone. My father taught me nothing about love; he didn’t even believe in it himself. Maybe Tori was the one who could finally heal me. “Well, it’s nothing serious, I would suspect. So, what’s the bimbo’s name?”
“She’s not a bimbo,” I growled out. Christ, her brain was far more complex than probably half the people in this room. If it wasn’t for their money, they probably couldn’t even get through simple things in life. “She lives with Winnie Watson. Sh—"
“Oh, Winnie.” He nodded, though his frown only deepened. “Well once I heard when she got into trouble for the way she dealt with that issue pertaining to her daughter’s nude pictures getting leaked. You’d think someone like her would have been more conscious about what was going on. After all, image is everything when one is in the public eye.” He snickered. “Well, I suppose I have no problem with you dating Nina. She could be useful in the future, and she has the money as well, so I know she’s probably not trying to go after yours.”
I almost gagged at the thought of dating Nina. If only he knew she was probably the hungriest regarding money, status, and power. Not to mention, I didn’t need his approval, either. Besides, Tori didn’t look like Nina at all, so he clearly hadn’t gotten a good look at her. “I’m not dating Nina. I’m dating Winnie’s niece, Tori Watson.”
“Watson? I’ve never heard of that family. What industry are her parents in?”
“Dead,” I informed him.
“Well, before then,” he spoke in an irritated tone. “What was their legacy?”
There it was again, his obsession with legacy. I never understood that, at least not when it was simply limited to status and money. I couldn’t help but laugh to myself when I came to realize that her parents’ legacy was murder-suicide. Legacy meant nothing if a person had no conscience to speak of.
“They were normal people,” I commented. Well, as normally dysfunctional as a family could be, at least.
“So they were poor?” He snorted. “You brought a commoner to a charity event, to which she won’t be able to contribute? Are you trying to embarrass me?” He rubbed on his temple. “Not to mention, she knows nothing about our way of life. Nor would she respect it, or know how to behave among our kind.”
“You never said I couldn’t bring a date,” I challenged. Once more, my control was slipping. “You better watch your tone with the way you speak about Tori. I won’t let you disrespect her like that.”
“You said her name was Tori… Watson, correct?” he went on. I knew it was only a matter of time before he put two and two together. He suddenly went rigid, his eyes turning to slits. “By Tori Watson, you don’t mean the child of a druggie, abusive father who murdered his wife in cold blood before turning the gun on himself, right?”
“It is,” I affirmed.
I swore I had never seen him this enraged in years, his face turning a shade of purple and red. That was kind of fun to watch.
“It’s like you’re trying to tarnish my reputation. That girl is clearly using you. What did she do? Did she open her legs for you like a cheap slu—”
My father didn’t get to finish his sentence for I swung my fist right into his jaw, and he fell onto his ass with a loud thud. My mind in a haze, I let the darkness consume me. I remember my mom calling me a devil for the way I was drawn to violence. Now I understood the reason behind it. It was my father, he inflicted violence inside me. For years, I suppressed the urge to lash out—until now. Grabbing my father by the collar, I slammed him into the wall.
When I was in the zone, nothing could pull me out until I was satisfied.
Right now? I wanted to see the fear grow in my father’s eyes. Maybe this was going to ruin m
y plan. Maybe he’d go back on his word. But all of a sudden, I was just done. Done with being his puppet. Tori was more important and I couldn’t let him disrespect her, just because she was born without the money.
“Listen here, Dad,” I drawled. “I can deal with whatever bullshit you throw my way, but don’t think for a second I’ll let you talk shit about my girl. She’s mine. You never were a decent father to begin with, so don’t fucking try acting like one now.” I brought my face closer to his and stared him down. “You’re lucky I’m going to be the bigger person and not fucking bail on your fucking speech that I know you don’t care about. And I also know the money we raised today isn’t going to any charity but will be lining your fucking pockets. Better stick to your plan, or who knows what might happen?.” I let the threat float in the air.
His eyes widened, shocked that I had him pegged. He didn’t even react, so shaken was he. But, unlike the rest of the young people here who only knew how to spend their parents’ money, I wanted him to know I was aware of our affairs. I knew exactly what was going in and out of our company’s coffers.
“If you ever talk to her or approach her,” I continued, “I will ruin you and enjoy it, Father.”
I finally let go of him, and he started coughing, grasping for oxygen as I tidied myself up. He wouldn’t have let me off the hook if he had to show his face in public later. After my speech, I knew he wasn’t going to stay long, if at all. I would tell everyone how thankful I was for the opportunity to host the event with my father and then allow everyone to enjoy the rest of the night. Soon, everything being constant, my father would announce his retirement. People were going to be surprised that I was taking over from him.
So this speech was a bit of a landmark one because it signified my first step into a new future. It would be nothing special from a literal perspective—but this small responsibility would mark the first of many others to follow. Whatever I said tonight dictated how I would go forward in the business. Would they find me credible? Worthy? Ready? My confidence would be the gauge as I set high expectations for myself and others. They already respected my father and in a few words, I needed to show they why they should feel the same about me.
Bringing down the Star: Small Town Bully Romance Book 1 Page 11