“Well, cat’s out of the bag then,” she mutters, a guilty look crossing her face.
“I’m not going to ask you again,” I growl.
“Wait, she’s really missing?” Courtney says in a low whisper.
“You think this is some kind of joke? Not that anyone here is opposed to watching as you get the beat down you deserve,” Liam says angrily.
“Where is Mia?”
“I don’t know where she is, Julian. Why would I have her taken when she’s the one who helped me save you?”
“Helped you?” Cole says for the first time, something about his words making it clear that the initiative to help me get the charges dropped was all Mia and not this child abuser fuck. “As far as I know, you did nothing to gather that evidence.”
“Well, yes, we helped each other. I’m the one who got the information and evidence of your innocence to the prosecutor and the judge before the trial could start,” Courtney says, tugging her suit jacket down. “Why would I then hurt that girl?”
“When last did you see her?” Dad says.
“Ah, should’ve known you’d be here sniffing around your old bitch.”
“The only old one here is you, scar face,” Nicky shouts.
“When last did you see Mia, Courtney?” Dad repeats, this time, his voice hard and low.
“This morning. Right before she left for school.”
“Where exactly was this?”
“Right here of course. We talked on the front steps really.”
“She told me to meet her at the location, how did you know about it?” Cole demands.
“Well,” Courtney starts, clearing her throat. “I knew she was up to something and I may have kind of forced her to tell me.”
“And if she didn’t?” Nicky demands. “If your threats didn’t work on her and she refuses to tell you, what were you going to do?”
“Oh, but she didn’t refuse,” Courtney says, a fake smile on her face even as uncertainty fills her shifty eyes. “I just let her know that she was being watched and she made the right deductions from that, clever girl. She knew iof she met with Cole directly, she’d be in trouble.”
“Yeah, but she didn’t meet with Cole, she met with you and now she’s missing!” Liam seethes. “Where is she?”
“Liam—”
“You still didn’t answer the question, mother,” I say, a cold smile on my face, destruction and chaos on my veins as my fists clench tighter. “Why can’t she refuse you, mother? Is it because of the deal you made with her?”
“What… what deal? She stutters and I almost laugh.
“I’m not going to ask you twice.”
“Answer him,” Dad days, coming to stand to my right. “Or this will go much worse for you.
“Okay, okay, fine,” Courtney says, taking a step back. “There might be a deal or two.”
“Just as we fucking thought. Bravo, Courtney. Here’s a fucking gold star for your flawless skill with the obvious!” Liam mutters sarcastically then immediately falls serious. “What you’re going to do is tell us everything that happened the day she came to you. Obviously, you were waiting for her, weren’t you?”
This time, there’s no denying it as my mother’s shoulders slump in defeat.
“Yes, I knew you would reject her truth like the stubborn man you are, taking after your father, and you did exactly what I knew you would. Shut her outside with the wolves,” she says. “But it was her father that knew what her next move would be. And it led her right where she grew up.”
Fuck my fucking life.
“You’re going to tell us what happened this morning. And soon after you’re going to fucking tell us what happened two weeks ago.”
7
Mia
Earlier that morning.
“Courtney,” I say, all the energy I had somehow mustered up draining from my bones like it was never there. “What are you doing here?”
She eyes me carefully, then steps back. “Is your mother-aunt here?”
“Her name is Nicky,” I snap. “That scar on your face where she scratched you in your little fight made that abundantly clear, don’t fake amnesia now.”
“Amnesia?” she mock gasps, clutching her pearls, literally. “I haven’t forgotten what that woman did, coming into my home and wreaking all sorts of havoc like that.”
I sigh, not in the mood to hear anything she has to say, especially if she’s been sent by my father, her partner in all the crimes that go against parenthood.
“Yeah well, you can both reminisce over a cup of scorching hot tea to scald your wicked tongue,” I murmur, closing the door behind me as I clutch the folder in my arms tighter, hoping she doesn’t see it. “I have an education to get.”
“Oh please, you and I both know you’re above high school with your intellect, why bother?”
“Because I want to,” I snap, quickly going down the short stairs, passing her as I walk toward my car. “Now kindly fuck off. I’ve kept my distance from your son.”
“Or maybe he has ignored you enough that you’ve finally got the hint,” she fires back and I stop, sucking in a harsh breath.
She’s not wrong. Julian was only in jail for a few hours the day we arrived back from Europe and for two weeks he’s ignored me, quite thoroughly too.
“Yeah, well, you got your wish,” I say, unlocking the car. “You always get what you want, no matter what or who your hurt.”
“I’m not trying to hurt anyone, contrary to what you might think of me,” Courtney says. “I’m actually looking out for—”
“Hmm, please don’t,” I say, cutting her off as I swivel around to look at her. “Just because you let us stay here doesn’t mean you’re looking out for any of us. You swooped down like a vulture and snatched my childhood home up as your own after your ex-husband created the environment where my family struggled to pay our bills. And God, I can’t forget the deal you made me make and the environment you and my father created for that, so yeah, you’re not looking out for anyone but yourself.”
“Well,” she sighs heavily, dramatically. “I’m sorry you feel that way.”
What? The nerve of this woman.
“I’m done talking to you.” Turning around, I open the car door. But she stops me before I can get in.
“Not so fast, Mia, about that deal we made…” she trails off. I tense up, my heart pounding.
“What more do you possibly want?” I whisper, feeling weary and disheartened. “You already took everything from me.”
“I simply wanted my sons to—”
“Stay away from me, yes I know,” I snap. “I agreed to your stupid terms and now, you need to uphold your fucking side of the deal and I don’t see you doing anything! Why the fuck are you here?”
“Mia—”
“He’s going to court in a few hours, why exactly are you here?” I demand, turning around to look at her, Cole’s text from earlier now starting to make sense. “Why is Julian still going to court? It’s been two weeks.”
Courtney has the decency to look away then, her eyes shifting to look at everything expect my face. Dread sinks its nasty claws into me. I feel goosebumps rise to the surface of my skin. I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this, that she’d at least…
“What. Did. You. Do?” I grit out, each word feeling like it’s being ripped from out of me.
“Mia, you have to understand,” Courtney starts, taking a step closer to me, her voice a bit shrill with the panic and fear she was trying to mask since she showed up. “I didn’t do anything, your father—”
I can’t help but laugh at that. It’s as humorless and hollow as I feel inside.
“This is not funny.”
“On the contrary, it’s fucking gold,” I laugh. “Let me get this straight before you get any further. You trusted all the bullshit he spewed that day when I came begging you to help your own son only to find out you were manipulating the situation together with Nathan?”
“I thought he’d k
eep his word,” she says, fake sincerity in her voice.
“Aww, how cute,” I mock, anger igniting my words. “You’re the last conniving bitch I thought would ever have a naïve moment. And it’s pathetic to say the least.”
“Watch your mouth.”
“I think not,” I seethe. “I lost all my respect for you the moment you sacrificed your own sons. Then I heard of what you did to Aiden… you lost my fucking vote. Hating me, I wouldn’t have minded but what you did… there’s a special place in the pit of hell for people like you.”
She looks away then, twirling her car keys in her hands. “Yeah well, until that day comes, I need your help to get Julian acquitted.”
“You put him in that situation, set him up for a national scandal so disgusting, his entire future is in jeopardy—”
“Now don’t you start judging me!” Courtney snaps. “Every move I made ensured that Julian’s future will be set with the girl he is to marry and continuing on the Mason-Fitzgerald legacy and then with the power of the Bishops, he’ll be unstoppable.”
I smile my best smile, hiding the pain and cutting devastation as I regard her, looking into the green eyes that I miss with an ache that’s threatening to spit me in the deepest, darkest part of an unknown abyss.
“Oh good, then why don’t you march right up to the Bishops amazing mansion and ask them to help you bail out your son from the mess you put him in,” I get in the car. “I mean, what else are in-laws for if not to be there for you in your time of need.”
“Mia, please,” she rushes, stepping right in front of the door before I can close it. “I wouldn’t be here if I knew you couldn’t help.”
“Yeah, after what you made me do? I don’t owe you a damn thing,” I say with all the venom I can’t contain. “Now move before I move you.”
“He’ll go to prison for life!” Courtney shouts. Just then, the front door opens and Nicky steps out, a frown on her face.
“What are you doing here, bitch?” Nicky demands, quickly walking over to us. “Step away from my daughter.”
“Honestly, Nicky, I didn’t come here to fight with you or with Mia,” Courtney says, rolling her eyes.
“You’re just here to antagonize her, huh?” Nicky snaps, folding her arms. “Why are you really here?”
“To ask for help,” Courtney says. “And if you want me to beg, Mia, I will. I’ll get on my knees if I must, just please, help me keep my son out of jail. I know you care about him enough to not want to see him suffer.”
What about me? Who fights for me? But the point is moot seeing as I’m already late in meeting up with Cole with all the evidence that will help Julian.
“Please, Mia. I’ll do anything for my son.”
“Yeah, anything but actually love him and understand that he just wants a simple yet fulfilled future of following his dream of playing professional football, not playing house with some girl,” I murmur, my phone vibrating with a text.
“That’s not a fulfilled life but right now he’s facing life in prison, Mia please.”
“Hey, back away,” Nicky says to Courtney. “Stop putting pressure on her. You’ll have to give Mia the time she needs to decide whether or not she actually wants to help you. So thanks for dropping by your house—that will honestly never really belong to you no matter what—we’re somehow now living in. Goodbye and have the shittiest day known to mankind.”
“Spare me the theatrics, Nicky,” Courtney says. “Mia knows this is a time sensitive matter.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means she’s the only one that can help this situation.”
“What?” Nicky demands. “You want my daughter to go up to that court with the kind of violent media storm around her name already and what? Testify in denial of the lies you made up? No way in hell.”
“If push comes to shove, Nicky, that’s what we’ll have to do, but honestly at this point, we can’t do that because Nathan is watching her.”
“What?” Nicky screeches. “What do you mean by that?”
“It means just that, Nicky, why do you look surprised like it’s out of thr relm of possibility with that asshole.”
“No, no, he played you for a fool,” I stay, stepping out the car to stare at Courtney. “You’re here because you lost.”
“Yes, I might have lost to that jerk, but Mia, you’re the key. Nathan knows it too, that’s why he’s watching you!”
My mind starts racing like one of those old VCR tapes on rewind. If what Courtney is saying is the truth—which I highly believe—then if I go to meet Cole, he will find out, thereby, breaking one of the terms of the deal I made with him.
I can’t let him get to Liam too. God, it would kill me. As it is, I’m half dead.
“So what do we do?” I whisper. “Because if he’s watching me…” I can’t risk him finding out all the information I have that will save Julian.
“This was all a part of Nathan’s plan. He’s always wanted to get back at John by all means possible,” Courtney cries. “What do we do?”
Before she can say anything, I grab my phone as well as the thick envelope with my own contingency plan. Shooting out a hurried text to Cole, I let him know that he’ll be meeting with someone else.
“Sweetheart, what are you doing?” Nicky questions, but I ignore her, waiting for Cole to text back.
Cole: Sure thang. But are you ok? Do you need me?
Me: Let’s talk after we get Julian acquitted. Keep him safe, Cole. Both of them.
Cole: I’ve got you. All 3 of you.
“Do you have a plan, Mia?” Courtney questions quietly, watching me with a knowing gaze, her eyes shifting from my phone to the envelope.
“Yes, I do, but first, you are going to fuckling ensure this goes through without a hitch.”
“I will—”
“Are you still working with Nathan?” I snap, cutting her off. She starts, her eyes widening just a fraction as if she wasn’t expecting to be asked that. “Well, are you?”
“Answer the question!” Nicky presses.
“Yes!” Courtney yelps. “Yes, I’m, still in contact with that jerk but only because I want to find out what exactly he intends to do with my sons,” she says between breaths. “Nathan has had his eye on you and trust me on this, if you deviate from what your ‘agreement’ he will not hesitate to put my sons in danger.”
“Your sons? You’d think that you actually care for them,” Nicky spits out angrily, now standing behind Courtney, but Courtney ignores her.
“I only made the deal with Nathan because he was the only one I could trust to get the results I wanted. To protect my sons.”
“No, you sided with him to break me and Julian apart!” I cry. “You said I should stay away from him. That I should not get in the way of his marriage shit!”
“What?” Nicky gasps in shock but I ignore her.
“You wanted me to out the way and you got your wish!” At the expense of my own heartbreak, the void on my mind, the aches that ravage me driving back to slashing my wrists, all of that in the name of protecting him. “But that doesn’t matter right now. What fucking matters is what you’re going to do between now and five minutes.”
“Anything.”
I explain what she has to do, giving her the envelope that Cole is expecting right now.
“I should give him this?” Courtney says with a delicate frown on her pretty face. “I mean, I can go straight to the—”
“Listen lady, I don’t trust you,” I snap. “I’ve never trusted you and now, you either go meet him or the entire thing is off.”
“If you don’t trust me, what makes you think I will go straight to Cole.”
“Because he’s the only one who can open the folder in there now,” I say with a hard smile on my face. “Now be a lamb, Courtney and go run this errand for a son you don’t even respect.”
Leaving her with her jaw on the floor and my heart racing, I get in the car and I’m out the lot before either her
of Nicky can say anything else, and head for school.
Only, I never really make it there.
Julian
Present time.
I grip my hair, wanting to pull it out as I start pacing, hoping the murderous urge I have will dispel some.
“So even after you knew Nathan would never fulfill his side of the deal, you still jumped in bed with him, huh?” Dad says, his voice low with barely repressed anger. “And all because you want to take what’s mine.”
“I hate you, John, that will never change but I don’t owe you anything,” Courtney snaps. “Just like you and this skank you touched.”
“Watch your fucking mouth or this skank with tear you apart,” Nicky shouts, still crying. “I want to know what deals you made with Nathan and how you both roped my teenage daughter into all this, making her take on the weight of responsibility she didn’t as for.”
“No one made her do anything she didn’t want to do,” Courtney says, looking around like a fucking deer about to be run over by an eighteen-wheeler.
“You fucking twisted her hand, though,” Liam shouts, his voice carrying with the silence of the affluent neighborhood. “You and that Nathan freak made up an entire scheme just so you could force Mia to come seek you out for help, regardless of who you hurt in the process or who lost what.”
“Oh, Liam my son, please don’t be like that. Mia knew what she was doing, choosing love over everything else.”
“I don’t fucking buy it!” I snap. “Tell us what happened two weeks ago.”
“Honestly, I don’t know how that will help—”
“I don’t think anyone here cares for your opinion, Courtney,” Dad says. “What was the agreement you made with Nathan?”
“Well, okay then,” Courtney mutters. “If you insist.”
9
Mia
Two Weeks ago.
Bitter Kisses (It's Just High School Book 3) Page 7