“Are we okay?”
I swallowed. I wasn’t sure what we were. I was the idiot who was reading way too much into everything. I was the emotional basket case who was just trying to figure out her life. But I doubted that Jet was asking about that.
So instead of breaking down, I just nodded. “Of course. Why wouldn’t we be?”
He hesitated before he smiled and shrugged. “You’re right. Of course.” He turned and grabbed his plate and started toward me.
Not wanting to be stuck walking next to him, I hurried into the living room and plopped down on one side of the couch. Cassidy was leaning over the other arm and using the side table to set her food on.
I placed my plate on my lap and picked up a chicken tender just as Jet came into view. He glanced over to Cassidy and then to me. Like he wasn’t sure where he was going to sit.
Then he shook his head and sat in the middle of us.
He weighed more than me, and I tipped toward him. After adjusting myself a few times, I was able to move close enough to the arm of the couch so that we wouldn’t touch.
If Jet noticed, he didn’t say anything. Instead, he leaned over to Cassidy.
“Can we please watch something else?” he asked. From the disdain in his voice, I could tell that reality TV shows weren’t his cup of tea.
“But, Jet,” Cassidy said in a whiny voice.
Jet stuck a finger in his ear. “Ugh, Cass. Not so loud.”
She shrugged as she began eating again.
“Please?” he asked, pressing his hands together in front of him.
Cassidy sighed and held up the remote to change the station to the news. A newscaster was on the screen, talking about a huge announcement.
When they flashed to my dad’s face, I yelped. What was he doing on the news?
“Turn it up,” I said, waving my hand toward her.
Cassidy complied.
“...We’re excited to announce the construction of two more Livingstone Hotels,” Dad said. The camera panned to the empty lot he was standing in front of.
“Livingstone Inc. is partnering with Esposito International to fund the new luxury hotels.”
Mr. Esposito filled the screen. Dad wrapped his arm around Mr. Esposito’s shoulders, which only made the man stiffen more.
“We are excited to bring our luxury hotels to Atlantic City,” Mr. Esposito said in his thick accent.
Dad grinned as he reached out and shook hands with Mr. Esposito.
A rock felt like it had settled in my stomach. This was why Dad wanted me and Stefano to get to know each other? They were building more hotels?
I swallowed as I set my plate down on the side table next to me. I wasn’t hungry anymore. Not only had Dad told me I needed to spend the summer with the Espositos, he was basically telling me that my future was set with this announcement.
And my future included Stefano.
“Did you know about this?” Jet asked, turning to look at me.
I hated the tears that filled my lids as I shook my head. I didn’t want to cry in front of Jet. I didn’t want to cry because my parents didn’t care that I didn’t want the life they’d planned for me.
And I didn’t want to feel as weak as I felt right now.
“I need to go to the bathroom,” I whispered as I stood and rushed down the hall that jutted off from the living room.
Thankfully, Jet called out, “Second door on the left,” before I had to go back and ask them where it was.
Once I was in the safety of the bathroom, I shut the door and collapsed against it. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I tipped my face up toward the ceiling.
Why was I crying? I wasn’t a baby. Besides, it wasn’t like I didn’t know this was happening. I’d been sitting at the table this morning. I’d guessed their plan.
I’d just figured that maybe there was a chance they could change their mind.
But that press conference had felt definite. This was happening whether I was on board or not. Dad didn’t get into business with someone on a whim. They’d been planning this for a while.
Which meant I’d been a part of this plan for a while. And Mom and Dad had waited until there was no time for me to even try to change their minds.
My future was set.
Frustrated about the tears I was shedding, I walked over to the toilet and sat down. I reached over and grabbed some toilet paper and began blotting my cheeks. I was such a loser right now.
What kind of girl turns down a handsome foreigner and a chance to spend a summer in an exotic country? Most girls would be throwing themselves at Stefano instead of running away.
I sighed, thankful the tears had subsided. I hated how out of control I felt when I cried. I could hear Dad’s annoyed voice in my mind. “No good ever came from blubbering,” he’d tell me whenever I was sad or frustrated.
And maybe that was true. Crying did nothing to change my circumstance. So why waste the energy?
After I gathered some control over my emotions, I stood and glanced at myself in the mirror. My eyes were puffy and my cheeks were pink. I turned on the water and let the cool temperature shock my system. I splashed my face a few times and then grabbed a towel and dried off.
That seemed to help me look less like a mess and a little more in control. I unlocked the bathroom door and made my way out to the hall, where I heard a voice I didn’t recognize. It was female and it sounded as if she were celebrating.
“That’s great, Brit,” Jet said.
I made my way into the living room and saw a girl who was a few inches shorter than Jet. She was wearing the same light-blue Livingstone Hotel uniform as Jet’s mom. Her hands were clasped together.
“I can’t believe it. Hank said I’m next in line for shift manager once the new hotels open.” She collapsed on the couch and rested her hand on her forehead. From the slump of her shoulders, I could tell she was just as exhausted as her mom.
“It’s amazing!” Cassidy said as she climbed across the couch and snuggled in next to her.
Brit wrapped her arm around Cassidy and pulled her close. “Thanks, sweetie.” She glanced up to Jet. “This means big things for us.”
I glanced over to watch Jet’s reaction, and the slow smile that spread across his lips told me everything I needed to know. A merger between the Espositos and Livingstones meant good things for a lot of people.
My whole body went numb as the realization of what that meant for my future settled around me.
My parents had played my hand. I was stuck. No matter how much my feelings for Jet were beginning to grow, it didn’t matter.
My future was set.
And my future included Stefano.
Chapter Ten
I slunk over to the corner to lean against the wall, hoping it would help hold me up. The pain that coursed through my body felt as real as the pain of having an arm cut off. Or stubbing a toe.
My life was irreversibly changed, no matter how much I wanted it to be different.
“Who’s your friend, Jet?” Brit’s words sounded in my ears, but I just couldn’t bring myself to look up at her.
Jet appeared in front of me. His forehead was furrowed. “You okay? You look pale.”
I nodded as I stepped out from under his scrutiny. “I’m fine. I just...I left something in the bathroom.”
“Oh, okay,” Brit said, giving me a smile that just made me feel worse.
I nodded and scurried past her. Once I was in the hall, I kept my gaze on the ground until I was back in the bathroom.
I collapsed against the door. What was I doing here? What was wrong with me? I shook my head as I closed my eyes tight. I’m not sure what I thought I would accomplish by slinking away. It wasn’t like I was in the magical land of Oz where all I had to do was click my heels and wish for everything to be okay.
My life wasn’t a fairytale. It was real. My problems were real, and my decisions could affect a lot of people.
Thanks for stacking on the guilt, Mom and Dad.
I blew out my breath and headed over to the sink. I felt like an idiot, hiding in the bathroom again. But what else could I do? I didn’t live here. Where else was I supposed to go to throw my tantrum?
In the mirror, my normally bright blue eyes looked as stormy as my soul felt. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. I didn’t want to go to Italy. I wanted nothing to do with Stefano. And yet, I knew I couldn’t disappoint so many people who were depending on our families’ merger.
There was so much more at stake now that my feelings for Jet were growing. Why had I thought I could have a weekend away? My decisions would follow me whether I liked it or not.
“Stupid,” I whispered under my breath.
I wished I could say that I would take this whole weekend back. That I’d click my heels and return to the time right before I got on Jet’s stupid motorcycle. Before I’d allowed myself to care for him. I would force myself to stay at the table and play nice with Stefano just like my parents wanted me to. I would have never left.
At least then I’d have a choice. I could have decided to help my parents or demand they stop meddling in my life. But now? How could I not go along with my parents’ plan?
For some reason, leaving Jet in this situation when he had a chance to get out of it, made my heart hurt.
I patted my cheeks—maybe a bit too hard—and made my way over to the door. I swung it open and yelped.
Standing on the other side, leaning his shoulder on the door frame, was Jet. He glanced at me with a concerned look on his face.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
I forced a smile. “Yes. Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”
He straightened as he shoved his hands into his front pockets and shrugged. “You left before you could meet Brit.” He met my gaze again. “Are you sure everything’s okay?”
I patted his shoulder, ignoring the dull ache that rushed up my arm from the desire to touch him longer. “I’m just fine. Peachy keen.”
He squinted. “Oh man, I don’t think anyone but my grandma says that.”
I dropped my hand. I couldn’t keep touching him. It was beginning to mean too much to me. I needed to create more space between us. He needed to stay as far away from me as possible. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, and I couldn’t disappoint him like that. He deserved better.
“Are you saying I’m a seventy-five-year-old woman?” I narrowed my eyes.
His gaze swept over me, and my skin heated from his scrutiny. He quirked his eyebrow and shook his head. “Definitely not a seventy-five-year-old woman.”
I stared at him, and the butterflies in my stomach multiplied by the second. Was he flirting with me? Did I dare hope?
Before I allowed myself to fall into the black hole that was deciphering Jet’s intentions, I shrugged and passed by him. I ignored the feeling that exploded through my body as my arm brushed his abs.
He wasn’t for me. We couldn’t be anything.
“Well, I’m glad we got that covered,” I said as I made my way down the hall toward the kitchen, where I could hear Brit and Cassidy talking.
The sound of Jet’s footsteps followed after me. I tried not to read into it. After all, he was probably just wanting to talk to his sisters.
Reading into anything he did was a mistake I couldn’t allow myself to make. I needed to make sure that Jet stayed away from me. His future and the future of his family was controlled by my family, and I couldn’t take that responsibility lightly.
Especially when I was pretty sure I was falling for him.
When I walked into the kitchen, I found Brit standing next to the counter, with a plate of fried chicken in her hands. She was smiling at Cassidy, who was sitting on the counter next to her. Brit’s gaze roamed over me, and I saw the spark of recognition in her gaze.
“You’re the Livingstone daughter,” she said as she set the plate down, brushed her hands against each other, and then made her way over to me.
“Brielle,” I said as I took her hand.
“Brielle. That’s right.” She held my hand for a second before letting it go. She was peering into my eyes, and I could see the similarities between her and Jet. They both had deep green eyes and the same dark hair. Brit wore hers up in a ponytail. Wispy curls framed her face and caught the setting summer sun as it flowed in from the window.
Not sure what else I was supposed to say, I entwined my fingers and rested my hands in front of me. When people learned who I was—especially if they worked for my parents—they’d suddenly start airing all of their grievances with my parents to me. Like there was something I could do about it.
And trust me, if I could, I would.
“Are you enjoying your time at home?” she asked. Her smile felt warm and inviting, and I wasn’t sure how to take it.
I nodded. “It’s normal.”
Her gaze flicked over to Jet and then back to me. “I didn’t know you knew Jet.”
Jet shrugged as he walked over to the fridge and pulled out a soda. The sound of the pressure being released filled the kitchen. “We just met. I’m showing her around Atlantic City.”
“Well isn’t that nice of you.”
Jet shrugged as he tipped the can to his lips. When he finished, he swallowed and wiped his mouth. “I’m nothing if not chivalrous.”
Brit snorted and shook her head. “Not where I was going with that.”
Jet must have drained the can with his second drink because he crumpled the can in his hand and threw it into the garbage can. “It’s okay. I said it for you.”
The sound of the backdoor opening halted any further conversation. All of us turned to see Jet’s dad stumble into the kitchen.
The atmosphere in the room suddenly turned chilly as Brit and Jet straightened and glanced at each other. They must have some secret form of communication because they both nodded as Brit stepped forward and hoisted Cassidy off the counter.
“Go with Brit,” Jet hissed as he stepped closer to me. Then he turned so his back was to me. Like he was shielding me.
For a moment, I thought about protesting, but when I glanced over at Brit and saw the pleading look in her eyes, I decided to comply.
She quickened her step as she kept one hand on Cassidy’s head and the other holding Cassidy against her body. Brit made her way through the hallway and into the back room. I followed closely behind her. Once we both cleared the room, she shut the door. Muffled yelling could be heard from the kitchen.
My stomach squeezed as I could make out bits and pieces of what was being said.
Jet’s dad was upset that everyone had left. Then his anger turned toward Jet pulling him out of the casino this morning. As Mr. Miller’s voice grew louder and more menacing, my whole body felt heavy. I hated how Mr. Miller was talking to Jet. It felt almost as if he was saying those things to me.
“Hey, you okay?” Brit asked.
I hadn’t realized that I’d camped out next to the door until I looked up. I had to be in Cassidy and Brit’s room because it was decked out in pink. A bunkbed sat alongside the far wall. Cassidy was peering down at me from the top. She held a monkey stuffed animal over her head as if she were trying to cover her ears.
I glanced back at Brit to see that her expression looked as solemn as I felt.
“Is he going to be okay?” I asked, nodding toward the kitchen.
Brit glanced over at Cassidy and then back to me. She smiled, but I could see that it was fake. Which made my stomach drop. No. This wasn’t going to end well.
“They’ll be fine. Jet knows what to do,” she said as she wrapped her arms around her chest and assumed a protective stance.
I studied her. I felt so helpless standing here, listening to the anger carrying down the hall from the kitchen. I wondered how many times Jet had stood out there, taking the brunt of his dad’s anger. How many times he’d protected his sisters.
Anger built up inside of me. The fact that Jet’s dad treated his son like this... Heat pricked my body. It
was taking all of my strength not to open the door, stomp down the hall, and give the man a piece of my mind.
If I thought it might help, I would do it. But I doubted Jet would see it as a heroic gesture. Plus, I didn’t want to make things worse. So I sat there, listening to the yelling.
“Let’s turn on some music,” Brit said, walking over to the boombox that sat on the dresser.
The scratchy sound of the DJ drowned out the voices, so I leaned against the door to hear better.
Worry. Fear. Pain. All of these feelings were coursing through my body and constricting my throat until I felt as if I couldn’t breathe.
Was Jet okay? What was happening?
I knew things weren’t good. From the strained look on Brit’s face, I could tell she knew what Jet was going through. Her fingers were pressing pretty hard into her arm as she kept them crossed in front of her chest.
I needed to know what was happening. I needed her to confirm that things weren’t as bad as I was imagining. But I needed to get Brit away from Cassidy to ask her.
“Brit,” I whispered, leaning toward her and hoping she could hear me.
Brit glanced over, and I motioned for her to come closer. She gave me a wide smile as she glanced over at Cassidy and then back to me. Thankfully, Cassidy had lain back in her bed, and all we could see was her bouncing foot that kept time with the beat.
Brit seemed to take that as her chance, so she quietly made her way over to where I stood.
“What?” she asked. Her tone was short and curt.
I pretended not to notice. “Is he okay?” I asked, nodding in the direction of the kitchen.
Brit followed my gesture and then glanced back at me. She chewed her lip like she was working up the nerve to talk. “I...” She shook her head as she dropped her gaze. “There’s something you need to know about Jet.”
I nodded as I leaned in closer. My heart hammered in my chest. I wanted to know everything about Jet.
“What?”
She glanced up. “He’ll do anything for the people he loves.” She rubbed the back of her neck and then touched her lip as if she were remembering something. “He’d take away the pain of the people he loves if he could.” She glanced over to Cassidy and then back to me. “He’ll protect us no matter the cost.”
Rule #5: You Can't Trust the Bad Boy (The Rules of Love) Page 9