The room spun. Nothing seemed to add up the day that Jade said she’d run into my father. But she’d never lie to me. No fucking way.
“The day you ran into her when you were meeting with the dean. Yeah, she told me you asked her to break up with me, you selfish prick. Don’t fucking even say her name in my presence, do you hear me?” I was shouting now, and my hands were fisted at my sides. Lennon came to stand beside me.
“She left out quite a bit of our conversation, Cruz. You see, everyone can be bought. Everyone has a number. I didn’t run into her. I was waiting for her outside her classroom. She agreed to sit down and hear me out. I offered her a million dollars to walk away. She didn’t tell you that, did she? Not as honest as you thought.” He paused to study me. “I didn’t think so. You see, it was a test. I knew if she ran to you saying I’d offered her money, you’d come after me. But you never did. Looks like everyone has secrets. And everyone has a price. Hers is five mil. Seems I didn’t go high enough in my first offer.”
I launched at him, grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the door. “You piece of shit. Why? Why are you trying to fuck up my life?”
Luke and Adam came running down the hall, as I had my father pressed up against the door.
I tightened my grasp before he finally spoke. “Because I can.”
That was all he said.
Because I can.
My father was the devil. But that wasn’t news to me. What was news to me was that my girlfriend had lied to me. And I couldn’t wrap my head around it.
I let go of my father and stormed out of the room. Past everyone. I took the stairs and headed down to the lobby. I needed to get out of here. I called an Uber and walked out to the street. I could hear my brother right behind me, and I paused as I opened the door.
“Let me go, Lennon. I need to think. Have Zach go on stage. I can’t do it tonight. I need to deal with my shit, okay?”
My brother’s gaze was wet with emotion. “The man is a pathological liar. Call her. This isn’t true and you know it. Don’t let him win, Cruz. And, don’t worry about the show. We’re fine.”
I nodded and got in the car and gave the driver the address. I FaceTimed Jade from the back seat. I needed to see her eyes when I asked her.
“Hey, are you getting ready for the show?” she said when she answered, dropping to sit on her bed as boxes were scattered all around her room.
“I need to ask you something.”
Her face grew serious. “Of course. What’s wrong?”
“That day you met with my father did you tell me the truth?”
She sucked in a long breath, and a tear ran down her cheek. “Cruz. Listen. I didn’t want to upset you.”
“You fucking lied to me. Why? Were you considering his offer? He offered you a million dollars, Jade. And you didn’t think to mention that to me? Really? He claims you counter offered five million dollars. So what the fuck am I supposed to believe?”
Tears streamed down her face, and she frantically swiped them away. “No. No. Of course I didn’t. That’s insane. I told him to shove his money up his ass.”
“Why didn’t you tell me, Jade? This whole time you never said a word. I thought you were all about the truth. Telling the fucking truth, right? But you lied to me.” I fell back against the seat.
“No. I didn’t lie to you. I withheld the truth.”
“Why the fuck did you do that?”
“Because I love you, Cruz. I didn’t want to tell you that your father was a bigger asshole than you thought,” she said through her sobs. “You know me. I love you.”
I couldn’t fucking think straight. My father had gotten in my head, and the idea that he’d offered Jade money to leave me—it was too much.
I didn’t speak. I was sorting all this shit in my head.
“Cruz. Where are you? I’m coming there tomorrow. We need to talk about this.”
“Don’t come here. I’m leaving. I need to think,” I said, running a hand through my hair.
She broke down. “I’m worried about you. Where are you going?”
“Why are you worried about me? You think I’m going to drink, don’t you? I don’t want a fucking drink, Jade. I want a fucking father who isn’t a piece of shit. I want a fucking father who isn’t paying everyone around me to fuck me over. And, I want a fucking girlfriend who tells me the fucking truth.”
She gasped. “I would never do anything to hurt you. You know that, Cruz. I love you more than anything. I just didn’t want to hurt you. I wanted to protect you.”
“How’d that work out for you? I need to go,” I said, as the guy pulled in front of the rental car company.
“Please talk to me. I love you.” She covered her mouth with her hand and closed her eyes.
“I’ll call you in a few hours.” I ended the call. I needed to sort this shit out.
I jumped out of the car. I couldn’t take the plane because my father would track me. I needed to get the fuck away from him. Away from everyone. I’d drive to Chicago. Figure out what the fuck just happened.
My phone buzzed as I stood at the counter and the girl waiting on the other side gasped. Obviously, a fan of Exiled. “You’re Cruz Winslow.”
“I am. I need a car. I’ll drop it off in Chicago.”
“Yeah, yeah, sure. We only have two cars left. Would you like a car or an SUV?” she asked, and she fanned her face with the stack of papers she pulled off her desk. “Sorry, I’m nervous.”
“Don’t be nervous. I’ll take the car.” I tossed her my credit card, answered the eight million questions she asked me, as my phone continued to blow up.
Missed calls from Jade, Lennon, Luke, and my father.
Why the fuck was he calling? Hadn’t he done enough?
I turned my phone off. A long drive by myself would be just what I needed.
The girl tossed me the keys and walked me outside. “Alright. Drive safely.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled.
I checked out the map on the nav system. I’d be driving through a lot of rural areas, and I actually looked forward to it. To the quiet. I stopped and grabbed a pack of smokes and a bottle of water, because damn if I didn’t need a cigarette right now.
I got on the road and drove for a few hours. I thought about Jade. I was pissed she hadn’t told me, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I understood why she didn’t. Who the fuck would want to tell the person they love that their father offered them a million dollars to end their relationship? I wouldn’t ever willingly hurt her either. I understood it. I wasn’t pissed at Jade. I was pissed at the situation.