“I’ll bring it to the cyber section tomorrow. There might be enough for a cyberbullying case but without any harm occurring outside the threats, there probably isn’t enough here. I’ve heard the social media platforms don’t even make it easy for homicide detectives to get information on their users, so I can’t make any promises.”
At least I feel like I’ve tried my best when I hand over my phone, and it’s freeing to return to Beck’s apartment without one. I know I’ve got to tell my parents and my friends what happened, but I’m too damn tired. Beck tells me to lie on the couch while he makes us dinner, and as soon I’m horizontal, I fall asleep.
Beck
She barely stirs when I move her to my bed later that night. I want to crawl in next to her but I’ve got about a dozen people to call. Griffin and Taylor are waiting for me when I get back to the kitchen.
I told them everything while Jordan was passed out on the couch.
“The crash just went viral,” Taylor informs me.
“Great,” I mutter, rubbing a hand over my face.
“This feels like my fucking fault,” Griffin says. “How do I fix it?”
“Your fault? For what, bringing her on at Brazen? Having some chick obsessed with you?” I don’t know why I’m lashing out at Griff for taking this on himself, but I hate seeing my best friend torn up too over something that’s out of our control. I’m just angry right now, everything’s making me angry.
Taylor surprises both of us when he says, “It’s all of our faults.” He lets out a long sigh. “And none of our faults. She didn’t want any attention, let alone this kind. Each of us played our part in bringing her from obscurity to this mess. But it was her decision too, to sign with Brazen, to compete, to be with Beck and to not respond to the wedding photos when they came out. She shouldn’t have hit the half pipe after reading all those messages, after learning she had a stalker. But she did.”
“People crash like she did all the time,” Griffin says. “But we know why it happened this time. She’s not normally reckless. And now she can’t skate for a month, minimum.”
The guys look gutted as they process what happened to Jordan. None of us saw this coming, and there’s a little comfort knowing I’m not the only one tormented by it. But if there’s one thing that’s come of it, it’s clarity.
“I’m not doing Shred Live.”
“Uh, doesn’t filming start in three weeks?” Taylor asks.
“I can find them a replacement.” Might not be a good one, but there’s going to be someone who will jump at the opportunity.
“I’ll do it for you,” Taylor offers.
“I’d do it too,” Griff echoes.
“Your knee, Griff, you can’t do the competitions.”
“I can do them, I just can’t do them well.”
There’s a long silence before Taylor says, “We should have thought of this sooner. You’ve been wanting out of that contract ever since you met Jordan.”
“Yeah, but it’s still going to be ugly,” I remind them.
Griff shrugs. “Maybe not. Depends how we spin it.”
“Spin it? I was planning on telling the truth.”
“Exactly, the truth is a pretty compelling reason. And with the video of the crash going viral? You’ll get sympathy, man, and Shred Live might let it go, not wanting to risk painting you as the bad guy.”
Taylor’s nodding now. “Yeah, if they sue you for breach of contract once the story’s gotten out, they’ll look like jackasses. Especially now that you’ve gone to the police. You know that shit’s going to go public at some point too. So people will hear about the stalkers and the online bullying.”
“Stalkers? I thought there was just one,” Griff asks.
“One stalker, multiple bullies, whatever you want to call it.”
“You’d really go on Shred Live?” I ask Taylor. Griff can’t do it, he’s got way more at stake. Knee injury aside, Brazen launches at the same time filming starts.
“Hell yeah man, this would be an opportunity for me, a good thing. It would suck for me and Ellie, but that’s different than you and Jordan. I’m not as big as you to start, and she’s not making a name for herself in the same sport. People won’t be nearly as interested in our relationship status.”
I don’t know if Taylor’s thought through everything, but even if he changes his mind tomorrow, there’s going to be someone else who will do it.
“All right, I need to call some people about what’s going on.” I glance at my phone, debating who to call first.
“I already talked to Summer and Naomi, so you can hold off on them.”
“I’ll call Ellie and have her update the girls,” Taylor offers.
“Thanks. Maybe I’ll hold off on calling Vienna until tomorrow,” I say, more to myself than the guys. The phone call with my agent isn’t going to be a fun one and I don’t have the energy for it right now.
“You look beat, man, go to sleep. You can deal with the rest in the morning.” Griffin slides off his stool and gives me a rare hug, patting me on the back.
A few minutes later, I’m sliding under the covers next to Jordan, wrapping my arm around her warm body. I know this isn’t going to be an easy recovery for her, even if she hasn’t accepted that yet. Now that I’ve made my decision and I know I’ll be at her side through it, that gives me some peace of mind. But the ache in my chest is still there, and I know now it’s not from having to be separated from her for three weeks. It must be heartbreak for Jordan, because I’m worried about her, and if I’m being honest, I’m scared for her too.
Chapter Three
Jordan
The first thing I do when I wake up the next morning is shower. I almost never do this, usually showering at night or after I’ve been skateboarding. But I didn’t get one last night, and I know I won’t be skateboarding today.
There’s a pile of my clothes on top of Beck’s dresser, washed and folded. He’s so damn responsible, and I feel like all I’ve done is mess with his life since I entered it, threatening to turn it upside down just by being me. It’s not a good feeling, and a wave of nausea hits as I walk over to the dresser.
“Come here.” I turn to look at the man in the bed, his bare chest and shoulders peeking over the covers. I should put on my clothes first, but the desire to curl up with him is too strong. Dropping my towel, I let myself give in to the pull he has on me, snuggling close and relishing the way he holds me.
Beck doesn’t say anything for a long while, peppering kisses on my forehead, cheeks, and shoulders.
“How do you feel?”
My thigh slides over his boxers, the firm length of him making me forget everything else. As I lean forward to kiss him, Beck moves a finger between our lips, stopping me. “Jordan, how are you feeling?”
“Better, rested. And like you might expect of a girl naked in bed with her super hot boyfriend.”
Beck lets me kiss him then, and when he makes love to me it’s slow and gentle, which I’m not really sure is what I want or need right now. The tenderness in his movements, in his eyes, in his touch, I can’t handle it, and it almost makes me want to cry even as it sends me over the edge again and again.