40. Julie
40
J ason kicking his brother’s ass is something I’ve been waiting for, dreaming of, but at the same time, it’s my nightmare come true.
The tires of my dad’s SUV screech as I park the car behind the cop car. Jason hits his brother straight in the nose, blood flying around, while the officers don’t lift a finger to protect their suspect.
With my heart in my throat, I jump out of the car. “Jason! No! Please, stop.”
I pull on his arm, my heart hammering as I try to dodge his elbow. When it almost knocks me over the head, one of the police officers steps in, holding up his hands and pushing Jason onto the yard.
“That’s enough, son.”
Jason’s deep blue eyes are alight with fire, his knuckles caked in his brother’s blood. I stand in front of him, taking his face in my hands.
“He’s not worth it. He’s not worth it.” He keeps glaring over my shoulder, before his gaze crashes with mine. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”
“Did he hurt you?” His fingers dig into my arm.
“Shut up, Julie,” Jacob spits, flexing his jaw.
“You shut up!” Jason snaps.
“Yes.” It’s a single word, but it ignites a flood of emotion.
The fire gets dimmed around his blue irises; instead, waves of hurt and regret crash in. His eyebrows raise in shock, as if he was still hoping it isn’t true.
This day has become one big shitshow.
I woke up confessing everything to my best friend, then was forced to tell my dad because of Kathy. Then they convinced me to press charges together, and I did, but I also thought I’d still have time to tell Jason myself.
Little did I know, they decided to pick up Jason right away.
Everything fucking blew up, and it’s this look, this expression of devastation that I’ve been trying to avoid. It numbs my nervous system, is the recipe for nightmares, and it breaks my goddamn heart.
Tears fight to break free, doing exactly that when our gazes collide again.
“He hurt you?”
I nod, glancing at Jordan comforting his mother but hanging on to every word. “The night before I broke up with him. Before us .”
Jason’s body sags, like a curtain falling down, but right when I think he's gonna give in, he flies to Jacob again. He hits home one more time, before the officer pushes his body against mine, almost knocking me on my ass.
“You son of a bitch!” Jacob spits blood onto the ground while I hold on to Jason’s arm to hold him back. “Did you see that? I wanna press charges against this maniac!”
“See what?” The officer holding on to Jacob’s arm frowns.
“Are you kidding me?”
The second officer shrugs. “I didn’t see anything.”
“What? You corrupt assholes!”
Officer number one tilts his head in warning. “Watch it, Spencer. You don’t want disorderly conduct added to your record.”
Incredulity flickers on Jacob’s beaten features. “He attacked me!”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Get in,” says officer number two.
He gives Jacob a nudge, and he gets in, pleading with his mother. “Mama! Please call a lawyer.”
The woman sniffs in Jordan’s arms. Oh, fuck. I never even considered what it would do to her to find out her oldest son is a rapist. Tears are streaming down her puffy cheeks while Jordan keeps his arms firmly wrapped around her.
The door slams shut, and both officers get in the car.
Jason twists in front of me. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because–”
“You should’ve told me!” he cuts me off, before the cop car rumbles to life, and it drives off.
“I’m sorry.” I grab his upper arms. “I know you’re mad at me.”
His face twists, blue eyes turning a shade darker. “I’m not mad at you! I’m fucking furious!”
My heart breaks.
I swear I can feel it crack in my ribcage before he continues.
“But I also fucking love you, Julie! Don’t you get it? There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you! Nothing! Including protecting you from my own brother.”
The air is slammed from my lungs. “You love me?”
A feral groan erupts from his chest, almost godlike, as if he’s Zeus preparing to shoot a couple of thunderbolts.
“Goddamn, Jules. Of course I love you!” He spins on his heels in frustration, then grips his hair as he spins back. “Wasn’t it obvious from day one? I hated him because he claimed you first. But you were always meant to be mine. MINE!”
He loves me.
“Jason,” I say, trying to get attention, but his rage leaves no room for anything else.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because he was gonna destroy your life! I couldn’t let that happen.”
Jason blinks, the short silence that follows eerie and nerve-racking. “How can he ever destroy my life when I got you?”
Oh, God. I’m so happy Jacob isn’t here for him to get in trouble over a little more.
“He made a sex tape,” I confess.
“I know.”
“You know?” He knows?!
Jason nods, his rage dimming and replaced with sympathy. “The asshole confessed over dinner. You really think I’d think differently because he made a sex tape of you?” Of me? Oh, shit. “He has no right to do that to you. To do that without your consent, and I’m so sorry he did that, baby.”
He gets into my space, taking my face in his hands. His palms are hot, scorching, and comforting at the same time. I grab his wrists.
“Jason.”
He goes on. “But it doesn’t change the way I feel about you. So, what if there’s a sex tape of you? You’re still you, and I love you.”
I will not get sick hearing that, and I smile before I realize I need to focus.
I shut my eyes, shaking my head. “Jason, it’s not a sex tape from me. It’s a sex tape of us. ”
They fly back open, and confused blue eyes stare back at me. “What?”
“I couldn’t tell you because he threatened to send it to all your clients and every other person in the industry. It would destroy your career.”
“He filmed us? How?”
“That night you were home for a couple nights. Your mother was gone for the weekend.”
The blood rushes from his cheeks, almost turning a green shade. “Jacob was here? He filmed us?”
Humiliation overwhelms me, and tears follow right behind it. It takes Jason a couple of beats to catch up.
“That son of a bitch. That’s why you haven’t told me?” His jaw twitches before he lets go, taking a step back, the lack of touch feeding my insecurity.
“I haven’t told anyone. I wanted to tell you when I found out you were Ford’s agent, but he showed up at the gala, threatened me, and a couple days later, he sent me the video. Said he would post it if I told you. I don’t care about my own reputation.”
I really don’t. LA was always an escape, I see that now, but for Jason, that’s his life. He’s been there since was eighteen.
“But you worked your ass off to get Spencer Sports where it is now. I couldn’t let you destroy it.”
He pinches the bridge of his nose, before a frustrated huff is shot my way. “Oh my god. You silly, silly girl. Baby, it all means shit without you.”
“Jason.”
“The hell with Spencer Sports.” He throws his hands in the air.
“You don’t mean that. It will blow up to pieces.”
Grabbing my neck, he tugs me into his chest until his forehead connects with mine. His fresh scent comforts me as his hot breath teases my lips.
“Every word. But nothing will happen with Spencer Sports.” He lifts his phone from his back pocket and taps the screen before holding it to his ear.
What is he doing?!
“Ford?” he says. “Do you remember when I picked you up from that mob family in Boston? The Wolfes? Yeah. Do you have a phone number for me? Can you text it? Thanks.”
“What are you doing?” My eyebrows meet in the middle.
He smiles, his body relaxing against mine. “I’m gonna fix this, and even if I can’t, I will figure it out as long as I have you.”
His lips crash against mine, and all the heaviness disappears like magic. The clouds are pushed away by the sun, and the fog in my mind turns into bliss.
“Do you hear me?” he asks, keeping our lips fused as much as possible. “I love you. We’re in this together, okay?”
“Can you forgive me?”
“Baby. I will always forgive you.”