Chapter 39
39
JEALOUSY KILLS PEACE
Ivory
Eleven years ago…
I feel like an asshole.
We’re leaving in three days, and Shan has no idea. Rio swore me to secrecy, knowing she would one hundred percent try to stop us after not being the most supportive when we first started dating. And while I know he’s right, I hate lying to her. She doesn’t deserve it after everything she’s done for me, after how good a friend she’s been.
She’s like the sister I never had.
While the party continues growing rowdier and rowdier, I’ve holed myself up in the guest house after having a few drinks. More specifically, the office, combing through all of Jonathan’s mom’s romance novels as a way to occupy my time until Rio gets here. I’ll be able to breathe and put on a brave “everything is fine” face if he’s by my side. Without him, I fear what might come out of my mouth.
I’m reading through the synopsis of an Anne Rice novel when a strong hand slips over my eyes. I jolt out of instinct, not having heard him approach given how loud the music is all over the property, but instantly relax at the knowledge that he’s finally here. A smirk touches my lips. “Took you long enough. Where have you been?”
“Shhh.” Rio hushes in my ear, guiding me toward the door.
Without asking where we’re going, I already have an idea as we cut a right. There’s nothing else in this direction other the actual bedroom. Excitement instantly courses through me. Rio’s made me an absolute fiend for him over the last two years. I can jump him any time, any place, anywhere.
Especially when there’s alcohol involved.
I’m riding the anticipation as he opens the door, ushers me in, and promptly flips on the lights. The very moment he releases me, I spin around and make way to tangle my arms around him.
Only it’s not Rio who’s standing there.
It’s Jonathan.
Or is it? My head suddenly swims as every drink I consumed rushes me in a tidal wave.
Am I seeing shit?
I rub at my eyes, certain it’ll be Rio after the fact, but the image remains the same. “What…what are y-you doing?” I ask tentatively.
Jonathan drains the limited contents of his beer and sets the bottle onto the dresser, advancing toward me with a shrug. “Figured I’d k-keep you company until Guerra shows his face,” he slurs.
My legs move backward of their own accord in an attempt to put as much distance between us as possible. “I’m good on my own, thanks.”
Although I forgave Jonathan for his part in my earlier high school years, there’s something about him that has never sat well with me. It’s all in the eyes, in the way he looks at me. I wouldn’t go as far as saying it’s sinister, but it’s unnerving enough to make me question the why behind it. I haven’t dared to tell Rio, mostly because I don’t want to be the cause for any strain on their friendship, but it’s a nagging thought every time we all get together.
Guess my gut was onto something.
The hairs on my body shoot up like red flags and freeze in place as he prowls toward me. He’s drunk, I know he is. I can see it in the glassy, blue-eyed gaze fixated on me. That has to be why he’s doing this.
Right?
“C’mon, Ivory. D-don’t be that way. I’m not gonna bite.” He takes full advantage of the fact I’ve backed myself into the bed, easily pushing me on top it. “Not hard anyway. Unless of course you’re into that, then I’ll b-bite as hard as you want.”
I shield myself with my arms as he crawls over me and shake my head. My stomach roils at the feel of him looming over me, threatening to upheave the three beers and two shots of tequila I downed earlier. “Get off, Jonathan. Leave me alone.”
“Nah, I wanna see what all the fuss is about,” he leers. “Have my boy losing his goddamn mind over you. Every time I call and ask what he’s doing, he’s with y-you. If I text and ask where he’s at, he’s with you. If I invite him to go out with the boys, he turns me d-down because he has plans with you. So what is it about you that has him so obsessed after he spent years torturing you? Do you have a magical fucking pussy or some s-shit?”
He touches me there, literally pushes my skirt up my hips and runs the pad of his middle finger over my panties. My heart momentarily stops beating before kickstarting and promptly plummeting down the length of my body. I wanna puke along with it. “Don’t touch me,” I warn, trying to shove him off me. “Get the f-fuck off of me!”
I’d kick him, but that would require moving my legs and I’m afraid that’ll grant him easier access. Either way, he doesn’t like it. Not at all.
My resistance only fuels him onward.
In a movement he seems to have perfected, he wrangles my wrists into one hand and lifts them over my head, pinning me to the bed. Leaving me completely and utterly defenseless. I squirm about for some sort of control, more still when he easily wedges himself between my legs and brings his fingers back to his target.
Crudely rubbing me.
Slipping beneath the fabric.
Trying to slide his way inside me.
He can’t, though. I’m not slick, not even a little bit.
“You one of those girls that needs a million hours of foreplay? Why the h-hell aren’t you wet?” he growls angrily.
“‘Cause you’re not Rio,” I protest, trying and failing to knee him in the balls. “Get the fuck off of me, Jonathan!”
The next minute transpires in what feels like seconds. One moment he’s hooking my legs around him, pulling his pants down enough for me to feel how hard he is as he rolls into me, and the next he’s just gone. I right myself in time to catch him being slammed against the wall.
“What the fuck!” Rio roars above the music, tripling the already frantic beat of my heart.
Jonathan’s eyes widen, his mouth popping open to speak, but nothing comes out—which doesn’t help his case. If anything, it only provokes Rio further. With vengeful force, a steely fist makes perfect contact with his face.
Once.
Twice.
A third time.
Blood streams down his nose, painting his lips, and still he remains mute.
“Say something!” Rio bellows, emotions thick in his voice. “How could you do this to me?”
“We… W-we didn’t mean for you to find out this way,” Jonathan mumbles.
What the fuck!
“We!” Rio’s head whips around to me as I’m scrambling off the bed and readjusting my skirt. “Are you fucking serious? ”
“Crow, n-no!” I shake my head violently, every drop of blood draining from my face. I’m going to throw up. “I swear on everything—NO! He’s l?—”
“No use in lying now, Petal,” Jonathan interjects, redirecting Rio’s attention on him.
Both hands now clenching his shirt, Rio slams him further into the wall and sends his fist flying into his face again. “What the fuck, man! Are you for real right now?”
“I’ve been in love with her for years,” Jonathan gripes, his chest heaving a mile per minute. “When you told me you guys were leaving, I knew I had to make a move if I had any chance left with her. Guess I did because?—”
“No…no, no.” I object, because this is utter bullshit! Tears spill down my cheeks in desperation. He’s ruining everything! “No, Rio, l-look at me.”
When Rio obliges, I don’t see my Crow. I see anger, betrayal, so many shades of the boy I used to know before we’d fallen in love. Not the man who owns my heart. He doesn’t believe me!
I have to make him believe me, to see that his best friend is jealous, and petty, and is going to tear us apart if he doesn’t see reason.
“This isn’t…let me explain. Please,” I beg .
“We didn’t know how to tell you, man,” Jonathan continues, intent on driving the knife deeper. “It’s just… She doesn’t have to leave her life behind to be with me. She doesn’t have to lie to be with me. She can live a normal life, have a normal relationship. I can…I-I can give her everything you can’t.”
Why? Why is he doing this ?
“Crow, please…I love you,” I beseech, reaching for him, but he pulls away.
“Do you, though?” he grinds out through clenched teeth. “Because you sat here for weeks and were clearly lying to my face. You let him fuck you instead of just telling me straight up. All this planning for what?”
“It’s not t-true. None of it,” I slur. “The plan hasn’t changed. I want to go with you!”
He doesn’t believe me. I see it loud and clear. He’s choosing Jonathan’s word over mine !
Jealousy kills peace. Fear kills dreams.
He’s ruined everything!
“I’m done,” he spits out, releasing his best friend and closing the short distance between us. Towering over me, he exudes every bit of that familiar hatred that once stood between us. “You’re dead to me, do you hear me? Don’t ever fucking show your face to me again.”
No.
No!
I reach for his arm, needing him to stay put and let me talk. “Crow, no ? —”
But again, he pulls away. This time in nothing but disgust.
“C’mon, man,” Jonathan cajoles. “Don’t be like this.”
A second ticks by.
Then another.
And then… “Jonathan….” Rio peers over his shoulder at him. “Run.”