29. Vani
CHAPTER 29
Vani
Jarl Olsen checks his watch and gets to his feet. “I should get going. You know I’m not really supposed to be here.”
I stand as well. “Of course.”
“Do you want me to show you out?” Angelica offers.
“I think I can find my way. I appreciate the introduction.” He turns to me. “Thank you for your time, Ivani. It was good to meet my daughter’s sister. I know technically we’re not related, but it feels like we are.”
I don’t want to be related to this man in any way, but I force a smile. “Thank you for sharing those photographs of her.”
He adjusts his suit jacket sleeves. “Of course.”
Jarl checks to ensure he’s not being watched, and then slips around the outskirts of the bar, sticking to the shadows. He pushes through the door and leaves via the corridor. I have no idea which way he’s going to sneak out of here, but he seems to know where he’s going. I’m still troubled about meeting him, though my emotions are mixed.
One thing I’m not confused about is how I feel about Angelica setting up this meeting. I’m not going to just let this go.
I round on her. I might be short, but I can be fierce when I need to be.
“What the actual fuck, Angelica?”
“What do you mean?” Her blue eyes are wide.
“After everything I told you on Friday night, you called Jarl Olsen and brought him here. How did you even get him onto college property?”
She shrugs. “I’ve been here long enough that I know some ways past security.”
“Jesus Christ, do you have any idea how dangerous that could be for me? I’ve been trying to keep my very existence a secret from him, and you waltz him right in here and give him a seat at my table.”
Her eyes fill with tears. “I didn’t know it was dangerous! I was trying to help you.”
I practically choke. “Help me? How the fuck did you work that out?”
“You were upset about Reagan and wanted to know more about her. I thought who better to tell you than her dad?” She lifts one shoulder in a shrug. “Plus, I thought he deserved to know that the Vipers have been sniffing around you as well. It’s not right that they keep getting to mess with the girls here with no repercussions.”
“It was none of your business,” I cry.
“Didn’t you want to know more about Reagan? Isn’t it the whole reason you came to Verona Falls—so you could learn more about her? I thought I was doing you a favor. I thought you’d be thanking me.” A tear runs from the corner of her eye and drips down her cheek. She swipes it away with her palm.
I experience a wave of guilt. Shit. I didn’t mean to make her cry.
Did I really make it clear enough the other night how I felt about Jarl Olsen and my fears about my dad finding out the truth about my mom’s past? I’d had a lot to drink, and I can’t remember exactly what I said. Maybe I hadn’t mentioned Jarl at all. Angelica really could have believed she was doing me a favor, and now I’m turning on one of the only friends I have in this place.
“Shit, I’m sorry.”
She sniffs. “Like I said, I thought I was doing something good.”
I put my arms out and pull her into a hug. It’s a little awkward, as we don’t really know each other that well yet, plus we just had a fight. She’s stiff initially, but then her body relaxes, and she hugs me back.
We break apart.
“I didn’t really get you in trouble, did I?” she asks. “I mean, he seemed nice enough. He really did want to meet you. It must be hard for him, losing his daughter like that. I’m sure he took comfort knowing you’ve stepped into her place.”
I’m not sure I really like the idea of stepping into her place, but I get what she means. Honestly, I have no idea what I’m supposed to think about Jarl Olsen now. In my head, I’d painted him as a villain, but, as they say, there are two sides to every story. According to him, it was my mom who had issues.
I hate to think of my mom being that way, but she was young back then, too. Her being my mother doesn’t make her infallible to the lure of drink and drugs and sex. Look at me! I have been drinking way more than I normally would, and what about the things I’m doing with the Vipers? I’m sure a lot of people would see that as depraved. They’d talk about me the same way Jarl talked about my mother, perhaps. Maybe having Reagan wasn’t enough to calm her down, and that only happened when she had me. Have I just been seeing her through rose-tinted glasses all this time?
Something else occurs to me. Perhaps that was the reason she never wanted me to meet him—she hadn’t wanted me to find out the truth. But wouldn’t she have known that Reagan would tell me herself? I guess, if that had happened, I’d have always assumed that Jarl had told his daughter a pack of lies, rather than what had actually happened. I’d have been the only one who could have told her a different version.
Except now, I have no idea which is the truth and which is fiction.
I’d have been more inclined to believe my mom if it wasn’t for that damned necklace.
“Are we okay?” Angelica asks.
We smile at each other.
“Absolutely. I’m sorry I reacted so badly.”
“You know, you’re angry at the wrong person. It should be the Vipers you’re taking all this out on. They’re the assholes.”
“Oh, don’t worry. I have a plan for them, too.”
Angelica laughs. “Please tell me they picked the wrong girl this time.”
“Yeah, they definitely did.”
Her laughter fades. “But be careful. They really are dangerous. I don’t want you putting yourself in any situation where they might hurt you.”
“I don’t think they’d actually hurt me.”
A vision of Zane and me in the mirror, a knife pricking my throat, jumps into my head. Do I really believe that?
“How do you know that for sure? Look at what happened to Reagan.”
I want to argue with her that we don’t know what happened—not even her dad really knows—but Angelica has made up her mind. I’d be wasting my breath.
For a second, I’m tempted to tell her about the notes I’ve been receiving, but I clamp my mouth shut again. Look at what happened the last time I tried to confide in her. While I appreciate that she thought she was doing the right thing, she still went behind my back. She could have just asked me if I wanted to speak to Jarl, but she didn’t.
She has reminded me about my plan to get back at the Vipers, though. I refuse to be the kind of girl men think they can just walk all over without there being any consequences.
Some day soon, they’ll get a visit from me, and I think I’ll start with Saint.