Chapter 30
THEO
Idon’t think I’ve ever been happier than right now. With Sienna in the seat next to me, windows rolled down, the summer night breeze rolling through the car. Soft R&B music plays through the speakers, and I can feel the bass reverberate against Sienna’s thigh where my hand rests.
Thank God this car is an automatic, because I can’t imagine not touching her right now.
The image of her looking up at me from where her head rested on my chest, underneath the night sky, will forever be burned into my memories.
Looking over at Sienna, I find that she’s already looking at me, smiling.
“What?” I smile back.
“I had a lot of fun with you tonight,” she said, putting her hand on top of mine.
“Well, the fun doesn’t have to be over,” I say. As we get closer to the lake house, her comment gives me an idea.
She looks at me, a silent question written on her face.
“Do you trust me?” Sienna nods, a glimmer of wonder in her eyes. I love seeing her relaxed like this.
As we approach the turn into the driveway of the lake house, I hit the gas. The Mustang roars beneath my feet as Sienna’s hand grips mine. One quick look and the smile on her face tells me she’s game for what I have planned.
Keeping weight on the gas pedal, I turn the wheel sharply. Hitting the brake as we reach the beginning of the turn, I lock my back tires while turning the wheel as we drift around the corner.
Sienna lets out a laugh in tandem with the screech of the tires scraping against the asphalt. I laugh with her as we slide along the road, the breeze kissing our faces once again.
I know I shouldn’t, but I look over at Sienna, wanting to cement this moment and her beauty to my memory forever.
As we approach midnight, the roads are blanketed in darkness. My headlights are the only objects lighting the way back to the lake house.
That’s why I don’t notice the pothole until we hit it halfway through the turn.
When I hear the scrape of my bumper against the asphalt, my attention snaps back to the road.
Sliding sideways around the corner, I grip the steering wheel tight as I struggle to gain control of the car again.
Adrenaline pumps through my veins as the car spins out of control, taking us off the road as I fail to straighten out the wheel.
At the sound of metal crunching against something hard and unmoving, we finally come to a stop. The seat belt digs into my chest as my body is thrown sideways by the force of the hit. No airbags deploy, giving me a sliver of hope that the crash isn’t as bad as it felt.
Heart racing, I try to catch my breath as I process what just happened.
“Shit. Shit. Shit.” I look over at Sienna in a panic, ripping my seat belt off so I can take a closer look, immediately checking her for any signs of blood.
She’s conscious, and there’s not a drop of red in sight, but when my eyes meet hers, I see a hint of water pooling at the bottom of her irises.
The sight is like a knife through my chest as I realize I’m the cause of those tears.
“Sienna, I—” Before I can finish the sentence, the driver's door is flung open, and my body is being hauled out of the driver’s seat. Two rough hands grab at the sides of my face.
The lake house stands tall behind Roman as he holds on to me. The light from the back deck lights the area around us. We must’ve spun out of control and hit one of the trees on the side of the house.
Roman’s eyes are frantically scanning my body the same way mine did Sienna’s just seconds ago. Although his eyes are filled with something much darker than fear.
“I’m okay,” I say through the shock of the moment. The seat belt did its job, and I’m confident I didn’t hit my head on anything. The crash was more of a shock than it did any actual damage to me, from what I can tell. But even if it did, all I care about is checking that Sienna is okay.
Pushing Roman off, I turn around toward my car. Upon first glance, I see that the tail end of the Mustang hit a tree, the front three-quarters still intact. That explains why the airbags didn’t deploy.
Beth rushes toward the passenger side door, pulling it open with such force it looks as though she might yank it off its hinges. I see Sienna’s arms reach up to hers as Beth helps her out of the car. Again, she doesn’t look hurt, but I need to get my hands on her to make sure.
“Sienna, are you—”
At the sound of my words, Roman turns me around. He fists my shirt in his hands and slams me against the side of the Mustang.
“What the fuck were you thinking? In Dad’s fucking car!” His voice booms through the night air as his fists shake against my chest. We’re eye to eye, Roman only an inch shorter than me, but I’ve never felt smaller than I do at this moment. I need to make sure Sienna is okay.
“I just have to check on her,” I say, my voice coming out more pained than I intend. Looking to my right, I see Beth and Sienna standing near the front of the car. When I try to escape Roman’s hold, his grip on my shirt tightens.
“Don’t go near her,” he all but growls at me. “I told you to be fucking careful, Theo! What the fuck were you thinking, drifting around the corner like that at night?”
I’m too distracted by Alex and Leo joining the chaos to answer Roman. Seconds later, Alex stands within eyesight a few paces back from Roman, arms crossed, staring me down as though I’m the last person he wants to be looking at right now.
Leo has rushed to Roman’s side with a first-aid kit in his hands.
He sets the first-aid kit on top of the car, right next to me, and that’s when I notice how much he’s shaking.
He doesn’t look at me as he’s trying to open the kit, his hands unable to steady themselves long enough to unlatch the box.
Roman lets me go to place his hand on Leo’s shoulder in an effort to calm him. I can’t remember the last time Leo had a panic attack. The clear signs that I’ve triggered his anxiety send a wave of nausea through my stomach.
Placing my hands on Leo’s, I speak softly, “I’m okay. No one’s hurt. We’re okay.” When he finally looks at me, he crashes into me, wrapping his arms around me and hugging me so tight, as if he lessens his grip, I’ll disappear on him.
We stay there for a moment as Leo’s breathing starts to steady.
Roman’s breathing becomes more erratic by the second, but we’ve all learned to stay calm when Leo needs it.
When Leo has finally calmed down, he pulls away, moving to check on Beth and Sienna.
A sigh of relief rolls through me that someone is at least checking on her.
Looking back at Roman, he stares at me, still seething with rage. Slowly, I raise my hands, keeping my voice calm.
“I was just trying to have fun,” I say.
“Fun?” Roman’s eyes squint, his eyebrows pulling together. I place my hands at my sides, in an effort to control the shaking.
Roman takes a step back, creating a fraction of distance between us. “You’re just like him! You have no responsibility, no respect for others, and after pulling a move like this tonight, you have no future at Kane Construction.”
My anger boils up quicker than I expect, fueled by the adrenaline coursing through my veins. “We had a deal! Just because I fucked up one night doesn’t mean it erases everything else. And what do you mean I’m just like him? Like who?”
“Dad!” Roman throws his arms out, his voice booming as he points at me, continuing, “You’re just like Dad.
You may have been too young to remember, but I do.
I remember getting the call that Dad had wrapped his car around a tree in the exact same fucking Mustang, killing both himself and Mom in the process.
” Roman takes a breath, trying but failing to regulate his temper at this moment.
“You’re selfish and irresponsible just like he was.
You almost took this young woman’s life just like Dad took Mom’s. ”
I open my mouth to say something, but realize I have nothing to say. I know better than to argue with Roman when Mom and Dad are brought up. At this moment in particular, I’m not sure I have anything to combat what he’s just said.
“This little stunt you two are pulling is over.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask.
“Whatever this thing is between the two of you”—Roman gestures back and forth between Sienna and me—“it’s over.
There’s no place for you at my company, Theo.
The deal is off.” Turning toward Sienna, he continues, “Sienna, I was impressed by your portfolio, but I’m not impressed by the lies you’ve been telling in an effort to get a job.
I wouldn’t hire you based on that one character trait alone, and I know Graham won’t either.
I think it’s time that you and Beth leave.
I can give you both a ride home in the morning. ”
Sienna looks as though she was just struck across the face, and a pain spreads through my chest at the sight.
“Roman. They’re not your guests, they’re mine. I say when they go,” I say, adding a bite to my tone. Stepping away from the car, I block his eyesight to Sienna, stopping him from saying anything else that might cause her further pain.
I continue, “It might’ve started out as a lie, but it’s not anymore. I—”
Roman cuts me off with a raised hand. “Stop lying, Theo. I entertained this for too long. It’s time you grow the fuck up. Bringing a fake girlfriend on our family trip was a stupid, immature idea, and tonight, you put her life in danger.”
I open my mouth to speak, but he continues, “This is final, Theo. We can talk more in the morning, but this shit ends tonight.”
With that, he turns his back and heads inside.
“Can you believe him?” I try breaking the ice with Leo, but his expression doesn’t change at my quip.
“In Dad’s fucking car,” Leo mumbles, shaking his head as he walks off, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides.
I turn toward Alex, but he puts his hand up to stop me when I take a step toward him. “No, Theo. You can’t charm your way out of this one. You’re not six anymore.” He turns his back to me as he follows Leo inside.
Watching my brothers turn their backs on me as they walk inside the lake house is the cherry on top of seeing the look on Sienna’s face when we hit the tree. It makes me want to crawl out of my own skin. Adrenaline still pumping through my veins, I’m overcome with a need to be anywhere but here.
Turning back toward Sienna and Beth, I ask, “Are you okay?” I have to force myself to look her in the eye as I push past the shame of my mistake tonight.
When she doesn’t answer, I take a tentative step toward her. When I do, Beth puts her arm around Sienna’s shoulders and holds out a hand to me, indicating that I shouldn’t come any closer.
“I’m not physically hurt,” Sienna finally says, avoiding eye contact with me.
I try getting closer, ignoring Beth’s warning, but Beth puts her hand up again. “No, Theo. You’ve done enough.” At her statement, they move to head inside, following the others.
As I stand outside alone in the darkness, next to my wrecked car, Roman’s words replay in my head. He wasn’t wrong. I’m irresponsible and shouldn’t be wasting my time on stupid fake-dating schemes. Even if my feelings for Sienna are real, I’ve proven tonight that I’m not worthy of being with her.
Not able to join the others inside, I head down the hiking path on foot.
I’m not sure where I’m going, but I need to clear my head.
I’m not far down the path when I break out into a full jog, forcing the adrenaline out of my body.
When I finally tire, I reach an old bench on the path about a mile from the house.
Sitting there, I catch my breath as my heart rate finally starts to come down.
Though the anger and disgust I feel toward myself lingers.
I put Sienna’s life in danger tonight. Her carefully thought-out plan could’ve been destroyed because of one stupid moment of fun.
I almost robbed the world of seeing Sienna Parker’s beautiful architectural designs.
Beth could’ve been leaving here without her best friend, her sister.
I almost took away her father’s little “pumpkin.” Her mother’s baking partner.
The look of fear in her eyes flashes before mine again, and I know what I have to do.
I refuse to repeat history. I refuse to be my father.