Chapter 17 #2
“Nah,” Charlie waves me off, she’s walking in her nude heels like a pro.
Her white dress has puffy sleeves that come right off her shoulders, it fits her form perfectly, and she added cowboy boots which honestly, super cute.
Maybe not for a cocktail hour with professors but I highly doubt they expect seniors to wear pantsuits.
Then again, I’m sure she’d kill in one of those too.
“Anything I should know about the dad you hate before walking into their guns blazing?” she asks. “Because I can charm the pants off parents, not yours, obviously, but you know what I mean.”
I didn’t tell her the whole story. But I’m assuming he’s going to be more forthcoming when it comes to Charlie then he is me.
“If it happens to slip that he works with Hale Enterprises let me know.” I nod.
“Jude’s dad might be there, and if he is, let me know if they walk off together.
Edward has jet black hair and looks just like Jude, and my dad has no hair and looks like John Cena. ”
“Wait, for real?”
“You know those glow up divorce videos? My dad could be the poster child for those. He got like super into cars and fitness once he and my mom got divorced. He says he found himself. I think he just found money and attention from multiple women all at once. He’s an ass, just so you know, and a narcissist.”
“Aw, my favorite combo,” she says dryly. “Okay all that family drama aside, this will still be fine. It’s our last year, I’ve heard they have the best chefs in the city do the wine pairings, and again, free! We’re poor, remember?”
I laugh. “Yeah, that’s true.”
“I’m going to have to sell eggs to pay off my student loans. Why did I major in art again?” she asks. “It’s not like I’m going to get a high-paying job. At best I can teach.”
“Hey, some of us make it,” I say weakly.
She shoots me a look. “Yeah, very few. I think like less than two percent but hey, maybe you hook up with Jude and you can get some of your sculptures or paintings in studio.”
I snort. “That doesn’t promise us anything, and you know it. It just means we get eyes on our work; people have to pay real money in order for us to not have to donate eggs.”
She groans. “Don’t remind me. But also, it couldn’t hurt.”
“I won’t use him for his connections,” I say once we’ve taken the steps to the Observatory. It’s beautiful and littered with so much food and wine of all types I can see why everyone goes and why she forced it on me.
“Just sex then? And his amazing body?” she teases.
I roll my eyes. “No.”
“How disappointing,” comes Jude’s voice. “I shaved and everything.”
“Aww, see and he’s funny.” Charlie grabs a glass of champagne from a waiter. “Nice to see you clean up well Jude.”
He looks stunning in a black suit. He has no tie, and everything about him fits custom. He’s beautiful to look at. I can barely breathe. He hands me a glass of champagne and eyes me up and down. “Had I known you ladies were coming I would have been more excited.”
“Axel didn’t tell you?” Charlie takes a sip of her wine.
Jude snorts into his glass. “Things you need to learn about my cousin, you have to give him very specific instructions, from the bedroom to the boardroom, he needs maps, notes, that sort of thing.”
“Good thing I’m an artist.” Charlie winks. “I’ll draw him the best damn map he’s ever seen as long as he uses it well.”
“Ignore her.” I wave her off. “There’s been a dry spell.”
“Not anymore! Hey, Axel!” She waves him over. He’s dressed similarly to Jude, but Jude stands out as…more.
We walk in together even though we arrived apart, and as much as I tell my body to calm down, it really does feel like a date. Which is further proven when Jude casually wraps an arm around me and guides me through a crowd.
I open my mouth to ask what he’s doing when he leans down and whispers, “Your dad’s watching, make sure you smile. I’m not sure who’s behind the Dean’s List, but we’ve both been targeted so we may as well make it appear that we’re following directions.”
“To get close to each other?” I smile through the sentence.
“Yup.” He grins down at me. “Also, your dad hated me before prison. Pretty sure he still hates me despite the fact that our fathers looked like best friends in that photo.”
A chill runs down my spine and I know it’s not from the photo, it’s from something far worse. I don’t move. I can barely breathe. I stare him down the way he’s staring at me. “He’s coming this way.”
“Your dad?”
“Yeah he’s?—”
I have no time to say anything before Jude’s mouth comes crashing down onto mine. It’s not a romantic kiss, it’s not slow and inviting, it’s punishing and claiming. I want to pull back, because…not like this, not in front of everyone, not in front of faculty, not in front of my dad.
I’ve never felt more like a pawn in my entire life—except the day I was asked to lie, and now it feels like I’m being asked to do the exact same thing by Jude, except I can’t say no because I owe him. For how long, I wonder, will I owe him?
He pulls away. “Kiss me back next time.”
Angry tears threaten. “There won’t be a next time, I never agreed to this.”
“Too bad.” He grits his teeth. “You agreed to this the minute you admitted you lied. You owe me this. Now, play along nicely before I show you what it’s really like to live in hell.”
I’m an idiot.
I’m suddenly embarrassed I dressed up for him.
Ashamed I thought maybe, just maybe, he was seeing me in a different light, that he cared, that he wanted me, that there was something still there beyond this fa?ade.
I was wrong.
Axel and Charlie are lost in the crowd, and my dad’s walking toward us with a frozen smile in place. Jude is holding me in place. I’m trapped. I didn’t tell Jude how far my hatred went for my dad, for what he did to my mom, what he made me do, and now Jude’s making me lie the same way my dad did.
I don’t think I can hate Jude more.
For being alive and coming back into my life and forcing me back into the dark hell of deception. He’s dragging me down with him and calling it pure retribution. It’s just a pretty name for hatred. Revenge.
“Simon.” Jude holds out his hand. “Nice to see you.”
My dad takes it. “I heard Edward’s son was back. I’m sure Harvard misses you. I heard they made you an offer only an idiot would refuse.”
That’s new information. I try to stay still.
“Yes, well,” He looks down at me. “I couldn’t stay away from my first love. Imagine, she thought I was dead all these years.”
My dad doesn’t miss a beat. “That’s impossible.” He tilts his head at me. “You poor thing, why did you never say anything?”
“Why, indeed?” Jude answers for me. “I think she was just confused, since Mom’s funeral was so close to the trial. It’s so easy to manipulate information ,wouldn’t you say?”
He smiles at us. “Yes well, that’s why it’s good to have friends to remind you of the good times and the bad.
” He laughs like what he said is funny. “I’m glad you’re back in Lilah’s life.
I’m sure it’s been pure torture imagining the only boy she’s ever loved being gone, though part of this is on you. Why didn’t you reach out?”
This! This is something I’ve been dying to know, so I’m suddenly invested, majorly invested.
Jude shrugs. “I was in college. My dad said she didn’t want to talk to me and changed her number.
I wasn’t allowed social media while I was behind bars, and I figured the person who put me there probably didn’t want to see me anyway. ”
His smile cracks just a bit. “Well, the past is in the past. It’s good you’re teaching here now, maybe you two can ignite your old flame.” He eyes me. “How’s your mother?”
“Still an alcoholic thanks to you,” I say sweetly. “But next time she’s sober I’ll let her know you said hi.”
His face softens just briefly. “If you need help?—”
“Oh, I have all the help I can handle right now.” I point at Jude. “I really don’t think I’ll survive if I have any more of it.”
“Hmmm…” He eyes me and Jude. “Well, I need to go make the rounds.”
“Do that,” I say through clenched teeth.
I’m shaking. I toss back the rest of my champagne and try to jerk free from Jude, but he won’t let me go. He’s holding me firmly by his side. “He’s still watching.”
“I don’t give a shit. Get me out of here,” I hiss. “I can’t believe you’d pull that. I can’t believe it.”
“Really? After my years in prison you can’t believe I’d use every weapon, you included? You can’t be so naive to think after your little confession all would be forgiven.” He leans down and whispers, “Being beautiful doesn’t give you a free pass, Lilah.”
“You’re an asshole.”
“I know.”
“I hate you.”
“No, you don’t. You hate that you’re in this position.
” He hands me another glass of champagne.
“Think with logic rather than feeling, and you’ll see that by dragging this out nobody wins, we’re forcing their hands, his and my father’s.
Or do you want to play their games forever?
They’re covering up my mom’s death, they’re walking away without as much as a scratch while we suffer.
Tell me you aren’t willing to do everything to make them pay. ”
“The good guys don’t always win, Jude.”