Page 99 of Jake's Angel

I can’t be too upset about it.I used him first.

I kissed him to get what I needed when I needed to escape. Now he’s doing the same. He’s using me to get his brownie points with his President.

Turning back around, I walk back into the house, letting the screen door slam behind me as the tears continue to sting my eyes.

Calm the fuck down, Avery. This should come as no surprise. They’re all the same.

Walking past Sadie, Jayde, and Liz who are conversing at the kitchen table, I notice Sadie seems to be much calmer. I head straight for my room, slam the door and flop on the bed. I hear the slight creak from the door as Sadie comes in to join me. Sitting beside me, she gently strokes my back, trying to soothe me.

“You want to talk about it?” she asks.

“Nothing to talk about.”

Sadie snorts at my petulance.

“You know better than to try that shit with me. You came in here looking like you wanted to rip Jake’s balls off and disappeared into the bathroom. Then went back out there intending to say something to him, but instead came in less than three minutes later looking like he kicked your puppy. Start talking.” Hearing the frustration and concern in her voice, I sitmyself up to face her. She knows me better than anyone, and I know she won’t let this go.

Rubbing my hands down my face, trying to ignore my pounding head, I answer her. “I think everything came to a head for me all at once, you know. There’s been so much to take in the last few days. Emotionally, I’m a fucking mess, Sades. I don’t know if I’m coming or going. Everything I’ve ever known about myself—my parents, the accident, it’s all been a lie. I don’t know who I am anymore. I let my guard down for a minute. I let the music take me away and forgot who I am and where I was. I relaxed into the song and when I felt that guy put his hand on me … at first, I thought maybe it was Jake coming to apologize, but when I looked down and saw the guy’s pinky ring, it sent me back.”

Her eyes are locked on mine. The rage and sadness at war there staring back at me. I know she feels responsible because she couldn’t stop what happened to me and I won’t tell her who did it, so she can’t exact her revenge on the bastard. Sadie, though well intentioned, would do something stupid, putting herself at risk. I can’t let her. Not with Kyle. Hell, she put herself on the line to help me leave and look what a clusterfuck that’s been for both of us.

“Shit Avery. You told Jake about it.” I don’t say the words, and looking away, I nod once. I hear her release a breath of relief. “He can help you, Avery. If you tell him who …”

“No.” Staring back into her eyes, pleading with her to understand my wishes. “I don’t want them involved any more than they already are in my shit. I shouldn’t have told Jake or you for that matter, but since neither of you knowswhohurt me, my Gramps is safe and so am I.”

“But they can help.”

“I know you want me to tell them so they find him and serve retribution, but I can’t. Please, try to understand. Everyoneclaims they’re trying to protect me, but when I want to protect those I love, no one listens. It’s bullshit.”

“Not fair. I listen. I’ve done everything to help you escape her place and every one of those assholes from Baron’s Edge. I listened,” she cries out as tears stream down her face. She jumps off the bed, pacing the floor, dragging her hands through her hair. I know I’ve hurt her, which only adds to the mess I’m feeling inside. “I want to help you. I want to fucking kill the people who hurt you. But I can’t. I’m not strong enough to erase this, but my family—those men, they can. The Kings protect their own.”

“I’m only theirs because the President and my mother had sex,” I shout. “I don’t know these people, Sadie. They don’t know me. They know I’m Gabe’s daughter, but they didn’t care about any of that before or he wouldn’t have left me there for this long.He didn’t want me, Sadie. He didn’t hide me away for a little while. Heleftme for sixteen years, Sades.”

She sits on the bed. I sit next to her, my head on her shoulder. I know she’s hurting for me. It’s who she is. She’s the most loyal person I’ve ever known. She’s in her own world of pain. Her own father abandoned her, and now he’s back in her life because of me. He’s the only person who can answer my questions. I know she must be going through her own hell emotionally.

“I talked to Jake. I told him it wasn’t a mugging. I told him what happened.”

“Fuck. Sadie.”

She drops her face into her hands and sobs softly. I move her hands, and she says, “When I moved to Baron’s Edge, you were the only one who accepted me. You’re my family, Avery. We were family before we even knew about our fathers being brothers. If you know anything about me, you know how important my family is to me and I’ll do everything in my power to take care of them. You might hate me for it, but I know they can helpyou. They’ll keep you safe. I couldn’t tell him who hurt you because I don’t know, but when they find out, they’ll handle it. You can’t keep fighting these things alone. You asked for my help. The Kings,ourfamily, they’re the help that I can give. You understand?”

“I can’t fucking breathe, Sadie.” I honestly can’t. My chest hurts and my head is pounding again. “I’m so confused, and frustrated, andangry.I can’t handle any more. I already have a babysitter and can’t go anywhere without an escort. I left Baron’s Edge to get some freedom. All I did was give up one prison for another. Can you imagine how much more restrictive they’ll be now because they know what happened to me? And who’s going to protect my Gramps? Shit.”

“I know, but you said you told Jake last night. I simply confirmed what he already knows.”

“Yeah, but I told him, hoping he wouldn’t tell anyone else. I didn’t want everyone to know about it. I needed to tell him. The way he was looking at me. The way he was acting. I could see him struggling to keep his emotions in check. The storm in his eyes only let up when I explained what happen, but only for a moment. It did something to me. Made me drop my guard. I needed to ease his frustrations. So, like an idiot, I told him, but I didn’t do it because I wanted him to fix it. I told him because he thought someone he trusted, one of his brothers or someone from the town had hurt me. I had to tell him what really happened. Now, I wish I would’ve kept my mouth shut.”

“Why? What did he say when you told him?”

Dropping back on the bed, throwing my arm over my face, I hope it will hide some of the embarrassment I’m feeling.

“He was quiet. He was pissed I wouldn’t tell him who hurt me.” I shrug. “I didn’t tell him who because it doesn’t matter.” She scowls at me. Throwing my hand up, stopping her from speaking. “It doesn’t. We got me out of there, and he has no ideawhere to find me. So, I’m safe. As long as they don’t go after him, Gramps and I will both be fine. I need to get past the memories and not let them put me in a state of panic.” Sadie nods her understanding even though I know she doesn’t agree with me. She, like the band of biker boys, thinks I’m still in some kind of danger.

“Walk me through this. What happened between you two last night? Something’s not adding up.”

“He took me to his house, and we slept together in his bed.” Her eyes widen, her face lights up with excitement.

“You hooker,” she teases.

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