Page 69 of The Biggest Secret
Fucking Gage.
Hours later we somehow end up at the same club as the girls. This is the last place I want to be. Everyone is giving me looks. Some are sympathetic, and some are full of disdain. I’m trying to be present for Jackson and my sister, but this isn’t working for me anymore.I stand abruptly needing to get away from here.
“We’ve got bar service here at the table, Adam, take a seat.”
I glance at Chelsea, who is actively avoiding me. “Nah, I need to walk.” I stalk off towards the bar, grabbing a coke and heading for the back door. I just need some air. And time to think. I don’t know how to fix this. I’m the one they all come to when they have a problem, but who am I supposed to go to?
Chapter Forty-One
Chelsea
I’m sabotaging us. Again.
I am purposely causing the gap between Adam and I to grow larger than it already is. I can’t manage to place my stubborn streak to the side. I’m in the midst of Francesca’s wedding where Adam and I are meant to be a couple. I can’t be nearhim, but I can’t walk out onher. Old Chelsea would have run. I still want to run, but I’m forcing myself to stay. I’m making an active choice to work this out. At least I got that going for me.
I won’t turn my back on the rest of the family because I feel Adam fucked up. Not again. They don’t deserve that. They didn’t do anything wrong. They welcomed us in as if I never broke their hearts to begin with.
Adam is the heartbreaker.
But so am I. I’m also the one who fucked up from the start. I feel the tears coming again. Why am I like this? I hate my father so much for changingthe way I think and perceive my surroundings. But enough is enough. I have to take responsibility for myself. No one can change anything but me now. My therapist used to say, ‘when we change, everything around us changes’.
We’re down to nine days before the wedding. I’ve been feeling bad the last few days, and I’m praying it’s just stress and that I’m not coming down with something. I’m meeting Britt down at the dress shop for final alterations and honestly, it’s the last thing I want to do. I just want to crawl back in bed, ignore my behavior the last few days and hide.
I’m gathering my keys and purse and hear a knock on the door. Calling out, “Britt? I thought I was meeting you there? Come on in, it’s open!”
“Hi Chelsea.” I startle when I hear a man’s voice.
“Tom? Is everything ok?” I tighten my hold on my things and instantly go to worry when I see he’s in uniform.
“It’s fine, everyone is fine. Can I come in?” He’s standing at the door and I’m sure I look like I’ve seen a ghost.
“Oh, yes, of course. What’s going on?”
He takes a breath and lets it out, but it’s accompanied with a slight smirk. The Casanova smirk, each of these brothers has it, and they wear it like a tattoo. “I had a report come across my desk earlier this morning. Seemed serious and out of character for the suspect named so I told my Sergeant I would look into it.” He lifts a brow waiting for my response. “Do you know anything about it?”
I narrow my eyes at him. Fucking Grace. And I’m the suspect? Is this guy for real right now? I straighten my spine. “You’ll have to elaborate Officer Casanova, I’m unsure as to what you’re alluding to.”
He holds my stare, the smirk becoming a full-on smile. But then he rolls his lips back in and steadies his face. “Grace filed an assault charge against you.” His eyes twinkle as mine widen. He puts his hands up as if to calm me, to tell me everything's alright. “Want to tell me what happened?”
I take a breath. Seems I’m going to have to air some dirty laundry here. This is not my thing, I never liked sharing any details of mine and Adam’s relationship, whether it was good, bad or sexy. Him and I always kept our secrets for ourselves. But this family has not missed any of theways Grace has tried to come between Adam and me. She’s tried to keep herself relevant with them all these years.
“Tom, I really don’t want to do this.”
“CJ, it’s me. What you tell me here, is off the record. I’ll let you know when we go back on the record and then I’ll handle it. Okay?” He walks closer and nods to the stools at the island. “Have a seat for a minute and talk to me.”
So, I do. I spill my guts about everything Grace has done and said throughout the years. My tears fall and I’m so overly emotional. This isn’t me. I don’t have breakdowns, and if I do, I don’t do it in front of someone.
“When she brought Dominic into the conversation, I lost it. I had to put a stop to it. I had to stand up to her.”
He grows solemn, his face taking on a protective demeanor. He takes a breath then says, “So, you were in fear for your son, is that what I’m hearing?”
I stare back. “Are we on the record again?” When he nods, “Yes, I was in fear for my son.”
“Did anyone else witness this?”
“Adley was with me. And Dominic, of course. We were on main street, I’m sure there were other people around, but no one came over to us and I honestly didn’t see anything around me. She had me so upset I wasn’t thinking straight.”
He continues to hold my stare, then drops it, stands from the stool and adjusts his belt. “I’ll handle this, Ms. Sutton. You have nothing to worry about.” I stand, too, and follow him to the door. He pauses, then turns to me, that smirk dancing across his lips once again. “Off the record? You should have done it years ago. And, might I add, that once Britt catches wind, you’re going to be her hero. I’m actually surprised I’ve never had to bail her out for doing it herself.” He gives me a wink. “Give my nephew a kiss.”
