Page 82 of My Heart to Keep
Trevor finally spoke. “You went into my computer? Unbelievable. We’re through, Claire. I’m sick of your jealous rages.”
Her brown eyes became basketballs, flickering with fire. “Why? Because you like her? You’ve been falling all over her feet since you met her. I don’t get it.” She gave me a disgusted sneer. “She’s nothing. You’ll regret this, Trev. Next year when it’s just us in school, and Quinn isn’t around, you’ll be begging me to fuck you.”
Maiken reared back. “Wait. This is your doing?” he asked Trevor. “You filmed Quinn and me?”
The club was completely silent as kids watched intently.
Trevor blew out a breath. “I didn’t do it for malicious intent. It was a stupid thing to do.”
“I erased it from his phone,” I mumbled.
Maiken gaped. “You knew about this?” Disappointment and hurt swam in his blue eyes.
My heart plummeted. “He showed me, and then he let me delete it from his phone. I didn’t tell you because it was a nonissue.”
He opened his hand. “Um… This thumb drive says otherwise.”
Kade’s deep voice resonated. “Okay, let’s break this up. Back to having a good time, or else I’ll be forced to shut the party down.”
Momma rushed up. “What’s going on?”
I expelled every ounce of air I had in my lungs. The food table was tucked on the other side of the bar and not in Momma’s line of sight. So I was thankful she hadn’t seen me up on the big screen, although she had to have heard my voice.
“Your daughter is a whore,” Claire said.
Momma raised her hand, but I caught it before she did something stupid. “Mom, I can handle this.”
My body warmed at how Momma was ready to defend me.
“Young lady,” Momma said to Claire. “I suggest you leave my presence before I do something you won’t like.”
Trevor grabbed Claire’s arm. “Let’s go. Mrs. Thompson, I apologize.” Trevor practically dragged Claire out of Momma’s view.
“Now tell me what happened,” Momma said to me in her motherly tone that was equal parts scary and concerning.
I wasn’t about to tell her anything in front of a crowd full of kids. Thankfully, the band returned to the stage and launched into an upbeat song. Kids dispersed, and some started dancing since a fight wasn’t imminent.
Maiken entwined his fingers with mine and pulled me through the club as we followed Momma. Kade stood at the door of the storeroom, holding it open for us. He had a knowing look in his copper eyes as though he’d been in my shoes.
Once we were behind closed doors with the music muted, Momma stuck her hands on her hips. “What happened out there?”
Maiken let go of my hand, watching me with as much concern as Momma had.
There was no sense in lying to Momma. She would find out anyway.
“Claire, the girl you told to leave, leaked a video of Maiken and me in a compromising position.” My gaze was glued to my strappy gold heels, because I was afraid to see the disappointment in Momma’s eyes.
“As in a sex video?” Momma was on the verge of screaming at the top of her lungs.
I shook my head, still not meeting her eyes. “Not really. I was unbuckling Maiken’s jeans, and—”
“Don’t finish that sentence. I don’t want to know.” Fury threaded through her words. “Do you know what that could do to your college and future employment if that got out on the web, Quinn? And you, Maiken. How could you let this happen? Your basketball career could go up in smoke.”
Maiken cleared his throat. “Ma’am, the video was dark and grainy, and we weren’t naked. I also have the evidence.” He held up the thumb drive.
I cringed at the word “naked.” What if we had been? I’d been so flipping stupid to drink.
“It’s my fault, Momma. That was the night of my party, and well, I wasn’t thinking straight.”
