Page 133 of Heart Strings & Hotlines
And it’s with love that I stand, prepared to win this war.
“It’s okay.” My hands stay on Lottie’s shoulders, even after I get her back in her chair. I allow her energy, her passion, her confidence to filter into my body before I slowly make my way to the stage.
Jonah stands, holding the mic with a perfected smile that fools most, but what they don’t see is the malice that motivates him.
I’ve always seen it. Perhaps it’s time the world saw it too.
I don’t know what his plan is here tonight, but I have no doubt it’s something to fuck with me and my company. Whatever is up his sleeve will never touch me or those I love.
I won’t allow it.
“Thane and I have been playing a little game with his girlfriend, Charlotte. Haven’t we, Thane?”
My hands ball into fists as uncontrollable rage bursts the volcano in my chest. I’ll be on him in ten more steps to shut him the fuck up.
“Hackers are a real problem in today’s world, aren’t they, Charlotte? You just never know who you can trust, who is out to steal your property, and who is simply out to ruin you. But hey, that’s why we’re here, right? Advancements in technology are all around us.”
I step into his space before he can spew any other pain. To anyone on the outside, it would appear to be a father wrapping his son in a congratulatory embrace, but I know better, and I hold myself still, waiting for him to drop his bomb.
“My attorney will be in touch tomorrow regarding Kara. Such a shame she’s about to lose you and Lottie, not that I care, of course.” His sneer shows violent intent as he pats me on the back with the force of a linebacker. I’m sure he was hoping to knock me off-balance, but I’ve learned to love the gym since leaving his home, and he’ll never push me around again.
“She’s simply a pawn in my game. I always told you that life was a chess match, and if you didn’t get on the board, you’d be swept away like the piece of fucked-up trash that you are. Sweep, sweep. As for poor Charlotte, I know it was you kicking me out of her network, so I made sure to leave a trail. If you even think about taking me down for that, you’ll go down with me.”
He steps back, his politician’s face back in place.
It’s something I’ve never been able to master.
I search the crowd for Lottie. I’ve learned what the lines around her eyes mean when she’s happy and when she’s pissed off. I’ve learned that her lips curl just a touch higher on the right side of her face when she’s truly happy.
And I’ve learned that love looks like a fierce lioness when provoked, and that’s the energy she’s projecting now. I allow it to center me, even if her rage is split between my father and me at the moment.
She’ll understand as soon as I’m able to explain.
When I blink, the little Westbrook in the front row gives me a thumbs-up with one hand. He’s recording me on his phone with the other. I decide to focus on him in order to get through this. That’s why I’m here after all, to make the world better for kids of all abilities, and what I have to do settles over me with the calmness of Charlotte wrapping herself around all my fears and insecurities.
“Thank you, Jonah,” I say into the microphone. “I wasn’t aware that almost murdering an entire family by nearly running them over on a crosswalk while intoxicated was now considered a misunderstanding. A fifth DUI sounds like a choice to me, but I’ve never been arrested, so what do I know?”
A few uncomfortable chuckles come from the tables.
“My name is Thane Wilder, and I’m different.” I allow the silence to become unbearable as I scan the room. “It’s uncomfortable to hear, right?” I don’t look at anyone but Weston. “To hear that someone with my level of success might learn differently than you. Or that the way I view the world is a vastly different experience than the person next to me. You see the light that’s beating down on me right now? It hits my skin like a billion tiny needles. Now imagine trying to stand in a room with three hundred people staring at you to give a speech while you’re poked and prodded by an invisible threat. It sounds like an insurmountable task, doesn’t it?”
Weston says yes. I can’t hear his words over my own heartbeat, but I know he’s feeling seen in this moment, and it strengthens my determination.
Jonah takes a step back into the shadows, obviously unsure of where I’m going. I’m sure he expected me to stand up here and show the world that I’m incompetent. After all, that’s how he’s always viewed me.
But not today.
“Oh, Jonah. Don’t leave the stage yet. You were so quick to take credit for my success, so please, stay in the spotlight you adore so much while I finish my speech.”
His fists clench as a second spotlight is added to highlight him next to me.
“Jonah decided early on in my life that I was broken. When I didn’t experience the world as his carbon copy, he hid me away.”
“That’s enough.” Unfortunately for Jonah, he no longer has a microphone.
“When outside stimuli became too much, I’d throw my hands over my ears, bang my head against the wall, pace and tap my fingers, searching for a way to soothe the constant attacks on my body. Jonah, would you like to tell the crowd your favorite nickname for me?”
He doesn’t come forward.
