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"Maybe temporarily, dad," I offer in response. I do want to rebuild my connection with my father but living together may not be the best approach to take.
"It's settled then. I need to run over to your sister's now. I'll give her your love." He's not leaving me any room for a rebuttal.
"Sounds good. Love you dad." I stare at the phone waiting to hear his response.
"I love you too, princess," he says quietly before ending the call. It's a small offering but it brings tears to my eyes. I know that once I reach Boston, I'll feel safe enough to find my footing again.
I glimpse at the time on my phone and realize that it's after seven. I need to eat something. I silently wonder if Mrs. Adams might be up for a quick stroll to the diner down the street. I drop the dress I've been unsuccessfully trying to fold into the large cardboard box near my closet. I'll worry about sorting through everything once I'm settled in my new place.
I grab my purse from the bed and rummage through it for my keys. I curse when I realize I can't find them. "What the hell," I whisper under my breath before dumping the contents onto the blanket. I pull my hand through the assorted pens, notepads, candy bar wrappers and receipts before my fingers settle on something metal. "Eureka!" I joke to myself when I throw my hand up in the air. I stare at it when I realize it's not my keys. I'm holding the flash drive above my head.
I feel my knees going weak so I sit back on the bed. My laptop is within arm's reach on the nightstand. I pull it into my lap and flip it open. I push back the cover of the flash drive and hold it next to the USB port. I feel a sense of nausea wash over me. Why am I doing this? Why subject myself to this?
My mind darts back to Jax's office when he assuredly told me to watch it. Since that conversation I've been certain that he was calling my bluff. He handed the flash drive back to me because he was convinced I wouldn't watch it. I need to prove I'm stronger than he thinks I am. I push the drive in and hold my breath.
A folder pops onto the screen and I click the now familiar file to start the video. I close my eyes when I hear Brooke's voice. I want to mute the sound but I'm going to get past their conversation. I'm going to see what Jax wants so desperately for me to see.
It seems like an eternity until I hear Jax say, "You belong to me. Only me."
I cringe and close my eyes as I await the sounds of their lovemaking. I fumble for the flash drive. My heart is screaming at me to pull it out. My body won't let me.
"I've waited forever for this." Her voice is breathy. I recoil at the sound of the desire in it. I peek at the screen through the corner of my eye.
"Do you know what would make me hard?" He leans back pulling his body away from her.
She breathes an exaggerated sigh. "Tell me."
"Hearing how much power you have over him." He rests his head on his elbow. "Play it for me again."
"Now?" She eases closer to him.
"Get it for me." He points towards the nightstand. "Play it. Let me hear how in control you really are."
She runs her eyes over his face and chest before she leans back and picks up a phone. I watch as she rolls her thumb across the screen. She carefully holds the edges of the phone between her fingers pointing it in Jax's direction.
"Baby, it's me. It's Mark. I've been thinking about you all day. Fuck I wish it were you I was marrying. I wish we could get Ivy out of the picture. If we could, everything would be yours. All the shares, the money, that apartment you want. I'd give you anything if you were my wife. Call me as soon as you get this. I miss you."
I wince at the sounds of Mark's voice on what seems to be a voicemail message as I watch her place the phone back onto the nightstand. "I have him right here, in the palm of my hand." She holds out her hand in front of Jax's face.
"Tell me you don't want him," he says.
"Are you crazy?" she snickers. "He's too old for me. Just the thought of him naked disgusts me. I wouldn't touch that with a ten foot pole."
"You're such a stupid bitch." His voice is barely audible. Did he just call her a stupid bitch?
"What did you say?" The confusion in her tone is blatantly obvious.
"Get the fuck out of my bed." Jax's voice booms through the speakers.
My hand jumps to my mouth and I stare at the screen. He's pulled the sheet back from his body and is sitting straight up glaring at Brooke. He's wearing nothing but boxers.
"What?" Her stunned expression mirrors my own. "What's wrong with you?" She's pulling at his arm coaxing him to lie down next to her again.
"You seriously thought I was going to sleep with you?" He laughs before pulling himself up. "Get dressed. Get out."
She doesn't move. She's frozen in place. I can feel her shock resonating through me. "What…" her voice trails as she helplessly stares at him.
He's standing next to the computer now and all that is visible is his right arm. "You ruined my parents' marriage. Did you really think I'd want my father's leftovers?"
