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"Why did you call it an accident?"
He looks out the window as if choosing his next words wisely. "I think we both know why I called it an accident."
That's when it hits me. Ethan threatened my dad's job if I didn't go to the fundraiser with him, and he specifically told me not to mention anything to August. I said all this to Mason before I left for the fundraiser. It wasn’t an accident at all. It was murder. He was set up.
"I should have never left Ethan's side the night of the fundraiser. I should have just sucked it up until he was ready to leave, but I was so mad, I just needed to breathe."
"Why would you say that? There was no way I was letting you leave with him." August chimes in.
"He's right, Gigi. Leaving with him wouldn't have been a better choice."
"You guys don't know that. He specifically told me not to tell August about our date, or he would basically make sure my dad would be unemployed. Since August was pounding his face in by the end of the night, I guess he thought death was a more fitting punishment." Putting my head in my hands, I take deep breaths, trying to calm the anxiety threatening to swallow me whole. While I'm still not sad, I'm upset that I'm the reason for his death.
I hear August hit the steering wheel before saying, "Gianna, if this is anyone's fault, it's mine. I pursued you, not the other way around. You can't blame yourself for your dad's death. There is no way Ethan is going to get away with this."
The car suddenly comes to a stop. When I sit up I notice we're at August's cabin. I turn to him in utter disbelief. This is the last place I need to be right now.
"August, why are we here? I need to be with my mom and Elio. I haven't spoken to them for a week, and now my dad is dead. What do they think happened to me?" Reaching across the center console August attempts to hold my hand but I jerk it back. I’m getting tired of these men pushing me into doing what they think is best and filling me in on the details after the fact. His eyes frustratedly hold mine for a beat before he answers my question.
"You know this is my safe house. Ethan has been looking for you since you disappeared last week. Armed security is on its way to watch the perimeter. You can't leave."
"But what about my mom and Elio? They're not safe either."
Before he can respond, Mason breaks in.
"Your mom doesn't know that your dad is dead. I only heard it through the police scanners, which I monitored due to the Carson incident. She is also unaware that I woke up from my coma. I stole your phone before you left and have been texting her with false updates. She thinks you've been by my side this entire time. As soon as I heard the news about your dad, I knew they were making their move, so I texted her on your phone, asking if she could come to help prepare the apartment for my arrival. August hired a guy to watch them before he took off for Florida. Once I get back home, I'm going to fill them in."
I can’t help but be somewhat shocked at Mason’s well-thought-out plan. If I didn’t feel like I knew Mason’s true character and intent, I might be a little creeped out. However, he should understand better than anyone to rely on my mom for anything. That’s the one plot hole in his plan.
“Did you offer to pay her for her help?”
The words are out of my mouth before I have time to filter them. My mom doesn’t do anything for me out of the kindness of her heart. She always expects something from me in return.
August turns to look at me dumbfounded by my response. Mason squeezes my shoulder from the backseat and says, “I didn’t but she agreed to come anyway.”
This can't be happening. Hurriedly I jump out of the car and start pacing, not sure what I should do next. August and Mason are quick to follow, but they hang back, giving me the space I need to process. But I don’t need any more time to process. This is all my mess, not theirs. My family is beyond fucked up, but I don’t need saving from them. I’ve handled them for the past eighteen years. What are a few more?
"Mason, I'm going with you. If there's an armed guard there anyway, what's the harm?"
"Gigi, they think you and I ran off together over a week ago. I can't hide anymore because I need to keep hacking, but you need to stay out of sight. Babe, you were left as the sole beneficiary. The target on your back is huge. It's not worth the risk."
I'm so mad I could cry.
"I don't care about the money, Mason. I've never had money. I can't miss what I've never had. They can have it all. I don't care."
August comes over and wraps his arms around me.
"Baby, we know it's not about the money, but it's too late to just give it up. They've already taken things past the point of no return. I was held hostage, and there's reason to believe your dad didn't overdose. You can't just walk away now, they will come for you no matter what. Now we must play the game."
That's where he is wrong. We don't have to play the game. I need to play the game. I'm done with having men feel like they need to fight my battles. I don't know what happened today, how Carson met her end, but I hate that it could have been at the hands of a man I love. My family has been fighting demons my whole life, and that's one thing I'm good at.
Pushing out of August's arms, I run around to the driver's side of the Tahoe, climb in, and lock the doors. This is something I need to do on my own. I'm looking for the keys when I spot them in the center console. When I turn the key in the ignition, I'll be damned if The Verve Pipe's "Freshman" isn't playing on the radio.
What kind of serendipitous hell have I got myself into? I'm about to put the car in drive when August starts banging on the window.
"Baby, please don't do this. We already know we're stronger together. They win when we're apart, I lose you every time, and they get the upper hand. Stay with me. You can make the calls. I promise, no secrets."
When I look up, his forehead is against the window, fists clenched on either side, his eyes are downcast, and his chest is heaving. I can see his pain. His words hit me then, "they win when we're apart" because our love makes us weak. They've wanted to keep us apart from day one, and if I leave right now, whatever they've got planned just got that much easier.
