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It never ended. It was a cycle, one I’d grown way too accustomed to.
Drake Davenport robbed me of my heart. He left a brokenness in me that couldn’t be mended unless he himself put the pieces back together again.
And all I ever wondered each day was one small thing—Did he realize just what he had done to me?
Did he realize that after what he did, that I would never be the same Jenny Roscoe again?
The answer was one I could give myself—a simple response that caused a great impact on my life thereafter.
Just one, simple word.
No.
No, he didn’t know.
He honestly had no fucking idea.
Part 2
Present
Chapter 24
Jenny
4 Years Later
Everything is…different now.
A lot different.
With all of the complications that arose, I didn’t think I’d ever make it past college, but I have. I am alive and well, though I still struggle with damaging issues. My issues, unfortunately, have developed into bad habits that I can’t seem to shake.
I try not to think about my past too much, but when I do I get the same feeling I used to. Like a block of lead has nestled its way deep into the pit of my belly. Like my eyes are on fire as I try to fight off the unwanted tears.
“Shane, can you turn on the air instead? I’m hot.” My skin is sticky. I’m burning up. We landed at the Las Vegas airport thirty minutes ago and now we’re in the rental car and, of course, it’s the most expensive one.
A yellow Ferrari.
“I’m not turning on the air, Jenny. Why would I do that? We’re in Vegas. I’m in a Ferrari for Christ’s sake. Don’t you want to feel what this city is like?” Shane grips the steering wheel as he pulls onto South Las Vegas Boulevard. It’s jam-packed as soon as he turns the wheel.
These wheels aren’t going to be rolling anytime soon, which means no sort of breeze will flow by. And it also means I am still fucking hot.
“Shane. Please.” I meet his brown eyes. “We are sitting in traffic. It’s over 100 degrees out here.”
“You know what?” He extends his arm and presses a button. He pushes it so hard the skin outside his thumb turns white. “There’s your fucking air, Jenny. You happy?”
Very.
That’s what I want to say, but I don’t. I’m not in the mood for arguing.
He rolls up the windows and I check my cellphone, waiting for the call that will change my mind about this entire trip.
Nothing yet.
I sigh and lean forward. The air blows directly onto my face. It feels amazing—refreshing compared to the thick, humid blow-dryer air outside.
I feel Shane looking at me as I bathe my skin with the cool air, but I don’t care. He’s so fucking judgmental. Sometimes I hate him for it. But, still, I sit back—but only because I want him to stop looking at me.
I really need a drink.
“Listen,” Shane starts, “while we’re out here, we won’t be doing a bunch of running around. I have a plan for us tonight, which should entertain us for a few hours, and then after that we’ll catch a few drinks at the bar and then head back up to the hotel room.”
“You’re going to spend your graduation gift—in Vegas—in the hotel room the whole time? What about going to the pool? Shopping? Gambling? We’re only here for three days.”
“Exactly. And I’d like to relax. Besides, I’ve been here before. There’s nothing but drunk women and even drunker men walking around, betting their lives away. Lying. Cheating. It’s stupid.”
“So why did you drag me here?”
“Because this was a gift from my parents to us, Jenny. They want us to enjoy ourselves.”
“So do that then. Enjoy yourself. I know I will whether you do or not.”
He releases a dry laugh. “You should watch your mouth. It always gets you in trouble with me.”
Yeah, yeah. Whatever.
Forget needing one drink. I need three now. I can’t wait to get to the hotel. As soon as we check in and drop our bags off my plan is to go down to the bar and order a few.
It doesn’t matter that it’s only about to be three in the afternoon.
That’s the great thing about Vegas. You can drink whenever the hell you want to and no one will judge you. I guess it’s a good thing we are here. I just hate that I’m spending my graduation with him.
I really didn’t have much of a choice though.
I refuse to go back to Fox River. I don’t want to see Mom or Dad. After I heard they let Sue go only a year after I left, I knew I would never set foot into that home again.
Sue was the only reason I wanted to go back. I wanted to see her again and talk to her about the general things in life, but that can no longer happen. She moved all the way to Texas, back with her mother. I don’t blame her.
