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“Said they would punish you themselves. But Ethan knew he would never, that he was going to help you leave. And Elliot would have said anything Cade wanted to hear to keep you alive.”
“Jade,” she insists after a while. “Elliot blackmailed his own brother for you. He convinced him to go get you after he helped you escape. They killed people to find your address. They brought you back because theyneededyou. They are so in love, they’ve lost their fucking conscience compass.”
I inhale, my chest shaking as I watch the back of Ethan’s truck right in front of us. “None of us are really black or white, are we?” I say. “We’re all made of tons of colors. It just so happens that Elliot and Ethan are made ofa lotof grays.”
“Yeah,” Kay laughs. “I guess that’s it.”
Maybe it makes me crazy to like that Elliot and Ethan did all these things out of love. Maybe it truly is fucked up that it makes my heart feel strange things knowing they manipulated me into needing them. Maybe I feel that way because they truly manipulated my mind into accepting anything from them and still loving them in return.
That’s how much they love me?
Fine. I’ll take all of it.
“Well done for today,” Kay says as we enter the North Shore from the back of the town rather than through the South Bank. “You really are the best driver around.”
“Thanks.”
“Look…” She licks her lips. “I’m sorry about the fifty grand. That I didn’t believe you. Running this town makes you doubt everything, even your closest allies. You didn’t do anything wrong, and I hurt you. I’m really sorry for that. If you still want to be part of the Kings…we’re your crew, Jade. I won’t let you down again.”
I look away, chuckling. “You’re un-fucking-believable,” I grit out.
“What?”
“Not believing me this time was shit, but understandable. I probably would have done the same in your place. But how dare you say the Kings are my crew when you didn’t help when I needed you the most.”
“What are you talking about? You keep jabbing at me with this accusation and…I’m fucking confused.”
“When Joel Pearson assaulted me,” I rage. “I came for help, and you didn’t believe me. Don’t lie to my face now and say you don’t remember that. It’s pretty fucking big, don’t you think?”
She slows down, her eyes rounding. “Joel…Joel did what?”
“Don’t, Kay. You’re not a good actress.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She doesn’t sound like she’s defending herself anymore, more like she’s trying to swallow the news. “I’m so sorry this happened. I didn’t know.”
“You’re a cunt.”
“I would have never sent you away and not done anything about it. I take that shit seriously. I promise you. I didn’t know, Jade. Was this when my dad was in charge?”
“Yes,” I huff. “In senior year, at Elliot’s birthday.” I roll my eyes. As if she doesn’t already fucking know. “I told your best friend Vickie the next day. I asked her to talk to you. She said she would, and three days later, her and Lea came back saying it was all lies. That you didn’t believe a word I said and…” My voice trails when I see Kay’s face fall.
She’s struggling to keep her eyes on the road.
And the truth hits me because her reaction doesn’t lie.
“She never told you,” I murmur, clicking my nails together on my lap. My thumbs press against the other.
Click. Click.
“I am so sorry,” she rasps. “I wish she had.”
“Fuck.” My head hits the seat. “The fucking bitch.”
“I’m so sorry she didn’t believe you. And for all the times I called you a liar. God, I wish I’d known. I’m sorry if you felt you couldn’t come to me.”
“I wanted to come directly to you,” I explain. “But Ethan’s mom had already called me a liar, and when I came to your house, you weren’t there. But Vickie was so I told her. When she said you didn’t believe it, I just…I don’t know, I just didn’t want to go through telling the story again. I didn’t want to risk hearing I was a liar straight from your mouth. I couldn’t take it. The girl was a bitch; I should have known she made it up. But I wasn’t being myself. This whole thing…it fucked with my head. I didn’t who I could trust anymore.”
There’s a silence before she says, “You’re so brave.”
