Page 153 of The Moment We Know

“All right.”

“I mean it.” Paige pointed to her face. “This is my I’m not fucking around face.”

“I’m forbidden. Got it. Oh, and by the way, that looks more like your Need to poop face.”

Paige ignored that, even though it was hard, because it was kind of funny and she was borderline trashed. “I’m serious. This is for David and me to work through, not David, me, and you. Understand?”

Jules held up her hands like she was being robbed at gunpoint by a lunatic. “Jeez. Yes, I understand.”

“Good.” Paige took a deep breath and visibly relaxed, only to groan when she glanced at the clock above the bar. Reluctantly, she got off her stool, and then after swaying a little, steadied herself.

“You good?” Jules asked with a grin.

“I’m good. I’m just going to go to the bathroom, then Uber home and sleep this off.”

Still grinning, Jules watched as Paige carefully walked in the direction of the restrooms, and the second she was out of sight, Jules grabbed Paige’s phone from her purse and unlocked it, using the code Paige had shared in the event of an emergency. Jules knew she was wading into morally gray waters—okay, diving into them head first—but what was the saying? It was better to ask for forgiveness than permission? Since permission was clearly not an option, then she was fine asking for forgiveness later, if necessary.

There were several unopened texts and unanswered calls from David, but Jules ignored them (mainly because she didn’t have the time, which was a shame), and sent a FaceTime request to David, who accepted almost immediately.

“Thank God—” David broke off when he saw Jules, his expression going from one of optimistic hope to the captain of the Titanic after being told about the iceberg. “Jules.”

“That’s right. And I’m really fucking pissed at you.”

“Look—”

“Shut your pie hole. I’m talking right now, and you’re listening,” she told him bluntly. “Shortly after you ask Paige to take a chance on a real relationship with you, you basically turn on her because you what, might’ve been playing with her tits, or fucking her from behind while Liam was being an asshole to your son?”

Unfortunately, on more than one occasion, he had been playing with Paige’s tits and fucking her from behind, while Jacob was at Ashley’s with Liam, but before David could jump into the conversation, Jules was speaking again.

However, it appeared she was speaking to someone else—an unknown person to her left—who she ordered to mind their own business. After the person apparently complied, Jules was back and turning on him like a car taking a corner at Talladega.

“Let me ask you something,” she said, and he braced himself. “Was Paige the only person you spent time with when Jacob was at Ashley’s?”

“What? Why?”

“Just answer the question. I don’t have much time.”

“You don’t have—”

“Answer. The question.”

“No, she wasn’t.”

“So, you spent some time with other people … your mom, maybe? And perhaps a friend—you do have friends, right? Yes? Okay, so, you spent time with your mom, and maybe a friend, having dinner, or a drink, or just shooting the shit. Whatever. Or, you could’ve just been kicking back on the sectional Paige gave you, while watching something on Netflix all by yourself?”

“Yes.”

“Did you associate any of those things—or people—with Jacob’s abuse? Blame your mom or your friend for spending time with them? Did you decide you didn’t know how to be with them, too, and avoid their company for the past ten days, while pretending everything was fine?”

“No.”

She gave him a stone cold You’re a douche look, and he actually felt his balls shrivel a little bit.

“But you blamed and avoided Paige, in a completely underhanded way, I might add. That was some sneaky shit, motherfucker.”

“I know—”

“And you know what else? I’ll tell you what else. Jacob’s abuse is personal for her—it’s affected her deeply. We’ve talked about that. A lot. She’s been desperately wanting to help, and be a source of support, but you decided she didn’t need to be involved at all … and she’s the one who saw what no one else did and got him out of that situation. Instead of being grateful and thanking her, you’ve been thinking she’s to blame it happened in the first place. You’re such a prick.” Jules rubbed her forehead, and muttered, “I’m so angry at you right now, I don’t even have words.”

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