Page 105 of Brutal Kingdom

“I don’t have a plan for Logan, other than to wish him well and Bella already has enough to deal with, don’t you think?”

She eyes me approvingly. “This is a very mature reaction for you to have.”

“I’ve been hurt, bitter, vengeful. Now the only emotion I have is acceptance. I’m gonna see this court case through to the end because I believe in finishing what I start, but when this year is over, I’m moving on from Logan and this school.”

I spoke with Tony earlier today and accepted a position in his New York gallery after graduation. I’ll be his assistant and part-time gallery manager. It’s perfect, since I’ll be majoring in finance, when I get to grad school. I love writing, but McKay Media has correspondents, and affiliates, everywhere. I need to pursue a career that won’t continue to put me in close proximity to Logan McKay.

* * *

Logan slides into the seat beside me, setting a coffee next to my notebook. “What’s this for?”

“It’s a peace offering.”

“You don’t need a peace offering. I’m not mad about the Bella situation.”

“When you left the awards ceremony you were.”

I was a little, but that was my ego and getting my feelings hurt because, out of all the people he could have picked to make him look domesticated, he chose her. Beautiful, vindictive, conniving, Bella. Hearing that they’re together, fake or real, made me feel inadequate for scant seconds. But I know my worth and it’s not decided by a man on my arm, or in my bed, so now I’m over it.

“Your family has a lot at stake. So you have to do what’s best for them. I understand that, because I’m doing the same thing.”

The teacher comes in and starts the lecture. Logan’s hand rests on his thigh. I reach over, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m not mad at you Logan, and I wish you luck with your uncle and the board of directors.” His jaw is clenched as he listens to the lecture. When class is over, he jumps to his feet, stomping down the steps to the door. I step outside the building in time to see him walking away with Bella. Tabitha’s standing against the wall. She sees me, offering a small wave, before following them across the street. I continue to track their movements until they disappear into the tunnel that leads to the other side of campus.

Jordanna’s wishing me luck with my relationship. Smiling like she doesn’t give a shit that Bella’s ruining things between us again, just as we’re finding our way back to each other. It’s been a week since she found out about my arrangement. She’s taking it well, talks to me, still engages with me in the newsroom or class, but outside of that she’s cut off all personal interaction. That doesn’t stop me from trying to get through to her.

I wait for the voicemail to connect so I can leave my second message for today. Even though she doesn’t want to talk to me, I want her to hear my voice and know I’m thinking about her. “Hey, baby, I know tonight is your late class, and I’m heading to my studio. I just wanted to see how your day went. Call me when you’re ready. I love you.”

I’m ten minutes away from my studio, when I change my mind about going there. I continue on the highway, taking the exit that leads to my mother’s place. Traffic’s congested, so I take a left at the intersection, navigating around the high school and stadium, to get to the condo where she stays. I’ve driven this road so many times in my life. I still can’t get over how much it’s changed since I graduated. Driving by the baseball field, I see something thathasn’tchanged. The cars parked after hours behind the school. I think I still have a set of keys to the gate. We used to come here and party behind home plate, making use of the dark, secluded dugout. I pull over and get out of my car, crossing the parking lot, to see what this current generation of high school students are up to.

Someone’s in the middle of a conversation. As I get closer, I hear enough to know these two are sneaking around.

“I’m glad you came, but from now on, we stick to the plan.”

“I know, but I couldn’t wait. I had to see you before I hunker down for midterms.”

The voices sound familiar. The girl is saying, “No one saw you, right? Because if they catch us together…”

“No one saw me. My parents don’t even know I came into town.”

“Okay, I need to get back to campus. I’ll call you later.”

I must be hearing things. Projecting voices and shit. Because the people in the dugout sound an awful lot like Jordanna and Simon.

I’m braced against the wall,. I duck my head around the corner to get a look. What the fuck? My best friend and girlfriend are holding onto each other like they’re afraid to let go. I’m being betrayed by the two people outside my family that I love the most. Fuck. I rub my hand against the stabbing pain in my chest. This is the worst pain I’ve ever felt. This is why Jordanna’s so chill about the Bella thing, instead of going off trying to get revenge. She’s hooking up with my best friend. Correction,former, soon to be a deadman, best friend.

“I’ll be at my lab tonight, but I’m heading back to school in the morning.”

“Okay.”

Simon’s lab is a renovated warehouse a few miles from here. I jog back to my car and head there, blowing every stop sign so I can get there before he does.

He’s walking, looking at his phone, so he doesn’t see me hiding in the shadows on the sidewalk between his building and the one beside it.

“You sonofabitch.” I growl, pulling him off the path and shoving him against the wall. His eyes look to the ground where his cell phone just fell.

“That shit better not be broken.”

“Think I give a fuck about your phone? Your face is about to be broken.”

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