Page 9 of Corrupt Idol

“We’re good. I have money.”

“So, do I,” she said, even though she’d be charging any meal on a credit card.

Lynne waved her hands. “Go eat out. Talk and get a good night’s rest and we’ll be home bright and early and then we can talk about my bucket list.”

“But I—”

“Vi.”

Dad pulled her against him. She braced her hands on his chest as he leaned down and whispered in her ear, “She’s holding it together for you two, but she needs to rest. We’ll be home tomorrow, okay?”

When she nodded, he kissed her temple.

“I’m glad you’re home, kiddo.”

She kissed Lynne’s cheek and retreated to the door as Jesse said his goodbyes as well. Once she was in the hallway, she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. A mixture of dread, sorrow, and worry sloshed around inside of her.

“You good?”

She opened her eyes as Jesse reached for her. She straightened and slapped his hand away. “No.”

He wasn’t allowed to be a monster one moment and her brother the next. She stalked away with her arms wrapped around herself. The sun began its descent as they walked through the parking lot. Neither of them said a word as they got in the car. Once more, she leaned against the window and prayed she would wake from this nightmare.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

“No.” There was no way she could eat after a day like today.

When he pulled out of the lot she said, “We should stop at the store.”

“For what?”

“Groceries. I doubt they have any.”

“I’m beat. We can go tomorrow.”

She wanted to argue, but she didn’t have the energy. Not a word was said between them during the mercifully short drive back to the house. When he pulled up the driveway she said, “You don’t have to park. I’m going to run to the store.”

“We’ll go in the morning,” he said as he pulled into the garage.

“I want to do it now.” She needed the morning after pill.

“Tomorrow,” he said as he shut off the engine and pocketed the keys.

“What the hell, Jesse? I don’t need you to come with me,” she said as he got out of the car.

“You’re dead on your ass. Get in the house.”

“Don’t tell me—” she began, but stopped abruptly when she saw his body language change. She snapped her mouth shut and eyed him through the windshield. Her finger hovered over the lock button, but it would do no good. He had the damn keys.

“Get out of the car, Vi.”

Her mind raced as she tried to think of her options, but she didn’t have any. She shoved the door open, slammed it, and marched up to him.

“Now what?” she challenged, ready to spit in his face and knee him in the balls if he touched her.

His mouth quirked. “You’ve changed.”

She didn’t know how to react. He was more mellow than he’d been when she picked him up from the airport. Was it because they fucked or had seeing Lynne put a damper on his libido? Either way, he wasn’t Jesse the psycho, he was Jesse the nice guy, but she didn’t trust him. It would only take a second for him to switch into someone else.

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