Page 58 of Jerk
"It wasn’t a vacation on my private island, you idiot," Hannah says. "It was a teeny empty patch of land my father left me on because he saw a photo of me at Rye’s party.”
The room goes silent, but not for long, Gray whistling. “I guess I should be grateful my father only ever gave my uncle a black eye.”
“Oh, he gets physical, too,” Hannah says.
“Hannah.” Ember puts down her canvas, her eyes giving Hannah that look I know she’ll hate.
“I don’t need your pity,” Hannah says, holding up a hand as if to shield herself from it. “I guess now you know you’re not the only one with a sob story.”
Ember shakes her head, looking around at the faces in the room. “Are all your parents pieces of shit?”
"Yes." And that reminds me of Krystal as I turn to the office door. “And now I need to know my sister isn’t withourpiece of shit.”
“Wait, we have some work to do.” Mac pipes up. Looking over my shoulder, he puts his feet on the desk, leaning back in his giant office chair. “We’re Crowns. We're not afraid of our fathers.” Then he looks between Hannah and me. “Now that you guys are in the same room, you both can do something about it. Don't cower."
“Finding Krystal is my priority.”
Gray snorts. “That wasn’t your priority last night.” And that makes me throw a cigarette at his head.
“She can’t leave again.” Checking my phone, my texts still go unanswered.
Ryung: Where are you?
“Get your father out of the picture,” Hannah says. “That’ll bring her back.”
“You have a knack for making everything sound easy,” I scoff.
“I know it won’t be easy,” she says. “But I can help with that.”
I know Hannah, and I know her ‘help’ comes with conditions. “What’s the catch?”
“I shouldn’t be helping you since you’re the very person who knocked me off my throne. But…” Hannah straightens up, and it’s hard not to hide the smirk poking at my lips. That powerless girl I saw last night and this morning fades as she finds leverage. “If I help you, you give me back my throne, and you’ll getyours back too.” Silence takes over the room again. And it’s like she reads my mind. “Krystal can join my posse. I’ll pardon her crimes, but I get my spot back.”
I give her the floor. “What do you got, Alfonso?”
“A plan. I didn’t climb my way to the top without scheming and using what I know to get ahead.” She leans closer, like she’s telling a ghost story. “I’ve been sitting on something bigger than Prada's new collection.” Hannah commands the room as we all listen, my back leaning against the office wall. “If Krystal tells your father what I know, you can get your spot on the team back. And, you can access your funds.”
“You want my sister to blackmail my father?” I clarify.
“This is still Paradise, isn’t it?” She flips her damp hair over her shoulder, proud of her expertise.
“What do you know? I won't put my sister in danger.”
“We only need them in the same room,” Hannah says. “I’ll send her an email. She’ll tell him what she has. With proof. Then, she’ll make him an offer. Do you think she’ll do it?”
“If it involves getting back at our father? One-hundred percent.” As long as we can find her. Pacing in front of Mac’s office doors, I process her plan. She’s right. Blackmail is how a lot of us pave the way in Paradise. If what Hannah has is as good as she says, it’ll work. If it doesn’t, Krystal will be the one to pay for it. “But I’ll be the one talking to my father.”
“You’re not in the position to make a deal with him,” Mac says, his hands clasped like some sort of mob boss. “Should have thought about that before you made headlines.”
My jaw tightens, those two weeks rolling back to my head. Two weeks of chaos. Drawn out lectures from my folks. Boring meetings with lawyers only to be off the team and out of cash.
“It’s funnier because Coach made you do it,” Gray laughs, but it isn’t funny. “And you still got the shit end of the stick.” He laughs, and he’s lucky he’s my best friend or he’d get the sametreatment Vince got. “Speaking of deals, I thoughtthatwas a good one.”
“Wait, what?” Hannah leans forward, her brows furrowing. “What do you mean Coachmadehim?”
Gray answers before I can put it to rest, and whatever he’s on today gives him a big mouth. “Coach Winslow’s wife wanted Rye so bad, Coach threatened ice time if he didn’t?—”
“Why didn’t you use this before, Alfonso?” I cut off Gray’s words, not wanting to relive it. He’s making it extra hard to trust what Hannah’s saying. She’s fucked me before. She’ll do it again. “If your parents are so bad, why now?”
