Page 95 of Leave Me Broken

“She cheated first!” Parker shouts, cutting both Ash and Luca off.

The three turn our way.

“This true?” Luca asks.

Janelle’s satisfaction morphs into anger. “Absolutely not. I’m not a cheater.”

“I heard you,” Parker growls. “In your room with that boy.”

It’s like a movie watching these two go at each other. Even Ash and Luca have stepped away so they could go toe to toe.

“Who were you in your room with, Jay?”

She thinks for a minute shaking her head until it hits her, then she clenches her fists. “Are you talking about Collins?”

Oh no.

“Sì. Collins. Your ex. You were in your room with the door closed.”

Then something happens that I did not expect. Janelle . . . laughs. Not a full-on belly laugh but a sarcastic chuckle. “He was trying to win me back after he cheated on me. With the same girl, no less.” She laughs again. “You’re all the same.” His eyes flick to Ash. “All of you.”

Ouch.

For the first time ever, Parker is silent. The regret is obvious on his face but he’s still trying to battle that he’s in the right in his head.

“Did you see them doing anything romantic?” Ash asks his son.

Parker clenches his jaw and like a bad dog lowers his eyes to the ground. “No, Papà.”

“No, he didn’t because while Collins was begging and crying for me to take him back, I was telling him I found someone else. Someone that wouldn’t cheat on me.” She drops her eyes to the ground, her humorless smile fading.

Ash mutters something in Italian, based on Parker’s slow nod, I assume it was a we will talk when we get home type of thing. “Time to go,” he snaps.

“Need a driver,” Parker mumbles.

Luca curses, then him and Ash look at us.

I roll my eyes, not even needing to hear the question. “Fine.”

“Janelle, I know you don’t want to be around him, but I do not want Payson out alone. Would you mind coming for the ride?”

“Whatever.”

The door behind us opens and I swear things move in slow motion. Janelle spins first but I’m right after her. “How could you!” Janelle shouts.

Alyssa leans against the door frame, smirking. Ash, knowing me, wraps his arms around mine. Caging me in. I notice Luca move closer to Janelle, looking to be ready to do the same if necessary.

“Heyy, guys,” she draws out.

“Go home, Alyssa,” Luca demands.

Her smirk tightens. “Gladly. I got what I came for, anyway.” She brushes by us. I urge forward but Ash holds me back, muttering sweet things in my ear in a way to calm me down. It doesn’t work. Seeing Janelle crying, again, because of her, again, has my blood boiling.

Ash tightens his grip. He must feel my bones vibrating.

Alyssa purses her lips. “How long did it take our coach to get you to open your pretentious legs, Pay-pay? Three days? A week? You want to claim to be so high and mighty, but you are no different than me. We both fucked our coach.”

“Go home, Alyssa,” Ash demands bitterly.

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