Page 66 of The Jester and His Outlaw: Part 2

Riggs stiffens. I blink at my father, flabbergasted at his audacity to accuse Riggs of something, and bite back the groan of frustration I want to let fly. I want to ask how the hell he knows that but they won’t give me any answers.

“Riggs and Layla were never together that way, simply sleeping together. I’m not sure how you found that out.” The disgust coming from my mother flows openly into the room, suffocating in its judgment.

“Perhaps her feelings are stronger than you think,” Dad says. The statement and his tone are slimy, unnatural.

“No doubt about that, but what about Jonas’ attempts to get me back? To ‘fake’ date him so his parents don’t find out we’ve split. His threats. Showing up while I’m running in the morning, drunk and high.” Dad doesn’t waver, his expression a mask of indifference that has my blood turning to ice in my veins. I’m fuming with anger at their seeming carelessness in the situation.

I don’t understand any of this one bit and it’s freaking me out.

“He’s a young man with a broken heart, princess. He misses you. I highly doubt you need to be protected from him.” What are my parents smoking that allows my dad to stand here with a straight face and tell me he sees nothing wrong with Jonas? It’s like I’m living in the fucking twilight zone. This is the most ridiculous situation I have ever been involved in. This can’t be real life.

Something flickers through my mother’s eyes, but I can’t quite get a grasp on what it means. Was it regret? Shame? Her body is trembling and for a second I want to beg her to spill everything she is holding back. To tell me the truth, that they are on my side.

Is Jonas or his father holding something over my parents? It’s the only thing that would make sense.

“Sorry, but I have to get out of here. I can’t stand here and listen to this nonsense.” I grab Riggs’ hand and yank him off the couch. Mom can’t stop the sob that tumbles from her. My instinct is to turn and comfort her, to tell her that everything will be okay. I’m not leaving her for good, but I refuse to be the one to comfort her. I’ve done that my entire life and I won’t continue. It’s not something I should have to do.

“Be safe, princess. We don’t know where Layla is. Please do not leave Chandler, okay?”

I can’t stop the exasperation from entering my expression as I turn to see my Dad. “Yeah, whatever.”

Dad is just staring at me, but his eyes are finally pleading with me. Pleading for what, exactly? For a second, I think that it’s just that he wants me to be safe, but there is something else behind his eyes. Something much heavier. Something I’m missing.

By the time we make it to the door, my mother has broken down, sobbing. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go. I knew it wouldn’t be an auspicious moment, but I was just supposed to tell them I was moving out and reassure them I am still their daughter and always would be, but shit is so muddy now. So fucked up.

Where the hell did it all go so wrong with them and how the hell do I figure out what is really going on?

When we make it outside, Chandler is hanging up his phone, shoving it back in his pocket. He takes me in his arms immediately. I let out a monumental breath, fighting back tears, my post orgasm glow merely a distant memory. Exhaustion tugs at me.

“Your father asked me to have your things packed up and carried to the apartment,” he says.

“Okay.”

“I’ll follow you both there. Don’t worry. We are going to get this sorted out, I promise.”

“What the hell is going on, Chandler?” He pulls me back and levels his gaze with mine. He shakes his head and brings his finger to his lips as if to tell me to keep quiet. What the fuck is that all about? Are we being watched or something? What don’t I know? “I need answers,” I whisper.

CHAPTER29

“What the actual fuck was that?”I say to the furnished apartment. Furniture that is brand new and not at all what I saw last time I was here.

“I have no clue, Outlaw. I have no clue,” Riggs replies, running his hand through his hair, looking just as exasperated as I must. “It was bizarre, to say the least.”

“Something is going on. Something they’re not telling me.” He sighs understandingly.

“For your sake, I can only wish there is. I can’t for a second fathom that parents would treat their daughter’s stalkers with such nonchalance.” He pulls me into his arms, and I rest my head on his shoulder, inhaling his sweet scent. It grounds me, calms my spinning mind. When I touch Riggs, the rest of the world can fall away for a few moments, making everything fine, or at least it seems like it.

“And Chandler? What do you think he meant by all that?” I ask, muffling my voice in his shirt. My breath is hot as it blows back in my face.

“Let’s not talk about it anymore, okay? We can pick it apart all we want, but until Mr. Tucker is back in town, we won’t figure anything out.”

He’s right, we need to take this time to chill out, let our minds settle. Right now, who knows who is packing my room up and going through my shit. I don’t want to think about that, but tomorrow, when all my stuff arrives, I’ll have to find the energy to unpack. So for now, I’m reserving it.

“I’m sorry you had to witness all that. I’m sorry my mother judged you.”

“Outlaw, stop. I am not at all concerned with how your mother views me. She has her rights to her opinions. I’m some random guy from the wrong side of town who just took her baby girl from her. It will be okay. I’m fine. I promise.”

“That’s very level-headed of you.” He shrugs, chuckling. I absorb the sound, his laughter taking the edge off.

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