Page 10 of Forever Golden
“Did he make you sign something?” I ask.
A look of confusion flashes across Southside’s face. “No, it was nothing like that.”
When she leaves it at that, I feel another spike of frustration and my eyes never leave her. It’d make sense for Vin to come at her with that same NDA bullshit he took to Parker and Casey. It’d make sense for him to assume Southside knows my secret—which she does—so it’s not farfetched that he’d be on a mission to silence her like he did the others.
“You worry too much.”
She forces a fake-ass smile right after speaking, and I know it’s fake because, again, she’s on the verge of crying.
“You had a right to freak out. I probably gave you a heart attack when you came in and saw all the glass.”
“And your bags. Let’s not fucking forget those,” I add, making sure she knows that has to be addressed, too.
Frustrated, her stare lingers on me for a moment before her gaze wanders up toward the ceiling.
“I overreacted, let my emotions get me all riled up.”
This is the line of bull she tries to feed me next, doing a shit job of pretending not to be affected. And, fuck, I can’t stand this tiptoeing shit.
“I can’t fix whatever my dad did if I don’t know where to start, Blue.”
Another fake grin, but bigger this time. “If you’re calling me Blue, that means you’re blowing thiswayout of proportion.”
“Who the fuck are you trying to kid right now? Throwing in a joke or two doesn’t mask the fact that you’re crying. Or the fact that something that asshole said had you ready to jump ship and fucking leave without so much as a damn smoke signal. So, like it or not, you’re gonna have to give me more than bullshit.”
Well… okay. So, I still suck at slow and steady. Noted.
I tried keeping my cool, but all my alarms are sounding off right now. She’s trying to make light of what’s happened, and all that does is tell me there’s something to hide.
Her stare practically bores a hole through me, but she seems to understand that I’m not buying into the act, not buying her bullshit. Eventually, that brings us to a stalemate.
She shifts her gaze now, instead keeping her eyes trained on the ceiling. I can’t read her mind, but she sure as shit isn’t forcing that smile anymore, which says a lot.
“There’s nothing you can fix, West. Just… let it go.”
I draw in a deep breath and there’s an unbelievable amount of frustration and tension in my shoulders.
What the hell isn’t she saying?
“So, that’s where you think we’re leaving this? I’m supposed to believe he didn’t say anything at all? Supposed to believe you got pissed and fucked up your hand because you didn’t like the interior of his SUV or some dumb shit like that?”
With her eyes still aimed toward the ceiling, she sighs. “Damn it, West! He just… he doesn’t want us together!”
That last part leaves her mouth awkwardly. Like she would’ve rather placed her hand on a hot stove than say those words out loud.
“And?”
“And what?” she snaps, rolling her eyes. “The man sees me as ‘southsidetrash’. Meanwhile, you’re his fucking heir and shit. Add it all up and he doesn’t want someone like me ruining your rep.”
She’s determined to make me believe this is the conversation they had, but it’s not working.
“Bullshit.”
She scoffs and I see her frustration brimming over, but I don’t give a shit.
Another dramatic eye roll and she faces me again. “Fuck, West! What the hell else do you want me to say? He doesn’t want you with me, doesn’t want us being together to tarnish your image. End of story,” she snaps.
Anger has my blood boiling and both fists clinched tight, because there’s more. Alotmore.