CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Cold hearts still break.
Nixon
Trace, my Bella: Where are you?
It was the second text she'd sent me that Monday. The second text I'd refused to answer. I wasn't sure what to say, how to handle the situation in a way that wouldn't break her heart. I hated being the reason for her tears, and it seemed that's all I did, bring her to tears, promise not to do it again, then repeat the process.
Letting out a loud groan, I stuffed my phone back in my pocket.
Chase elbowed me. "You good?"
"Fantastic," I lied. "Why wouldn't I be?"
His eyebrows arched. "Oh, you know, can't touch the girl you like? Or maybe the idea that you're forcing her presence on your more attractive cousin?"
"Asshole." I snorted out a laugh.
"You know it's true… the school's divided. Yesterday I saw a girl wearing a Team Nixon shirt… you've been hashtagged, brother."
I rolled my eyes. "Are you trying to make me feel better?"
"Team Chase, way better, those Chasers are hot. Seriously, for some reason, I tend to draw the exotic…" He let out a chuckle. "I don't discriminate."
Finally laughter gave way. "Thanks."
"For?" He shrugged, pulling his gaze away from me to the sidewalk.
"Being an ass just when I need it."
"I'll always be an ass for you."
"You guys need a moment?" Tex said coming up from behind us, wrapping his giant arms around both our bodies and trying to bring us together in a Campisi sandwich. "Because I got a little love to spread around too…"
"Get. Off." I pushed him away.
Laughing, he stumbled after us. "So, Phoenix lost his shit in class again… got kicked out. Dude's not well, Nixon. You should talk to him."
"And say what exactly?" I swore. "We're done with him."
"He's our best friend," Chase defended. "And you know how his dad is… Just… talk to him, throw him a bone. We all make mistakes. I participated in that one too, and you aren't putting a gun to my head."
"Yet." I glared. "Yet."
"I bet you'll tell the best bedtime stories to your kids." Tex nodded approvingly. "There once was a boy and girl in love… and then the boy bullied the girl and got shot. The end."
"Dude…" Chase rolled his eyes. "…just, no."
"Class." I nodded to them., "And yeah, I'll talk to Phoenix. I need to find out who they did business with last. The movement of cash into their account came from Sicily. It was a hell of a sum."
"Sicily?" Tex's eyebrows shot up. "You don't think—"
"No," I interrupted. "And you shouldn't either. Your father wouldn't do business with De Lange. Even to mess with you, he wouldn't do that."
Tex didn't look convinced.
And actually I wasn't totally convinced myself, but I wasn't going to say anything — yet.
"Later." I waved them off and went in search of Phoenix. Normally, he'd be in the business building, so I started there.
As soon as I opened the doors, I saw him leaning against one of the walls, cell phone pressed against his ear, face white as a ghost.
With trembling hands he ended the call and ran his fingers through his bleached blond hair. Never could figure out why he had to set himself apart from us by looking like a surfer from California, but part of me wondered if it was because he hated how much he resembled his own father.
Welcome to the club.
"Phoenix," I barked.
He glanced up and scowled. "What the hell do you want?"
I rolled my eyes as I approached him. He looked horrible. His uniform was rumpled like he'd slept in it, and dark circles marred his face. I didn't realize in that moment that it would be a scary glance into his future, one of unimaginable pain, one of horrors even I couldn't stomach.
"We should talk."
"I have nothing to say to you…" His voice was hollow, detached, as if he was a puppet, and someone else was speaking through him. "…or your whore."
My fists clenched. "Say it again, Phoenix. I dare you."
"She's ruining everything."
"This isn't about her, not anymore," I said, carefully gauging his reaction.
Scowling, he kicked at the ground. "It's always about women. They make the world go round, right? Can't do business without 'em. It's always about them, either them or him. Ever feel like you're living your own nightmare and can't wake up?"
"Phoenix…" My eyes narrowed as they focused in on his neck where bruises brushed against his collar. "…did something happen with your father?"
"What do you care?" He pushed at my chest, but there was no strength behind it. Even his muscles were giving up like the rest of him. "He uses me, you use me. They use me!" The last was said with such rage I backed up, worried he was going to pull a weapon. "I hate everyone."
Things just went from bad to worse.
"But most of all, I hate her." His eyes flashed. "Things were fine until she came here. Now look at me." His laugh was without humor. "Hell, look at you. One girl and a dynasty's brought to its knees." His hands shook as he reached into his pockets. "That bitch should have stayed in Wyoming."
Anger pounded through me. I barely restrained myself from pulling my gun. "You were wounded before she came, so don't go blaming your issues on a girl who didn't even know who she was until yesterday."
I'd said too much.
Phoenix's smile was cruel. "Imagine my surprise… Alfero…" He barked out a laugh. "And everything comes full circle? My family still gets crapped on, I get nothing, and I lose all my friends. Well, nobody ever said I deserved better."
He pushed away from me just in time for a body to run directly into my chest.
I pulled the girl away and let out a little moan.
Trace.
With quite possibly the worst timing in the world, because I wasn't sure if Phoenix was still watching, but I couldn't take the chance that he was. It was time to put a plan into action.
A plan to save her.
A plan to save him.
To keep them away from one another.
To keep her away from the gunfire.
I locked eyes with her and apologized for all for the things I was about to do. In my mind I held her close and whispered in her ear, I asked for forgiveness, and I slowly, reluctantly gave her heart back to her so she was free to give it to someone else, someone more deserving.
Goodbye, Trace.
I could have loved you.
I did love you.
Damn, but I do love you.
I gripped her arms and pushed her away from me. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Huh?" Her face fell.
"Why are you touching me?" I sneered in my cruelest voice as students passed by.
"Because…" Her eyes flickered to the people around us and then back to me.
"Because?" I took a menacing step forward and tilted my head, damn-near losing my mind over the rejection in her eyes. "What, cat got your tongue? Or I guess in your case it would be a… cow?"
"A cow?" she repeated. "Nixon, what the hell is wrong with you? Last night…"
Gasps resounded around the hallway. Shit, Trace. Wrong thing to say, but I played into it perfectly because she made it so easy, and in that moment, I really was angry, angry that after pouring out my heart and soul to her, she'd so easily believed the lie, that I didn't want her.
"Was clearly a mistake if you still think I want more from you." I steeled myself against her sudden intake of breath, refusing to reach for her.
"But you said…"
"Are you deaf?" I shouted, my voice cracking. "I don't want you, Farm Girl. Not now, not last night… never." I laughed. "Let me put it into a way you understand, I will never want you. I mean, look at you. You're nothing like us, and you won't ever be. So do yourself a favor. Leave me the hell alone." My hands shook furiously as I looked away.
Tears streamed down her face as she stared.
"Get the hell away from me." I was almost
chest to chest with her when I leaned in and whispered, "Leave. Now."
She finally pushed past me.
Under my breath, I hit the final nail into my own coffin and mumbled, "Moo."
Sobs wracked her body. I could hear them. Hell, the entire student body could hear them.
When I turned around, it was to see Trace run smack-dab into Phoenix. I quickly ducked into the closest classroom and listened in, all the while sending a Mayday text to Chase.
"Nice show. Good to know he's finally put you in your place. Maybe now that the whore's out of the picture, we can go back to the way things were before you polluted this school," Phoenix said.
The bastard.
But he believed it. Thank God, he believed it.
"Screw you!" she yelled.
I wanted to laugh, but my heart hurt too bad.
Chase: WTF, Nixon?
Me: She's heading toward the west hall., Grab her, comfort her. Hell, I don't care. I'm out. I'm just… out.