Page 59 of Broken Beauty

With Ariella, all of my plans for her went down the drain the moment I touched her. I knew I shouldn't have touched her.

“Handling it by doing what exactly?”

“Dad-“

“No, Ash,” he cuts me off and slams his glass on the table. “I don't want you near her anymore. I'll handle Madden's daughter and take care of her.”

I place my hands on the table and lean towards him. “You're not going to fucking touch her.”

“I'll do anything I want, Ash. And what I want is for Cal Madden to go down on his knees for me. I will ruin him by ruining his daughter. I don't care if I have to ruin you too in the process.”

“You don't have anything to worry about. Will you just let me handle it for fucks sakes?”

My dad shakes his head lightly and sighs.

He knows that I need his word.

If I don't then I'm in deep shit. I was almost close to getting caught last summer when I went to jail and if that were to happen again then I would be fucked, especially without my dad's help.

And he knows it.

“One more chance Ash. One more or else you're done.” My father gulps the rest of the whiskey in the glass before placing it down and standing up. He places a hand on my shoulder and squeezes. “Remember what's at stake Ash. That is what drives you and what always will drive you.”

He pats my shoulder twice before walking away and leaving out the front door.

My hand around the glass squeezes until it shatters in my hand.

Glass sticks to my hand but all I can do is look forward and not move a muscle. The glass in my hand stings but it's a good sting.

It gives me relief and a way for me to focus on something other than that moment from when I was seventeen. It makes me focus on something other than how I fucked up in so many ways that night.

Twenty-Seven

Ariella

Present

Music busts through the speakers in the massive living room as Bridgette and I walk toward the kitchen to get something to drink.

Some song by Jay-Z is playing and most people are just dancing while some others are grinding against one another. I look away from the living room and instead pour myself some vodka and then lemonade to top it off. Bridgette pours herself the same thing except she mixes her vodka with orange soda.

Bridgette pulled me to this party that one of her classmates is holding. He has a pretty big house and a big backyard with a pool outside.

I was thinking about just staying home and watching a movie or finishing this one thriller book I started but Bridgette begged me to come.

She is not sick anymore, obviously.

The bitch is perfectly fine and is ready to dance her little ass off while probably making Jace jealous and want to punch every guy here for staring at her.

Bridgette is wearing a blue mini-dress and she decided to curl her hair. She wanted me to wear a mini skirt that I am sure will be going up my ass a lot tonight.

“Can you stop glaring at everyone and act like you want to be here?” Bridgette says, which makes me look at her.

“I'm not glaring.” I furrow my eyebrows at her.

“Yes, you are.” She takes a sip of her drink. “You seriously need to stop being a party pooper and start having fun.”

“Who says I'm not having fun?”