13. Chapter Eleven
Chapter Eleven
Devon
I pace the room, cell phone in hand. I want to call Summer to vent, but it’s late. Waking her up at this time of night when she has a toddler isn’t nice, but I fear if I don’t get this off my chest, I won’t sleep at all.
So, I suck it up and call her.
“Hello?” she answers in a sleepy voice.
“Oh my god, Summer, you’re going to kill me,” I blurt out.
“What? Why? Are you okay? Are you hurt?” Her voice is more alert now.
“No, I’m okay. I’m fine.”
She clears her throat, and I hear the sheets rustle. “Then what is going on? It’s nearly three.”
“I know. I’m so sorry to wake you, but I’m freaking out.”
“Why?” she urges.
I blow out a breath and explain.
“This sucks because of the NDA, but I did something stupid. Really stupid. Okay, well, what I did wasn’t stupid, it actually helped me a lot and got me a lot of money, but the end result…” I groan, not wanting to say it but if I don’t, I’m going to go crazy.
“What, Devon? What is it?” she snaps.
“The end results sucks because I’m stuck in a penthouse in Chicago with Tatum all weekend!”
“Wait, what? Tatum Winters ? Your ex? Your brother’s best friend, Tatum?”
“How many Tatums do you know, Summer?” I snap back.
“Sorry,” she mutters.
I hear a door squeak and picture her walking out of her room and down the hall. There’s the soft click of the toilet lid and then her peeing.
“Really?” I ask.
“I had to go!”
“What am I going to do?” I whine.
“Why are you stuck there? I’m confused.”
“I just have to stay here. It’s part of the contract.”
“Did you do something illegal?”
Uhm, is this illegal? I’m honestly not sure…
“No,” I say carefully. “At least, I don’t think so.”
“Devon!”
“Don’t yell at me. Don’t make this worse. What do I do?”
“How did you end up there? Did he kidnap you or something?”
“His limo dropped us off.”
The toilet flushes and another door squeaks. “So, you went there willingly?”
“Stop asking questions I can’t answer!”
“I’m trying to understand so I can help!” she whisper-shouts.
I let out a frustrated sound, dropping onto the bed. My night was going so well. Everything was perfect. Then Tatum had to show his stupid face!
“All you need to know is that he chose for me to be here. I’m stuck here. Why the hell would he do that?”
“So, he wants you to be there, but you don’t want to be there, but you can’t leave?”
“That’s what I said!”
“Have you asked him ?”
It falls silent as I wait for her to tell me she’s joking.
“No,” I say firmly when she doesn’t speak. “How am I supposed to talk to him?”
“By opening your mouth and using your words.”
“You know what I mean!”
She’s silent, and I have the feeling she wants to say something I’m not going to like.
“Just say it,” I tell her.
“Well, with the little bit of information I have, I’m going to say this: what if it’s because he still has feelings for you?”
“Excuse me?” I screech.
“Tate has always looked out for you, like your brother. He—”
“No, Tate has been a thorn in my side, making my life hell, just for the sake of it.”
“They don’t say boys are mean to the girls they like for no reason, Dev. You know he has issues. Maybe he doesn’t know how to deal with his feelings for you.”
“That can’t be it. He used to be open with his feelings. Before he decided to hate me, I actually thought he cared about me. ”
“Guys are dumb, Dev,” she says through a yawn. “Why do you think I’m still single?”
“None of this makes sense,” I mutter, rolling onto my stomach.
“I wish I could be more help, but your silly ass signed an NDA, so I guess you’ll have to figure it out on your own. Your best bet is to ask him.”
“He’ll just lie to me.”
“Maybe he’ll surprise you.”
“Ha!”
She yawns again, and this time I can’t ignore it.
“I’m sorry I woke you,” I say. “Go back to sleep. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“No argument here. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
I end the call and blow out a sharp breath.
What am I supposed to do? This is terrible. I’m kind of wishing I would have ended up with the poop-fetish guy. Which is ridiculous!
Tatum and I used to be close. Maybe even closer than he is with Dane. I felt like I had two brothers from the first day we started kindergarten. He was the biggest kid in class, and I thought it was so cool when I found out it was because he was older than us. His father had him start school a year late because he didn’t think he was ready.
The three of us were inseparable for years. Tatum doesn’t have any siblings, except for the short time he had a step-brother, but they were never close, even though they were the same age. Gunner didn’t hang out with us, and I only met him a few times. Dane and I were like his siblings. Until things with Tate and I changed.
I don’t remember when my feelings for him started to be more, but sometime around middle school, I guess. He was the only boy I ever paid attention to, other than Dane, but obviously it was different with my brother.
At some point, I thought the feelings I had for Tate were reciprocated. I’d catch him staring all the time. His smile changed. He became more flirty. Tatum always protected me. Stood up for me. Covered for me. Did whatever he could to be there for me. He was there when Mom died, and when I was doing terribly in school because her death messed me up and the teachers didn’t care. He was there when boys started picking on me because I got boobs before the other girls. Tate was the one who threatened them and made me feel better. He was with me the day I started my period… don’t even get me started on that horror show. It was awful. And that was before my fear of blood started. Thankfully I don’t get my period anymore, but thinking of that day still makes me sick. But Tatum was there, and he made it better. He always made everything better, somehow more than Dane did. Tate and I were special together.
I thought things were going to be different with us when Tate finally kissed me. It was the day after I turned eighteen. No matter how angry he makes me now, I will never forget the way I felt that day. But he was a different person then. He was the old Tate. The one I loved. The one who didn’t hurt me.
Our relationship didn’t last long. He ended it abruptly and never told me why. For a long time, I regretted ever taking that step with him because it ruined what we had. But then I realized taking that step showed me who Tate really was, and I was grateful for it instead.
It made me realize Tatum was no different from the other boys around school. I’d somehow put him up on a pedestal. Maybe I was blind to who he was, or maybe he just hid it from me well. Either way, I’m thankful for seeing his true colors before I got in to deep. The way I felt for Tate could have gotten to a dangerous level quickly—dangerous for my heart. It was so easy to love him.
The part that gets me the most is how and why Dane can ignore all of this. I get he doesn’t want to lose his best friend or his sister… but is turning a blind eye the right thing to do? Does he have no idea how much Tate has hurt me? If it were anyone else, they’d go missing. My brother doesn’t mess around when it comes to me… except when it has to do with Tate. And I hate that. Because it allows Tate to hurt me more and more. But because I love my brother, I don’t call him out on it. Tatum is a good friend to Dane, and if my brother needs anything in this world, it’s a friend.
My father is hard on Dane. Pushes him too much for someone our age. He acts like Dane is about to take over the company when he’s so far from it. You’d never know with the way my father works him like a dog, though. And Dane doesn’t complain. He’s so much like our father. He’s ambitious. Eager. He could rule the world if he had the time to do it. He’s a good person. Kind. Loving. But he wraps himself up in work too much. Just like Dad.
The only thing either of them pays attention to outside of the business is me. And of course, not in a way I like. It’s in the, where are you going? Who are you going with? Don’t stay out too late , kind of way. Which is absolutely unfair considering I’m the same age as Dane and he stays out all day and night sometimes without Dad making a peep. It makes me so angry that we don’t get treated equally, but at the same time, I’m happy Dane is happy. I’m happy my father is happy. I love my family. They aren’t awful, I just wish they would loosen up a little.
I wish things didn’t have to be like this, so I didn’t have to leave. But I have no other option. They make me feel stuck and it’s not fair. And it’s certainly not how I want to spend my life.
Though, being locked away in Tatum’s penthouse in Chicago isn’t what I want either.
It’s only one weekend, Devon. Just one.
I can do this. I can totally do this.
My stomach rumbles and then the hunger pains set in.
When was the last time I ate?
I think back and realize I haven’t eaten since lunch, and it was an early lunch. I never had dinner or even a snack before I went on stage. I need to get something to eat, or I’ll never sleep. There are only two things that keep me awake at night: being hot and being hungry.
I shove my phone into my bra strap by my boob and let myself out of the room.
Tatum better be locked away in his room, and hopefully he’ll stay like that all weekend, so I don’t have to see his stupid face.
His handsome face.
No, not going there. I will not think about how hot he looked in that suit .
Nope, I won’t do it. I refuse to be swayed by his good looks. It’s why he gets away with being so evil. He’s devilishly handsome, and it’s sickening. I will say seeing the scratch on his face made me proud, though.
The house is quiet as I make my way down the stairs. Ahead are floor to ceiling windows that overlook Chicago. The view is breathtaking, so I stop on the stairs to take it all in. Lights twinkle in the tall buildings against the dark sky. Cars look like little bright specks along the ground. There’s just something about Chicago that I love… I wouldn’t hate spending more time here. Just not with Tate.
The bottom floor is an open layout with the kitchen to the right and a living area to the le—ah, there he is. Great .
I pause when I reach the bottom landing and watch Tatum to see if he’ll look in my direction. He’s sitting on the couch with the TV on, but I see the mute icon in the corner. Tate’s head is to the side, and he’s not moving.
Likely asleep. Hopefully dead.
As long as I’m quiet while I get food, I should be fine. Tatum better have edible food that doesn’t require cooking. I’ll grab a bunch and go back upstairs.
His fridge is probably stuffed with containers of pre-portioned fruits and veggies for smoothies and filet mignon. Ugh, he’s so pretentious.
On tip-toes, I make my way into the kitchen and carefully pull open the fridge door. Okay, so there are some things I could grab and bring to my room to eat. Perfect.
Yogurt, fruit, overnight oats? When did he have time to make those? I don’t like oatmeal, so I’m not eating it. Yogurt I can handle, so I grab a pineapple one and the plastic container of cut-up strawberries and grapes. Though I know I won’t find any, I open the freezer to look for a Hot Pocket or Toaster Strudel. The freezer is empty other than ice. Of course it is .
Just because I’m nosy, I look through the cabinets, smiling when I find snacks. Nothing that I particularly like, so I don’t take them, but I grab the jar of peanut butter, sliced bread, and go back to the fridge for the celery I saw. With my hands and arms full, I manage to grab a knife, spoon, and even some napkins before hurrying up to my room.
I drop everything on the desk that’s across from the bed, sit, and feast.