I sighed. “Thanks, Mom,” I said in a thin voice. “I just wanted to help.”
When we hung up, I felt worse than ever. I knew I couldn’t go back to relaxing with Alexa and watching my favorite movies. It wouldn’t matter – nothing had mattered now that I hadn’t been able to stand up for myself and tell Mom the truth.
With a heavy heart, I dialed Jackson’s number from the business card he’d given me back in the city.
“Hello?”
“Is this Jackson?”
“Belle? Is that you?”
I sighed. “I’ll do it,” I whispered.
“I can’t hear you,” Jackson said impatiently. “I’m in a bar. Can you speak up?”
“I said,” I hissed loudly. “I’ll do it.”
There was a pause – somehow even worse than it had been when I was on the phone with Mom. What was Jackson going to say? Would he be excited? Thrilled? Condescending?
Or worse – what if Jackson told me that it didn’t matter, that the offer had only been a joke. What if he told me that I was really and truly fucked?
“Good,” Jackson said. “I’m glad you came to your senses, Belle.”
I rolled my eyes. It sounded like he was talking about a business decision.
“Well, I don’t have a choice,” I said pointedly. “You said this was the only way you’d help me.”
“Right,” Jackson replied. “After your finals, I want you to come into New York City. You’ll be spending winter break here, with me.”
A chill ran down my spine. I hated that – I wished that my body would turn off, that I somehow wouldn’t think of Jackson as sexy. But I knew deep down that no matter what he did, I’d always be attracted to him. That was exactly the problem.
“Can’t we just go to a motel or something?” I whined into the phone. “Do I really have to spend the whole break with you?”
Jackson snorted. “Belle, please,” he said.
“Well, I mean, it’s not like you need me more than once.” I winced at the implication of my words.
“You’ve got a lot to learn, Belle,” Jackson said shortly. “I’ll see you after your finals.”
And with that, he hung up.
After I was done with the phone, I locked myself in my room, flopped on my bed, and stared at the ceiling. I didn’t know what to do – I didn’t want anything to do with Jackson, but I knew that I couldn’t back out now. That was probably exactly what he wanted me to do, too.
I closed my eyes, hoping for sleep. But instead of sleep, memories came rushing back tenfold.
I was running through the hall of Mom and Mitchell’s palatial home. That was when I heard the sound – almost like someone stepping into a hot bath and gasping at the temperature of the water. But the bathroom door was open, and I didn’t even think Mom was home. Mitchell had some kind of work event, and Mom usually went with him.
“Mom?” I called softly. “Are you home?”
There was no answer. A chill of fear stabbed at my heart – what if someone had broken in? Mitchell had a great, very desirable home…and our neighborhood had been rife with robberies and crime for the past few months. What if the robbers had broken in?
I began to sweat with fear. Slowly, I walked down the hall, trying not to make a sound.
That was when I heard the noise again. I swallowed hard – it wasn’t coming from the bathroom at all, but rather one of the spare bedrooms down the hall.
“Hello?” I called s
hakily. “Don’t try anything,” I added softly. “I’ve got a phone in my hand, and I’m going to call the police!”