The Rocker That Savors Me(59)

“You don’t get to talk about her like that either!” Jesse shouted at him.

Someone turned the music off, making the place unusually quiet. I glanced over my shoulder to see all eyes were on us. Fuck! I did not need this now. I grabbed Jesse’s arm. “Jess, please. Just take me home,” I pleaded.

“Not until he tells you he’s sorry.” Jesse tightened his hold on Tommy’s shirt. “Tell her.”

Tommy turned his head and spit right at my feet. “Fuck off.”

Tears gathered in my eyes, but I refused to let him see. “I don’t need an apology. Just take me home.”

“Layla…”

“Layla!”

My head snapped around at the sound of Lana’s voice. I didn’t know how she knew I needed her, but I didn’t question it; I was too glad to see my sister. She was running through the doorway with Drake right behind her. “Layla, let’s go,” she commanded.

I released my hold on Jesse’s arm. She ran up the stairs and took hold of my arms, inspecting me as if she was scared I had lost a limb or something. “Are you okay?” she demanded, shooting Tommy a vile glare.

“I’m fine.” I whispered. “Can…Can you take me home?”

“Of course.” She pulled me into her side, and I didn’t look back as she led me away. Drake fell into step behind us. I kept my eyes down as I passed through the crowd of partiers. I couldn’t bring myself to hold up my head like I had the right too. No one would believe anything but what Tommy Kirkman told them anyway.

“Layla!” Jesse had followed us out of the house, but he stopped me when I went to get into Lana’s car. “Layla, what the fuck just happened in there?” His rage hadn’t dimmed at all. If anything, he looked even angrier. “How do you know Tom?” he demanded.

I closed my eyes, knowing what he suspected. It was what everyone in that room suspected. That I was some out casted lover of the great Tommy Kirkman. “I can’t tell you.” I whispered.

“Why the fuck not?” He yelled.

“Because I signed a nondisclosure form when I was sixteen!” I yelled back at him. “I can’t tell anyone anything!”

“You might not be able to, but I sure as hell can,” Lana said, getting between me and Jesse. She didn’t even blink as she glared up at him. “Stop looking at my sister like that, Jesse Thornton! She didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Then why isn’t she talking?” He tried to push her out of his way so that he could get to me, but she didn’t budge. “Move Lana!” He didn’t try to touch her, but when she refused to budge he started to move around her. Drake moved behind Lana, and I was thankful for the added wall of flesh that separated me from Jesse.

“No. Fuck you!” Lana shoved him hard, and surprisingly he moved back a few steps. “You’re thinking the worst of her right now. I can see the wheels turning in that fucked up rocker world mentality that you have. My sister is better than that. She is better than you. And she’s sure as fuck better than her fuck faced father.”

I swallowed hard, not caring that Lana was using words that I had asked her not to. My heart was shattered because I had seen what Jesse was thinking too, and it had gone down the dirty route. I opened the door to Lana’s car and got in.

This was over. I was done. Turned out that Jesse Thornton was exactly who I had first thought he was.





Chapter 17


Layla

I felt like I was in a daze the entire trip back to Malibu. Lana drove quickly but carefully and got us home in record time. No one spoke. Lana knew that I wasn’t ready to talk about it, and Drake, who was sitting in the back, didn’t say a word.

When we pulled into the driveway, I got out of the car and walked to the guesthouse with my head down. I heard Drake murmuring something to Lana, but didn’t care one way or another what he was saying. I was numb. Cold. This night was a disaster, and I wished I had never gotten out of bed that morning.

When I opened the door to the guesthouse, Nik jumped to his feet. His presence here surprised me. “What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice sounding hoarse.

“Drake asked me to keep an eye on Lucy. She was sleeping when they left and hasn’t woken up since.” He took a step toward me, looking concerned. “Layla, are you okay?” He glanced behind me. “Where’s Jesse?”

I shrugged. “Probably still at Tommy’s.” I didn’t care where he was right now as long as he wasn’t near me. I swallowed hard. “Thanks for watching Lucy, but do you mind going home now? I…I’m not very good company.”