Toxic Bad Boy(67)
“Didn’t you see it?” Norah asked in bewilderment.
Scanning the large open space, I said, “No, I think I’ve seen everything.”
She pointed a manicured finger. “It’s right back there. Come on, I’ll show you.”
As I followed her, I noticed she exaggerated the sway of her hips like a runway model. I couldn’t help comparing myself to the girl Caleb had briefly dated. She was really pretty and dressed well, even if her dress was a little too short. If I didn’t know for certain I had Caleb’s heart, I’d be seething with jealousy.
Purposely, I pushed away the reminders of what they’d probably done together.
Norah led me to a secret little room. The walls were a stark white and only two paintings hung on one wall next to each other. Two small spotlights glared down on my nightmare. In one painting was Josh, horrifying in his fury, and the other was me in the worst night of my life, broken and bleeding.
I slapped a hand over my mouth to contain the sob threatening to escape. Backing away from the paintings, I hit a wall. My emotions were wild and I couldn’t understand what these paintings were doing here.
“Are you all right?” Norah asked in phony concern, her face close to mine.
Instead of responding, I ran away from my nightmare and right into what I’d thought was my dream. Caleb stood not far from the secret room, obviously looking for me.
Upset, I rushed toward him and pulled my hand back to slap him. The ring of my palm hitting his cheek caused a shocked gasp from an elderly woman nearby.
“How could you?” I yelled at him, uncaring of our audience. “How many people have seen it?”
His arms reached for me, but I backed up and saw my dad heading straight for me with a determined look on his face. I finally took in the people around us. From some of the pitying expressions I knew which ones had seen the painting so far.
“Gianna,” my dad said. “What’s going on?”
My mom and Scott weren’t far behind him.
“I’m sorry,” Caleb said in a tortured voice. “I hadn’t meant for it to be in the show.”
“Then why did you paint it?” I asked, becoming more hurt and angry by the second. And where had that bitch, Norah, run off to?
He looked guilty and miserable but I did not give a damn. Whirling away from him, I told my dad, “I’m ready to go home.”
“Gianna, wait,” Caleb protested.
Again, I did not give a damn.
Not meeting anyone’s eyes to avoid seeing the sympathy they’d reveal, I let my dad lead me out the gallery entrance and to his car. “What happened back there?” he asked as he pulled away from the curb.
Wiping away the tears, I looked out the window. “Caleb and I just broke up again. I really don’t want to talk about it, dad.”
“What did he do?” my dad asked in a protective tone.
“Something unforgivable.”
*****
CALEB
I stood staring at a spot on the floor until my mom said, “Caleb, I’m sorry. I should have insisted they weren’t included.”
“I want them taken down,” I growled, heading for the little back room.
My mom was behind me as I came to a halt at what I found. There Norah stood, fidgeting nervously with a worried look on her face. “You fucking bitch,” I hissed. “Get out of my sight before I do something that gets me arrested again!”
Hurrying past me, she scurried like the fucking rat she was. Jim showed up, his eyes wide in panic. I realized that little room was a cell containing my worst crime. I never should have painted them and Gianna definitely never should have been forced to see them.
“Whoa, wait a second, Caleb,” Jim protested. “We have a contract.”
“Leave him alone,” my mom snapped.
“I’m seventeen, I doubt it’s legal.” Stacked on top of each other, I shoved them at Jim. “I don’t care what you do with them, but I better not see those again.”
At the relief on his face, I wanted to punch him. “They’ve already sold. I’ll just store them in my office for now.”
“I’m leaving,” I told my mom as I pushed past Jim.
“Okay, honey,” she said softly at my back.
My dad stood next to an equally worried Julie. “Caleb.”
“Not now, dad. I’ll be home later.”
As I walked away from them, I heard Julie say, “Scott, I need to go make sure Gianna is all right.”
I’d hurt my girl again when I promised not to. This time I had no excuse for it and I didn’t know if she’d be able to forgive me.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”