Broken Compass

“And see what you did?” He’s panting, too. “I told her you were a bad idea, but she kept you. She wanted to have you. Regretted it later.”

“What are you talking about?” I have trouble breathing, trouble hearing. Maybe I’m having a heart attack. “Grandpa.”

“Told her I didn’t want you. I’m not even sure you’re mine. She slept around. She’s a slut.”

“My… my sister?”

“She’s not your fucking sister.” He’s sinking down to the floor, clutching at his arm. Something’s wrong there, but I can’t make myself move, or think.

Not my sister.

She’s my mother?

“Oh, come on, stop looking at me like that. I’m not your fucking grandfather, and she’s not your fucking sister. Deal with it. You fucked up our lives from the day you were born.”

“But when you took her… you took her on vacation, you took her…”

“To cheap motels. She didn’t want to fuck here, not with you around. Oh damn, I don’t feel so good.”

He doesn’t look good either, but I’m too busy freaking out. My stomach cramps, pushing me to bend over and throw up. Fuck, fuck. This can’t be happening, all this… it’s a nightmare. Has to be.

“Call… an ambulance,” Grandpa is wheezing, only he’s not my grandpa. Who the hell is he? Is he even related to me?

He’s an old geezer who’s been fucking my sister. Only she’s not my sister.

She’s my mom.

Was.

What the fuck is this, what do I do? What do I think? Oh fuck… Black starts to eat at my sight. I throw up again, emptying my stomach until there’s nothing left in me.

By the time I’m done, the blackness has swallowed me whole.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Nate

Sydney slept with West.

I overheard her telling Kash about it, and I wish I hadn’t. I wish it wasn’t true.

She slept with him, with West, my best friend, the one I just decided to trust again. He lied to me. By omission, but lied nevertheless. All that talk about helping me get Sydney, offering that I practice on him, that kiss…

That fucking hot kiss, goddammit, the one I shouldn’t be thinking about still.

And all the while he knew he’d slept with her.

Not to mention that Sydney told all this to Kash, not to me. She also slept with him, but at least I knew that. Not because she told me.

What am I supposed to think? Or do? What is she playing at? I knew from the start she was attracted to West, and Kash, but I was naïve enough to think she’d choose me.

That she’d chosen me.

How fucking stupid of me.

And then I think of how she crawled into bed with me last night, waking me up from my nightmares, how she put her arms around me and talked to me softly about her day until I went back to sleep, and my anger cools.

Still, though. West. Kash owes me nothing—hell, I owe him—but West’s betrayal cuts deep. Why didn’t he tell me? If he wants Sydney, why hasn’t he fought me for her?