Total pages in book: 163
Estimated words: 150878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 754(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 503(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 150878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 754(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 503(@300wpm)
Charlie had finally leaned forward to see what all the commotion was, and when he caught sight of the baggies, I saw the panic that altered his features. “What is this?” Emily asked, waving her hand over the scattered contents.
I met Charlie’s eyes just as he masked the panic that had quickly flared. He tilted his head, appearing very suddenly baffled. “Tuck,” he said, “answer her question. What is this? Are you dealing?” he asked, gesturing to the baggies still littering the floor.
I jerked my head back and then came to my feet. “Are you kidding me? You know very well those are yours.”
“What?” Emily said, her voice rising an octave as she too rose. “That’s not possible. Charlie isn’t into drugs. He’d have nothing to do with them.” She looked so distraught, clearly very upset by the mere idea of her perfect boyfriend having anything to do with illegal substances. As she should be. But he wasn’t only a drug user, he was a blatant liar.
Charlie stood up and put his hand on her arm. “Emily, babe, you know I’d never be involved with drugs in any way. I don’t even drink alcohol.”
I reached up, massaging my jaw. Charlie shook his head as he regarded me, the look of disappointed sorrow on his face almost making me question his guilt. He was an actor after all. “Tuck though, well, his history speaks for itself.”
“You piece of shit,” I said, taking a step toward him as I realized he was really going to go with this angle.
Emily reached up and placed her palm on my chest. “Stop it,” she said. “You are not going to physically intimidate Charlie.”
“Physically intimidate? He’s lying about me.”
Charlie made a sound of disgust in his throat. “Please. I have no reason whatsoever to lie about you.”
A scorching flame of anger ignited inside me. His lies sounded sincere. The innocent expression on his face looked genuine. And worst of all, even I knew that it made more sense that someone like me was involved in drugs.
But Emily knew me. At least she’d known me once.
But she also knew what I became.
I felt a bead of sweat drip down my spine. This was not just some silly accusation. Possession of this many illegal drugs was a felony. Charlie was making an accusation to get himself out of hot water with his girlfriend, but to me, this was life or death. If they went to the authorities and they were believed, I could go back to prison. “Emily,” I said. She turned her face toward me. “I’m not a part of that world anymore.” I looked at Charlie, shooting daggers at him.
A tear coursed down Emily’s cheek. “I get you needed the money, Tuck, but—”
“That. Is. Not. Mine,” I said. It felt like frustration and fear had me in a chokehold. The plane gave a little bump and Emily took a small step toward me. “Em,” I said, trying to appeal to that part of her hopefully still there. My friend. The one who might know I’d made some really bad mistakes, and that I’d run with a rough crowd, but that I’d never let someone else take the fall for me. “You know me better than that.” I met her eyes. “I’m not that person.”
“Oh please,” Charlie inserted again. “You’re exactly that person. You’re a felon. Emily, come on, he served time. It’s part of the lifestyle.” He met my eyes. “She gave you a second chance, and this is how you repay her?” He made a sound of disgust in the back of his throat. “Sorry to say, but this was obviously a bad idea, babe.”
My blood simmered, temperature rising. I was thirty thousand feet above the earth where it’d seemed that, for a short time, I’d left all my problems behind. But that wasn’t true. It’d never be true.
Still, I tried one more time. “Look at me. I’m not lying.”
Emily looked back and forth between me and Charlie and for a moment, I held my breath, daring to believe that she’d see in her heart that, above all else, I’d never put her in a position like this. No matter who was suggesting I had. “Please, Em, you know me.”
She looked down, shook her head. She seemed so torn, and it hurt me. It hurt me to my core. “You’re different, Tuck. You’re not that kid anymore.” She pointed to the baggies. “Clearly.”
The simmering frustration boiled over. It mixed with anger and pain. Because part of me knew she was right. I wasn’t that kid anymore. I didn’t need the reminder. I’d done a lot of bad things, highly regrettable choices I’d be paying for, for the rest of my life. But I’d never dealt drugs. And more important than that, I would never put Emily in a position that might jeopardize her safety in any way. And I’d never lie and let someone else take the blame for my actions.