Billionaire Best Friend [Complete]

39. Gracie

Was this really happening?

It absolutely was.

My palms were disgustingly wet with sweat as I opened the bathroom door and made it out to the hallway. Skidding tires and shooting rolled down the hallway from the living room television, and I braced for the next few minutes.

I had no clue how Jason or my mother were going to take what was about to come out of my mouth, but whatever it was, I was strong. I could handle it.

I could.

I drew in the strength Rosie and Sutton had always instilled in me. The same kind dad convinced me during my teenage years despite all the shit that happened with my mother and him.

I was meant for more than this kind of life.

I deserved way fucking more than Jason.

Way more than my mother visiting once a year, at random, and only when it was convenient for her. I was taking charge. Taking my life by the reins and putting myself first.

It was likely that I'd throw up after it was set and done, but I shoved the sensation down that had my mouth filling with saliva and padded my way out to the living room.

It was an open space. You could easily walk between it and the kitchen without having to duck through thresholds or doorways.

Resting my hands on my hips, but then realizing it made me feel stupid, I crossed my arms and stood tall, mentally wrapping a shield around my body from whatever would come out of either of their mouths.

I cleared my throat. Neither of them looked my way, so I coughed and cleared it louder. When Jason's gaze connected with mine, I ignored the tremble in my voice and said, "You need to leave."

Confusion popped up almost immediately, settling between his brows and the frowning corners of his lips. "Gracie, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, but you need to leave," I told him again.

My mother shushed, admonishing me. "Sit down, Gracelynn. We can't hear the movie with you running your mouth over there."

"I'm not running my mouth." I was taking ownership of my space, my life.

Jason's hand came up to settle near one of my elbows. I barely remembered seeing him stand to walk over. "Let's go somewhere quiet and we can talk."

I looked right up into his green eyes. "No. I don't want to go somewhere quiet. I'm asking you to leave. This is all too much."

"Okay, okay," Jason conceded, catching on that now wasn't the time to challenge me. I rarely did this when we were together. Raised my voice and put my foot down. It was new territory for him, that much was evident, and he didn't exactly know how to handle it. "I'll go and we can catch up later."

"Nope." I shook my head. "I don't want that either."

"Gracie."

"No, you need to listen. I don't want whatever is going on between us. I told you I'd talk to you when I got back from St. Thomas, and I did. After you did what you did, I told you I couldn't be with someone who did those kinds of things and I meant it."

He mocked my original stance with hands on his hips. "I don't know what to say."

"Nothing," I told him. "I don't want anything from you anymore, Jason. We enjoyed what we had for some time, but it's over now."

My mother pushed her way into the conversation, going as far to pause the movie as if I was going to let Jason come back to it in a moment. "Ignore her, Jason. She's just being dramatic. Something she has the tendency of being here and there."

That was...false.

I wasn't a dramatic person because for years I wasn't allowed to express my emotions to the one person who should have been there listening to them. Who should have nurtured me and made me feel like it was okay.

Jason didn't bother glancing back at her, but I saw her from my peripheral vision. Her hand went back to that stupid goddamn bowl of popcorn.

"Now, come on," she persisted. "Come back over and let's finish this movie. The both of you. I need to see how it ends."

"No, mom, he's leaving."

"Oh for heaven's sake. Why, Gracie? Because you can't handle the three of us sitting and watching a movie together? Can't a mother enjoy an afternoon with her daughter and her boyfriend without someone putting a stop to it?"

Someone.

Aka me.

God. I couldn't take her backhanded words anymore.

How it was so easy for her to insult me and put herself—and Jason—over her own daughter. Did she not see how un-okay that was?

"No," I pressed on. "You can't. He's leaving. Not coming back over there to enjoy the literal stupidest movie in the world."

Okay. Maybe it wasn't the dumbest movie, but I was on a roll.

"And for once, maybe you should put me before what you want." My voice rose an octave all on its own.

"I want you to be happy with a man who treats you well. Is that too much for you, Gracie?" She pushed up to her feet and grabbed the bowl of popcorn, bypassing Jason and I, to refill it in the kitchen.

I turned on her, not caring how uncomfortable of a position it put Jason in. "A man who treats me well?" I laughed, tipping my head back and setting my gaze on the ceiling for a moment. It was a real deep, belly one that ended with my hands on my knees. "Let me let you in on a little secret, mother." My voice was laced with disdain. "This man who you think treats me soooo well, yeah, he cheated on me. Walked right into the room when he had his dick five inches deep in another woman."

She gasped, the popcorn bowl almost falling out of her hands before it settled on the counter with a thud. "Mouth, Gracelynn."

I bypassed her scolding. "How does that make you feel? Knowing that the guy you've been getting chummy with for the last couple of days betrayed your daughter in that way. Oh wait," I brought my index finger up and tapped my chin. "You probably wouldn't give a shit considering you did the same thing to dad. No fucking wonder the two of you get along so well."

"Gracie," came from behind me, murmured by Jason.

Emotions coursed through me at an overwhelming rate. All of them combined into a steady stream of liquid rage. All the pent up anger I had from years of being at the butt of my mother's lack of nurturing and obvious emotional manipulation. From her only pushing in and being a part of my life when it was good for her. For never checking up on me, asking how I was doing, or caring enough to be in my life more than once a year. For never asking what I wanted or how I felt.

And for the man next to me.

A man I trusted and wanted so much more from than I got.

My eyes and nose burned. I was on the precipice of sobbing in the middle of my apartment with both of them watching. I didn't want to allow them to have the upper hand.

I turned toward the front door and grabbed my jacket off the hook.

Jason was the one who called out. It wasn't a surprise that my mother gave less than two-shits. "Where are you going?"

"Out," I snipped, my voice cold and quivering. "I want you out by the time I get back. I want both of you out!"

I opened the door and slammed it shut behind me. 

-

First Sutton and now Gracie?

Is anyone else as happy as I am right now about this? 

Hope you're enjoying! Only two chapters left. ✨

Xoxo, 

Sara