Page 23 of Jason

I didn't get it. Why would I need to forgive him? He was the one who kept warning me Jason would do something like this. And when he did, Logan was the one who alerted me of it and prevented me from becoming a fool who would have everyone laughing behind her back.

“The video I sent you,” he started when his remorseful eyes found mine. “It was a setup. Mindy wasn't with Jason even a full minute in that room. Two seconds after he got inside his room, he threw her out. I just waited until later to send it, so it would look like she was in there a lot longer after you two hung up.”

“Why did you do that?”

“Curt,” he shrugged, looking away, and I watched as shame washed over his face. “He told me if Jason took one of the deals that were on the table, I would be able to get a better deal from the Thunders. Get more money, better sponsors, and more offers. Jason's the star of the team; everyone knows it. The rest of us? We just grab any leftovers from the sponsors we can get. And watching everything be presented to Jason and listening to him while he bitched and moaned that it was all a distraction from the game, then shoving all that money aside, living in that tiny house, I was jealous. I wanted it all. So, when Curt came and told me he would make it happen for me if we got Jason out of Denver, I went for it. I didn't let anything stop me. Not even standing by his side at the elevator and listening to him tell you he loves you. I just didn't think something like this would happen.” He looked back to me, swallowed hard, and whispered, closing his eyes. “I am so sorry, Rory. I'll do anything for you to forgive me.”

I was so lost in the relief that coursed through my body, acting like a balm to all my aches and pains, that I frowned in confusion when Chace asked, “How did Niles find her at Jason's?”

I didn't get how Logan could know.

“Curt told him. He was hell bent on getting Rory out of the way, so he made his mission to know where both of them were at any minute of the day. He was paranoid that Rory would take him to Sebastian and help Jason get signed by him.” He grabbed my hand and shook it. “I found out this morning. I promise you, if I knew what Curt was doing or what Niles wanted to do, I would have warned you. I would’ve stopped Curt. I wouldn't have gone through with his sick game.”

I asked Logan to tell all that to the police. He did, but unfortunately, Curt claimed he had no idea who Niles was and that he thought he was just a guy from work, so when he told Niles where he could find me, it was only because Niles said it was work related and he couldn't get me on the phone. Since there was no evidence that what Curt did was in fact done fully knowing and understanding the situation, he was released. Though I heard he was losing clients and was not in such a good position. I was also ashamed I so easily believed in Jason betraying me. I wanted to tell him I was sorry, I missed him, and that I loved him.

But I didn't want him to see me like this.

And besides, we clearly didn't work. I had trust issues, over which I just couldn't get past. It was better that we broke up and went on with our lives. He didn't deserve me questioning his every move. He needed someone who believed in him a hundred percent. He just wouldn't hear any of it, or give up.

“Yeah, he spent an hour sitting in the hallway, waiting for you,” Max picked up the bags of chips when I came near the couch, not looking away from the TV. “He would still be out there if he didn't have to go to the game.”

I knew Max was right, since he sat in my hallway every day, most of the day. The bruises were fading, and with makeup, they were barely visible, so I was running out of excuses not to see him. I just feared that if I did, I would cave and wouldn't be able to let him go.

“Maybe you should...” Carter started to say.

They were trying to get me to talk to Jason for the last week, figure things out, and get back with him. From the moment they heard Logan's words in my hospital room, they started doubting the video. Then they went to him and demanded the truth. Since then, they were trying to help him however they could. Still, I stood my ground. It wasn't the fact that they were slowly but surely chipping away at the wall I built, all four of them, that had me tuning Carter out. It wasn’t even the fact that a close up of Jason, in his standard position, head bowed, nodding, his eyes trained on the ground, hands on his hips as he was taking a step onto the field, was on TV. It was the fact that I couldn't see the blue strip snaking up his leg.

“I'm going to kill him,” I growled, not looking away from the screen and putting down the bowl with the dip a little harsher than was necessary, sloshing the stuff over the edge and all over my hand and table.

“Who?” the three men sitting on my couch asked, but I didn't answer. I went right up to the TV and squinted.

“Please don't lick the screen. Please don't ruin the game for me,” Chace groaned.

I ignored the big baby, turned around, and went to my bedroom then to my bathroom. Right to my box of tampons.

“Fucker, oh I'm going to kill him,” I muttered to myself as I pulled out the four passes from the box.

I planned to surprise my brothers with them, take them to a game and to meet all the players and tour the place. Something they’ve never done. In all that's happened, I just didn't have a chance, and I didn't want to come face-to-face with Jason. On my way back to the living room, I snatched my coat and bag and marched out, right to the door.

“Let's go,” I barked to the three, who were trailing me with only their eyes.

“Where?”

“The game's about to start!”

“Are you serious?”

I didn't answer the questions that were fired at me in rapid succession, just flung the four plastic cards over my shoulder and left them dangling there, holding the blue and red ribbons. I could hear all three jumping to their feet and the sounds of them moving around, gathering their things.

“It's not that I'm complaining, because I'm totally not,” Carter was the first one to catch up to me, and he tried to snatch the passes away. “In fact, I think you’re the best sister there ever was,” he said in a sweet tone, trying to get me to give him the passes. “But what happened to change your mind about seeing him?”

I was so furious I was barely able to get the words out of my mouth. He knew he needed to do it; I went to great lengths to teach him how to properly do it. And I explained the risks, in great detail, of what would happen if he didn't do it. And still, he ignored me.

“The fucker didn't tape his ankle.”

Chapter Twelve

Jason