Part 42 (1/2)
”Jax. Idiot.” He crosses his arms over his chest. ”Which part of what he said? The guy wasn't very coherent.”
”Don't act innocent! Did you find me the job in the States?”
”No. You're good at what you do. That's why you were offered the job.”
”If that's true, why are people better qualified than me pa.s.sed over?”
I glower at him. Bryn's looking me straight in the eye, but he's lying. ”All right, I might have had a quiet word with -”
”A quiet word!” I raise my voice. ”Just to split me and Jax up?”
We stand off. He may dwarf the other woman in the room, but I'm almost tall enough to look him in the eyes. His expression s.h.i.+fts from neutral to a wary frown. Yeah, you overstepped the mark.
Avery sits at the counter with her coffee. ”What's this about?”
”He”-I jab a finger at Bryn-”is interfering in my life! Again!”
Bryn sighs and drags a hand through his hair. ”I'm not interfering, Tegan. I'm helping.”
”Somebody tell me what's happening,” presses Avery.
”Why? Don't you think I'm good enough to achieve what I want on my own merits?”
”I'm just helping out, Tegan. After what happened the other night, with the attack, I thought you might want to move away too. And now this s.h.i.+t with Jax.”
”You should've asked me! And I know why you didn't!”
Avery turns to Bryn. ”Is this true?”
”I thought she'd be happy!” Is he genuinely confused here? ”You seem really happy since you started working with Riley and Tina.”
”I've only worked with them for two weeks! Strange how you take a sudden interest in my career when I'm dating Jax.Then mysteriously decide to help me with an overseas career.”
”Yeah, and look at how Jax reacted when you told him. I want you to see this thing you have going with him won't work - and before you get hurt!”
”OhmiG.o.d!” I shriek and shove him in the chest. ”I told you not to f.u.c.king interfere in my life!”
”Don't swear at me!” he snaps back.
Tears spring, at the idea I may not be as fantastic at my new job as I thought I was, and at his manipulations. I can't speak; my voice could betray how upset I am.
”Bryn, this was a bad idea.” Avery bites the corner of her lip and looks between us.
”Thank you!” I say and wave my hand with vindication.
”But you're ambitious and will leave one day, Tegan. He won't wait for you. I've seen all this before. The guys in the band. Broken-hearted girls.”
”Right. You saying you're going to do that to Avery?” I point at her.
”No! I was never like that and -”
”Why not trust Jax?” I interrupt.
”Oh, come on, Tegan! Look at him. His reputation. He's another Dylan or Jem in the making.”
”Who have girlfriends now.”
”When they were Jax's age, they had one a night!”
”Well, I trust him and isn't that what matters?” I retort.
A loud sigh comes from Avery's direction. ”I'm going to finish getting ready to go out, you two should talk rationally.” She heads out of the kitchen.
The flood of emotion I've walled over the last two days spills, and the tears start. In front of my brother. Great.
His eyes widen and he steps forward. ”f.u.c.k! Don't cry!”
I heave in a breath. ”Why do you have to treat me like this?”
”Because I want to protect you.”
”Well, you can't! I might meet a so-called normal guy in New York, and he could rip my heart out. Are you going to chaperone me for the rest of my life?” I swipe away a tear.
”No.”
”Then stay out of my life! I won't do something just because you want me to!”
”So you're not going to the States.”
”No!”
”And Jax?”
”I don't know! You've confused everything. We barely had a chance to start and this s.h.i.+t comes up!”
”Jax showed his true colours, though.”
”What? By telling me he loved me?”
Avery reappears. ”I think you both need to calm down and talk about this later.”
”Yeah, you tell him what an a.r.s.ehole he's being!” I say.