Promising You (The Jade Series #4) (19 page)

“My son got some bad news yesterday. We both did. And we need to figure this out as a family.”
 

Garret’s eyes close and he sinks into his dad, who then hoists him up again to a partially standing position.
 

“Please tell me what’s going on. Garret keeps telling me he’s sorry. Why is he saying that? What is he sorry about?” Here come my tears again.
 

Pearce sighs, a look of pity on his face. “I need you to listen to me. Don’t call him. Don’t text him. Don’t try to come to the house. I’m sorry, Jade, but this is how it has to be. I truly am sorry. You’re a nice girl and I wish you the best.”

I hear his words, but they’re not registering with me. My attention remains on Garret, who’s now standing on his own a little more but still out of it.
 

“Will he be coming back here?” I ask Pearce.

“Yes. But I’m afraid you won’t. You need to leave Moorhurst. I won’t be funding your education anymore. You have today and tomorrow to pack up your things. I’ll have them shipped back to Iowa for you. You’ll be flying home Monday morning. I’ll get you a plane ticket and have it delivered here. My driver will take you to the airport. I talked with Dr. Cunningham and he’ll be stopping by later to check on you to make sure you’re okay to fly.”

My brain is finally getting what he’s saying but I don’t believe it. This can’t be happening. My legs give out and I sink down on the stairs.
 

“Jade?” I hear Garret’s voice and feel his hand touch my shoulder. I grab hold of it and find the strength to stand up again and face his father.
 

“No! You can’t take him away from me! Not again! I won’t let you. I love him. You can send me home, but we’ll still find a way to be together.”

“That’s not going to happen. I’m sorry, Jade.” He yanks Garret up again, tearing his hand from mine. He walks out the door to the parking lot with me right behind.
 

“Garret’s not going to just let me go. He loves me.”

“Yes. He does. And that’s why you need to leave.” Pearce stops and opens the passenger side door of his shiny black Mercedes.
 

“What? I don’t understand.”

He puts Garret in the car, shuts the door, and walks to the driver’s side.
 

“Why are you doing this?” I scream it at him, but he pays no attention as he gets in the car.
 

There’s a clicking sound as the doors lock, followed by the sound of the engine starting up. As Pearce backs up, I see Garret leaned against the window, his eyes now closed.
 

The car speeds off down the road.
 

And Garret is gone.

I think I might be hyperventilating. I can’t seem to get enough air in my lungs. My legs don’t want to move, but I manage to make it back to my room.
 

My phone rings and I practically rip the pocket of my jeans getting it out. I don’t know why I’m racing to answer it. It’s not like Garret’s calling me. “Hello?”

“Hey, Jade. It’s Harper.” Her voice sounds so happy I almost can’t stand to listen to it. I’m sure she’s having a great time with Sean, a normal guy who probably has a normal family who will never force him to break up with Harper. “Sorry I couldn’t call sooner, but Sean and I had to go to this party last night with my parents. Anyway, are you back at school yet?”

“Yeah, I’m back.”
 

She keeps talking but it all sounds mumbled. I can’t concentrate on anything she’s saying.

“Jade? Are you there?”

“I’m here.”

“Well, aren’t you excited?”

“About what?”

“About the condo on the beach. Garret said he reserved yours and Sean and I got ours so we’re all set. This is going to be the greatest summer.” She pauses as she waits for me to agree. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“Harper, I have to go. I feel kind of sick from the car ride. Can we talk later?”

“Sure. Sean and I are on our way to the airport, but I’ll call you quick before I get on the plane. And when I get back tonight I’m staying over at Sean’s so I probably won’t see you until Sunday night.”

“Yeah, sounds good,” I say, trying to hurry her off the phone.

“Okay, well, I hope you feel better. Oh, and I got you something for our summer on the beach. I’ll show it to you tomorrow. Bye!”

“Bye.” I shove my phone back in my pocket. There’s not going to be a summer on the beach. And I don’t know why because nobody will tell me.

I need to talk to someone about this, but there’s nobody I can talk to. I can’t call Frank or Ryan. They have no idea what I’ve been through with Garret’s family. I get my phone out again and text Ryan to tell him I made it to Moorhurst so he won’t call me.

I collapse on my bed and replay in my mind all the scenes from last semester when Mr. Kensington kept trying to break Garret and me apart. Is that what he was doing today? But why? He acted like he liked me, like he’d finally accepted me. He let me stay at his house. He got me a car. He was nice to me. So did Katherine make him do it?
 

My shock, sadness, and confusion quickly turn to pure rage. Mr. Kensington can’t do this to me. He can’t take Garret from me again. And neither can Katherine. I won’t let either one of them take away what Garret and I have together.
 

I search my desk drawer for my laundry money and stuff the bills in my wallet. Then I look up the number of a taxi company and call them to come pick me up. If Mr. Kensington won’t take me to his house, I’ll go there myself. I have to see Garret.
 

The taxi arrives and when I tell the driver my destination, he says it will be $70 for the half hour ride. I dig in my wallet and count the bills. I only have $75 and that money was supposed to last me for months.
 

When I arrive at Garret’s house, there’s a line of photographers and teen girls all along the street. The taxi driver drops me off and I give him the entire $75 to include the tip.
 

Now I’m stranded here. If Mr. Kensington doesn’t let me in, I’ll be camping out for the rest of the day with Garret’s fans. At night they’ll all go home and I’ll freeze to death. Okay, so maybe this wasn’t the greatest idea.

I walk up to the gate and press the button. Brad, one of the security guys, answers. He’s a good guy. I’ve talked to him many times. His wife runs a day care center and they have twin girls who are Lilly’s age. He’s shown me photos of them.

“We don’t allow people on the premises,” he says. “Please stay—”

“Brad, it’s Jade. I need to speak to Mr. Kensington. Can you let me in?”

I hear him mumble something to another guard. “I’m sorry. We can’t let you in.”

“What? Why not? Brad, it’s me. You know me.”

“I know, but . . .” He sounds like he really wants to let me in and yet the gate remains closed.

“But what? Just open the gate.”

“I can’t. We’ve been ordered to not let you through.”

“By who? Katherine? Mr. Kensington?”

He clears his throat. “No. By Garret.”

15

“But that doesn’t make sense. Why would Garret—”
 

“I’m sorry, Jade.”

That seems to be the word of the day. Everyone’s sorry but nobody will tell me why. I sink to the ground, but a security guy I’ve never met before reaches under my arms and pulls me up. “You can’t be on the property. You need to be across the street or at least a foot from the gate.”

I don’t move, so he pushes me until I start walking. I join the young girls lined up across the street. Some have lawn chairs. Others are sitting on sleeping bags. The girls next to me have signs that say
I love Garret
and
Marry me, Garret
.
 

“Are you waiting for Garret to come out?” a girl asks. She’s looking up from her spot on a pink and green sleeping bag. She’s probably around 12. Her blond hair has blue streaks in it that match the puffy blue jacket she’s wearing.

“Yeah, I am.” I stand there with my arms crossed, staring at the iron gate.

“Are you one of the moms?”
 

Moms? Is she blind? Do I seriously look like a mom? I’m only 19! Then again I probably look really old given that I stayed up all night and have dark circles and bags under my eyes. But still.
 

“No, I’m not a mom.” I’d love to tell her I’m Garret’s girlfriend, but that would cause all kinds of problems, so I pretend to be just another one of Garret’s fans. Apparently the oldest fan he has by the looks of this crowd.

This is so ridiculous. I’m not standing here all day. I’m getting past that damn gate and then I’m going to force Garret or his dad to tell me what the hell’s going on.
 

I walk down the street past the crowd of young girls until I’m by myself. I’m standing in front of another large mansion that’s surrounded by an iron gate that looks just like the one at Garret’s house.

Now what? I need a plan, but I’m too tired to think and my stomach is growling even though I don’t feel hungry. I haven’t eaten anything since last night, so it makes sense my stomach is begging for food but it’s not getting any so I try to ignore it.
 

I take a seat on the sidewalk and search my purse for a mint or some gum. Then I search my wallet for money as if some might have magically appeared between the time I paid the taxi driver and now. There’s not even a quarter in there, but in the zippered side pocket I find a business card. It’s the card Arlin gave me.
 

I decide to call him. I’m not sure how he could help me, but I’m desperate and tired and out of any other ideas.
 

His phone rings twice and then I hear a recording of a woman’s voice.
This number requires a passcode. Please enter it now.

I forgot Arlin said I had to enter a code. He told me the code. What was the code? I can’t remember.
 

Please enter the passcode now or you will be disconnected
, the recorded voice says.
 

“Yeah, I know!” I yell at her. “Just give me a minute!”

Arlin said something right after he told me the code. What did he say? My birthday! He said he was sorry he missed all my birthdays. I quickly put in 1008 and the phone starts ringing again. It rings and rings and I’m sure he’s not going to answer but then I hear a voice.
 

“Jade? Is that you?”

How did he know it was me? The code. Man, I’m slow today.

“Yes, it’s me.”

“I’m glad you called.”

“Are you busy? Because I could call you back later.”
 

Why did I just say that? I can’t call him back later. I’m stranded here with nothing but gated mansions around me and a cell phone with an almost drained battery. Wake up, Jade! And get your freaking head on straight.
 

“Is something wrong?” He asks it like he already knows the answer, which I find very strange.

“Yes, something’s wrong. I need help.”

“Of course. Tell me what you need.”
 

I hear the concern in his voice and it makes me want to trust him. Soon the words are spilling from my mouth before my brain can filter them.

“I was home on spring break and when I got back this morning, I found Garret in his dorm room. He was really drunk and saying all these things that didn’t make sense, like how he was sorry and how he didn’t know, and he kept telling me I had to go away. I called his dad and he came and got him, but he told me I had to go back to Iowa and that he was taking my scholarship away. So I took a taxi to Garret’s house but the guards won’t let me past the gate and now I’m stuck here. I’m out of money and I can’t get back.” I stop to take a breath.
 

“Just calm down. Where are you right now?”

“I’m down the street from his house.”

“I’ll send someone to pick you up. I’d get you myself, but I’m in Manhattan and with traffic it will take forever to get there.”

“But I came here to talk to Garret. I can’t leave before I find out what’s going on.”

“You need to go, Jade. I told you I would help you and I will. We’ll get you enrolled in a different college. I’ll take care of your expenses.”

“Wait. Do you know what’s going on here? Because you’re acting like you do.”

“Just stay where you are. I’ll send someone to get you.”

“I’m not leaving here until I know what’s going on. So if you don’t tell me I guess I’ll freeze to death sleeping out here tonight.”

“Jade. You need to get out of there.”

“What I need is answers. And I’m not leaving until I get them.”

He lets out a long sigh. “I told you when we met that there were plans for Garret. Those plans have now been approved and will soon be finalized.”

“What plans? The ones from your secret organization?”

He doesn’t answer.
 

“So what are the plans?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“I swear if you don’t tell me, I’ll tell everyone about this organization you’re part of and then I’ll tell them the truth about Royce. I’ll go to the press. I’ll tell them everything.”
 

Now I’m blackmailing my own grandfather? I’ve never blackmailed anyone before, but I’m desperate and I need to know the truth.

“If you do that, Jade, you won’t like the consequences.”

“Which are what? The people in your organization will come after me? Hurt me?”

“Not you. But Frank and Ryan. The people you care about.”

Shit! Who are these people? I take a deep breath as I try to think of a way to get Arlin to tell me the truth. I decide to guess at what might be going on and see how he reacts.

“This group is trying to make Garret’s dad pay for killing your son. And you said Mr. Kensington didn’t want Garret involved in anything this group does.”

“Jade, don’t start down this path.”

“This group does something with politics. They hand-pick candidates. In the last presidential election, they rigged the voting machines in Ohio and Florida.”

I can’t believe I’ve resorted to repeating Carson’s crazy conspiracy theories, but I have to say something, and shit, maybe he’s right. He was right about
some
of the stuff he said. Maybe he’s right about this, too.