Linked By Ink ( ONC2024 ) ✔️

13 The Truth (present)

Jen

"Jen," Stan's voice cracks. "I'm so sorry," He begins sobbing. I don't think Lucas heard him. "Jen, I'm so sorry." He keeps saying over and over again. Lucas looks back over his shoulder confused. "Jen, he was threatening me. I didn't have a choice."

The breaks squeal and we all go flying forward. The cars behind us begin blaring their horns and going around us with people yelling. Lucas throws his seat belt off and launches his way across the seat at me. Grabbing my arm he quickly moves my sleeve up. Our friendship tattoo is now visible but with a faint white scar going down the center of it.

"Please Lucas, don't hate me. I'm so sorry I lied. Brian was threatening my job and my career. My wife was sickly at the time and I had to pay for her treatments and an in-house nanny to watch my children." He speeds out the words.

"Brian has a drug addiction. He would blow all his money and then expect more from Lucas. He was afraid if word got out of your relationship It would ruin Lucas's career so he staged things. The longer Lucas's career the more money Brian would have. He couldn't let it end."

"Jen, I'm so sorry," He keeps saying over and over again while getting louder each time.

Lucas begins rubbing the tattoo over where the scar is. "No, No, No. Jen," Lucas cries. "What happened?" He frantically starts rubbing it like he is trying to clear it away.

"I lied she never said anything to the paparazzi. The paparazzi only asked her the time and she said she didn't have a phone. The day we were leaving she came for you. You actually did see her in the alleyway." Stan speeds the words out. Lucas stays stationary like he's frozen in a block of ice. I stay silent and continue looking out the window.

"I bought you a house... I paid for your wife's treatments... I gave your children full college funds for the schools of their choice. You accepted all these things... When you ruined my life?" Lucas tells Stan in a dangerous and deadly tone. "Get. Out." Lucas says venomously.

"But Lucas, I--" Stan starts to say.

"Get out or I'll physically remove you," Lucas yells at the top of his lungs. Stan hesitates but then he gets out of the car. Lucas buckles his seat belt and does a fast U-turn the tires squeal as he peels out. He begins speeding taking me somewhere. I don't know where we are going. He tries to grab my hand to hold it but I pull away.

"Fuck," He screams and begins banging on the steering wheel. I turn my head to look at him and I can tell he is close to losing it. I mean really really losing it. Noticing I'm watching him he turns to look at me and his wild eyes begin to soften. He looks back to the road and we drive in quiet.

He pulls into the driveway of a large house. Tons of paparazzi are outside on the sidewalk. Some bold ones start rushing onto the property and then the rest follow. Rose and the other two bodyguards come rushing out of the house. The guards start pushing people away and off of us.

We're inside the house and Lucas walks in and goes straight to the kitchen. I stay glued to my spot. He looks at me. "Come," He motions his arms to guide me where he wants me to go. I hesitate but then I follow to where he wants me. He brings me over to a couch. "Sit," He puts his hands on my shoulders and pushes me down. He walks back to the kitchen and begins rummaging around.

I look in front of me and notice a mantel on the wall. There are tons of picture frames. Every single photo we took on his phone and the ones from the photo booth are all displayed here. I inhale a deep breath and exhale and it comes out shaky.

Lucas is back and he hands me a pastry and a drink. I sniff the straw. It's iced coffee. This is exactly what I need right now. I take a bite of the pastry and it relaxes me. It's delicious. I sip the iced coffee and it's just how I like it. I turn my head and notice he is watching my lips. His chest rises and falls rapidly.