Obedience Lessons

Chapter Twenty-nine

Andy's POV

My lies soured in my mouth and left a heavy feeling inside. I couldn't shake the feeling that Dylan would never forgive me when he found out how I played with him. Manipulated him like his father. He would never forget these lies, no matter what.

But I knew now more than ever that I couldn't tell Dylan the truth. I knew more than he did right now, and it put me in a dangerous spot. What if he knew, and his father found out? What would stop him from killing another son and covering it up? Men like Ryman did anything to protect their image, so I wouldn't test the theory. I had to make sure that Dylan did nothing that would trigger his father, at least until I could show the world what he'd done. Holy fuck what had I gotten myself into?

Today my parents were making it official and getting divorced. My mother had made it clear that she didn't want to see my dad for a while, but she wanted to be in her own house again. So he had agreed to move out while they settled everything else. I saw my mother wish Anthony the very best of luck in dealing with my father and I smiled proudly at her. I knew that inside it took everything she was made of not to crack like glass. But that night, she had sobbed all the way into the morning. And when I woke up her eyes were dry, and she moved like a woman with purpose.

She was the same as she left to meet at the lawyer's office with dad this morning. She had worn her makeup, done up her hair, clipping at quite the pace in four inched yellow heels out the door. I would miss her, I decided, but determined never to tell her just how much. Can't go about spoiling your parents, lest they expect horrible things like honesty and niceness as the norm.

My phone vibrated while I walked to class and the Caller ID read "Fuckhead'. I swore as I answered, causing several freshmen to give me weird looks.

"Good morning to you too," Ryman's voice sounded coldly amused at the other end. He had heard me swear.

"What do you want now?"

"Just a word of thanks, I do know the meaning of gratitude you know," he said, mildly wounded. I was surprised at that little tidbit. "Very creative... how you got him to agree to the marriage... and even a publicized proposal, much better than if I had forced it. You've proving very handy to have around. You can check your account for the first part of my thanks. Keep it up."

I suddenly felt worse. I was just paid for selling out my boyfriend to his evil father. That had to be some kind of new and horrible thing. "It's just business right?" I kept my tone levelled.

"Just business," Ryman reassured, with an edge to his voice. "One more thing. I know about lastnight. You're playing with fire, boy."

"I didn't fuck him," I replied, happy with the little rebellion.

"I know. It's why you're still around. Careful though, you came too close." I heard the thinly veiled threat in his words.

"No, we both came."

Ryman ignored my dirty insinuation. "I'll allow him his distractions because it kept him in check, and it got him suited for the proposal. But just you remember that you're playing by my rules. He's not yours, clear?"

"Crystal, sir," I grated out, biting the syllables of the word. The line went dead and I shoved the phone deep into my pocket as if it had offended me. When it rang again I answered without looking, "What else!"

"Easy, dislodge the dildo from your ass." It was Bree. "Natalie got the call. She agreed to play this one out but she has one condition."

We got him. I figured he would run back to Natalie eventually. "What is it?"

"Relax. She doesn't want anything from you... But she'll only do it if I go with her."

Fuck. "Bree I can't ask that from you."

Bree's voice went tight and urgent, "You don't have to. I'll do it. This fucker has to pay. So I'll go. But it'll only make things harder since he won't trust me. Natalie is being a bitch."

"Yeah..." I agreed. "It's pretty bitchy alright but I kind of see her point. She doesn't win anything from this. In fact she's probably losing hundreds of thousands. See it as a compliment huh?"

"I see her as a threat, end of story. Look I gotta go. I'll be entertaining your boyfriend's father tonight. I must really fucking love you."

"Love you too, babe." I kissed into the phone. Now I was pimping out my best friend. I wondered if my parents really had raised me right.

I knew the moment the post had been made. Pictures of Dylan on his knees in front of a beautifully dressed woman with dark Bambi eyes and stunning black hair went viral. I memorized every featured of the woman. Her black curls framing her heart shaped face. The deep brown eyes, rosy cheeks and prominent chin. Her full bust in the maroon designer dress and her slim, smooth legs that crossed delicately one in front the other.

By morning it would dominate the tabloids. Jealousy kindled in my chest to see the picture of a wet kiss shared between the two while her finger gleamed with an intricate piece of jewellery probably worth half of Tennessee. That kiss...

For a moment I felt played. It must be so very hard for him to marry the beautiful, rich heiress of her daddy's fortune, oh yes of course.

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A/N: How you gals and guys hanging? I know this one is shorter but that's the way things gotta be okay?

Check out the picture for my picture of Alyssa Clarke as Kendall Jenner. Imagine if she made out with your boyfriend (Ooooh the burn).

Six thousand Reads and almost 500 votes. Gimme a hug people, I feel the love. Now back off, writers need freaking air. Vote to show love, it's way more sanitary than hugs, I might catch feels otherwise. Ugh.

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-Ender Xen