Crazy Beautiful Love (The Martelli Brothers #1)(54)
Author: J.S. Cooper

I was happy to see the bus arrive, and I got on, paid my fare, and sat down at the back of the bus, vowing to never come to this part of town again. My days visiting Manor Road were officially done forever. I never wanted to see that house again. It was all part of the nightmare that I wanted to put behind me. I arrived home about an hour later, and I was grateful to see that my father was asleep on the couch for once. I ran up the stairs to my room and closed the door quickly before Jared and Vincent realized I was back. I really wanted to go to my field but I had no way to get there, and I didn’t want to take Vincent’s Mustang.

I lay on the bed and turned on some music and I stared at the wall, wondering where it had all gone wrong. Was I forever damned to a life of unhappiness? What had I done to deserve this life? I wasn’t that bad of a person. I didn’t even want to be a bad person. I just wanted to pursue my dreams like everyone. I wanted to love and be loved. I wanted someone to look at me for me and not judge me because of what they heard about me. Maddie’s face flashed in my mind; I had really thought she was different, but when it all came down to it, she had been just like all the rest. She had gotten to know the real me, I had opened up my home to her, and yet it still wasn’t enough. I flinched as the scenes from the night kept replaying in my mind. This wasn’t how our story was meant to end. I pulled out my mother’s necklace again and placed it on my night table before turning off my light and allowing the darkness to take me to a better place.

***

“Logan, you up?” Vincent knocked on my door the next morning, and I groaned and rolled over, keeping my eyes closed. “So, how was last night?”

“Vinny, I didn’t say I was up.” I glared at him. He was staring at me with a worried expression, and I sat up in the bed. “What do you want?” I snapped.

“Joey got the call.” Vincent’s eyes were excited. “Tonight’s the night.”

“Tonight. Fuck.” I jumped out of bed, unblinking. “We’re not ready.”

“We’re ready.” Vincent’s voice was calm and sure. “We got this, bro.”

“Tolstoy hasn’t gone through shutting off the alarm yet.”

“It’s the garage.” Vincent shrugged. “Most garages aren’t connected to the alarm system.”

“We don’t want to take that chance.” I pushed past him. “Where’s Jared?”

“He went to check the mail.” Vincent followed me down the stairs. “The address is supposed to be in a letter.”

“Are you f**king joking?” I walked out the front door. “It’s in the mail?”

“Yeah, that’s how they do it.” He shrugged. “We’re ready for this, Logan.”

“I don’t know.” I shook my head and winced. I felt like shit, my head was pounding, and I was filled with trepidation, sadness, anxiety, and anger. Not the best combination for the biggest theft of my life. “I think we should drop it.”

“What?” Vincent looked at me in shock. “What are you talking about?”

“I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“Where is this coming from?” Vincent looked at me thoughtfully. “What happened last night? How’s Maddie?”

“It’s over with Maddie.” My tone was final. I didn’t want to discuss it with anyone.

“It’s over?” Vincent sighed and looked away as Jared approached us.

“What up, bros?” Jared said excitedly and held up the letters in his hands. “Did Vinny tell you that today was the day? The day we become millionaires.”

“We need to talk,” I snapped. “I don’t think this is a good idea anymore.”

“Why not?” Jared looked at me like he thought I was crazy.

“Logan and Maddie broke up.” Vincent made a face. I glared at him.

“What?” Jared looked at me with a shocked expression. “How’d you guys break up?”

“You were right,” my words were light. “I realized she was a bitch and so I got my revenge.”

“Oh my God, Logan.” Jared looked worried.

“I don’t wanna talk about it. It’s done.” I clenched my fist. All I wanted to do was punch the wall. I still couldn’t believe Maddie had done that to me.

“Well, this is for you.” Jared handed me a letter, and I looked at the envelope in irony. It was from Maddie, and it looked like the invitation she had been going on about the other night. I’m not sure why she felt she needed to send me a formal invitation to a party that she had already been begging me to attend for a week.

I was about to throw it in the trash but decided to open it first. I guess I wanted to relive the misery and memories of the night before. I ripped open the envelope and pulled the invitation out. I rolled my eyes at the formality of it all; you would think she was getting married, not just having a summer party. A dart of pain flashed through me at the thought of Maddie getting married. I didn’t want to think about her anymore. She’d find a nice guy now, one that Daddy approved of. That would make them both happy. She’d find a guy who didn’t have issues and had a lot of money. Someone in her class. I was about to rip the envelope up when I saw a small post-it note stuck in the envelope. I pulled it out, and the blood ran from my face as I read it. I dropped the invitation onto the ground and read the post-it note again to make sure that I had understood it correctly. As I read it again, time seemed to stand still, and I looked up at Jared’s and Vincent’s faces in shock.

“I messed up.” I stared at them and then the note. “She attached a note with the invitation. It makes sense now. Oh my God, what did I do? She wrote a note.” I paused and read from the paper. “My darling Logan, I’m so happy that you have agreed to come to my party and meet my friends and parents. It means so much to me. I told my mom that we are dating, and she thinks that we should wait to tell my dad about us the day after the party at lunch. She thinks he will take it better in a more personal setting. I hope you understand and will come to the lunch as well. I’m so excited for the two of you to get to know each other. I know he will come to love you as I do. See you soon. Ever yours, Maddie.” I stopped reading and stared at my brothers unblinkingly. “She thought I knew. I didn’t know. I didn’t know. I thought she was ashamed.” I stood there frozen, with my stomach in knots. “I have to call her, I have to explain.”