Page 28 of Finding Storm

They were like dads to me.

Jake actually adopted me, for fuck’s sake.

I was supposed to be able to count on them. I thought I could trust them. Over anyone else in this shitty fucking world, I thought they had my back.

What a joke.

Slowly, I lift my head. “Would any of you have ever told me the truth?”

The silence in the room and the guilt in their eyes answer my question.

A laugh of disappointment escapes me. Lifting my hands, I say, “I’m done.” I walk out of the studio.

They chase me out into the hall. Which is surprisingly empty. I’m guessing everyone heard us arguing. But then I wasn’t exactly being quiet.

And at this point, it’s the least of my fucking concerns.

“Storm, wait!” Jake calls after me.

A second later, his hand lands on my shoulder. I shove his hand off, rounding on him.

“Don’t fucking touch me,” I grind out.

He lifts his hands up in surrender. “Okay,” he says, but he doesn’t back off either.

He stands there right in front of me, staring me in the face.

“I screwed up. This is on me. Marie told me the day of your mom’s funeral. She told me.” He bangs a hand to his chest. “No one else.”

“Jake, we all knew. This wasn’t just you …” Denny steps forward, moving closer to him.

Jake lifts his hand, stopping him. “They only knew because I told them. It was me who said we shouldn’t tell you. I also asked them not to. This is on me. Not them.”

I know what he’s doing—trying to take full blame. But it won’t wash with me.

They were all Jonny’s friends. All three of them.

They all knew.

They’re all culpable.

“Who else knows?” I ask in a lowered voice.

“Lyla. Smith. Stuart,” Tom is the first to say, naming his wife, the guitarist who took Jonny’s place in the band after he died, and Jake’s assistant.

“Simone,” Denny adds, naming his wife.

And the betrayal just keeps cutting deeper.

“So, basically, everyone but me,” I bite.

I love all of those people. And they all knew.

I stare at Jake. “Does Tru know?” my voice whispers down the hallway.

I already know the answer to this question. He wouldn’t keep this from her. He doesn’t keep anything from her.

But a stupid part of me is hoping Tru doesn’t know. Because I don’t want to have to be mad at her too. She matters as much as these three standing before me. She adopted me. Loved me. Held me when I cried after losing my mom.