Disarm

Chapter 3: Careful I don't choke You

**Jade**

"I'm sorry." Claudia says as I pour her a glass of wine, "Billie overheard me telling Finneas where I was going, and she asked... I couldn't tell her no."

"It's fine." I say pouring myself a glass as Dakota saunters into the kitchen with Billie in tow.

"This is a really nice house." Dakota says making sure to emphasize the word "really" as I pass her a glass of wine and watch her pass it to Billie as she waits for me to pass her another.

"Uh thanks?"

"I just mean for a single mom..."

"Right." I say getting a glass as I pour Billie a glass of lemonade and switch their glasses as Dakota eyes me.

"So, when do you officially start your new position?" Claudia asks trying to break the tension.

"Next week, but I have an event John wants me to attend and observe Friday evening."

"Are you excited?" Billie asks leaning against the bar as Dakota rolls her eyes.

"I am." I say taking a sip of my wine.

3 bottles of wine later, I still don't like Dakota, but she's made herself more than comfortable on my couch with Billie on her lap as she occasionally whispers something in her ear that causes Billie to blush not to mention that I've had to witness at least two mini make-out sessions between the two of them.

"So, Jane. Billie never told me how you two knew each other." Dakota says sliding her hand up the inside of Billie's oversized t-shirt.

I take a sip of my wine weighing my options, tell the truth and cause a scene resulting in waking up my sleeping child or lie through my teeth and save both our asses. "I was an intern for her a couple summers ago." I shrug, "not much else to tell really." Liar, liar. I've seen your girlfriend naked, and she's seen me naked. "And it's Jade."

"Oh... sorry." She smiles, as she kisses Billie's cheek lightly.

"Speaking of couples..." I shift my position on the couch I'm sharing with Claudia "when is Fin going to propose?"

"Ah, haha no no. We're not here to talk about when he or won't he!" Claudia says with a laugh. "What about you 'Miss I've been single for over a year'?"

"I've been on one date..." I say finishing the last of my wine. "And it wasn't great."

"Why wasn't it great?" I hear Billie ask from her perch on Dakota's lap.

He wasn't you and he tried to sleep with me. "There just wasn't any chemistry, I guess? Plus he was a terrible kisser." I see Billie's face drop for a moment before she recovers quickly.

"You could have given him the benefit of the doubt, Jade." Claudia says.

"Yeah, maybe... but when a guy just wants to get into my pants right out of the gate..." I say standing up, "I'm not really that type of girl."

"Is that why Chase's dad is out of the picture?" Dakota asks polishing off her wine as Billie gently elbows her.

"Stop asking her about that." Billie mumbles.

"It's uh.... bit more complicated than that." I say setting my wine glass down.

"So, is he like dead or something?" Dakota presses her voice getting louder as she slides her hand up Billie's thigh gripping it.

"Please lower your voice."

**Billie**

"Please lower your voice." Jade says through almost gritted teeth.

"She just keeps saying 'it's complicated' most people talk about it! What the fuck makes her so special?" Dakota says rolling her eyes.

"Just drop it." I mumble to Dakota, again as she gives me a dirty look.

I hear Jade sigh as Dakota presses again, "So what's the deal?"

Jade sighs deeply and looks up at the ceiling, her denim eyes brimming with unshed tears and I know she's had it as she looks at Dakota again, "It's complicated and none of your goddamn business. I've watched you sit here and make-out with Billie, you came into my house uninvited and have the audacity to interrogate me about my personal life? Since when is that proper etiquette? So just drop it, please." Jesus even when she's pissed she's polite.

Dakota rolls her eyes once again, "I just don't see what the big deal is." Dakota says raising her voice a little and I can see tears in Jade's eyes as Claudia walks over to her.

"Why don't you and Dakota go back to the hotel?" Claudia says before walking Jade into the kitchen.

Ouch.

"So, how do you really know Jane?" Dakota asks as we walk into our hotel room. "I know she wasn't just an intern."

"Can we not do this right now?" I'm exhausted. She spent the entire 20-minute Uber ride asking me 'how do you know Jane?' and 'why were you so quiet?' "She told you and I told you, she was an intern. We became friends. Drop it." I snap. Big mistake.

"What was that?"

"Sorry, I'm just tired and I don't feel like talking about Jade anymore."

"I'd hate to think you were lying to me Bil..." Dakota says as she backs me against the wall, her hands on either side of my head.

"I told you..."

"You forget, one little button and I can ruin that nice little career of yours and your brother's." She whispers lowly in my ear. "So I'll ask you again, how do you really know her?"

C'mon Billie you've lied to a camera, told the world you were fine when you weren't. you can lie to your girlfriend. "She was just an intern. We became friends. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Hm. Okay." Dakota says pushing herself off the wall as she walks into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

I sigh and relax against the wall as my phone buzzes against my hip.

Claud: I'm staying the night at Jade's. Is everything ok?

Me: i guess? is jade ok?

Claud: She's settled down. But, she's still a
little upset.

Me: maybe i should give her a call?

Claud: Give her a little bit, Billie Now's not a great time.

Great.

Dakota's been sleeping off the 6 glasses of wine she had at Jade's for the past 2 hours, I look at my phone checking the time but also hoping that Jade will text me and tell me she's not mad at me; I sigh and start to compose a text to her before I feel Dakota shift next to me and let out a slight snore.

Me: hey, sorry about Dakota, and for everything that
happened tonight. i know chase is a sensitive subject for
you and she was out of line.

I chew on my cuticle as I watch her type, then stop, then start again, then stop again, then start. Like she's not sure what to say or what she's going to say will hurt my feelings and she's thought against it.

Jade Holland: It's Fine. Thank you.

Me: i am really sorry jade, if I'd known she was going to
push like she did we wouldn't have come.

I shouldn't have even invited myself anyway, but I wanted to see her and I telling Dakota 'Oh hey I'm going to hang out with Claudia and an old intern' didn't exactly go over well with her.

Jade Holland: It's fine, Bil. Really.