Her Premarital Ex (The Alexanders Book 3) (5 page)

“Okay.”

“Gabrielle.”

“I know you heard some
things about me. Why didn’t you tell me that Dilvan had approached
you?”

“I didn’t want to bother
you with it.”

“Okay. I’m
sorry.”

“And I don’t want to keep
things from you so, listen. I was a sniper in the
Marines.”

“Why didn’t you tell
me?”

“Because I didn’t want you
to be afraid of me. I mean, that was my job...a job I was very good
at, but that’s not who I am anymore. And I will never hurt you,
Gabrielle.”

“I know that.”

“No. That’s okay. I don’t
want to go.”

“Bri, I want you to go,
okay.”

“Nope. I’m going to
Atlanta with you.”

“You were all excited
about going to Chicago and now you don’t want to go?”

“Nope.”

“Gabrielle, I know you
want to go, so, sweetheart, I’m telling you to go. I want you to.
Stop defying me.”

Tyson laughed to. “Yeah.
I
want
you to
go.”

“Not at all. It’s only for
Friday and Saturday. You’ll be back Sunday, and so will I. Then
we’ll make love until we tear this bed all to pieces.”

“So I want you to
go...have a good time.”

“Thank you, Tyson,” she
said excited. She took a kiss from his lips.

“Anything for my girl,” he
replied. “Hey, guess who’s coming for a visit tomorrow.”

“Who?”

“My sister. She can’t wait
to finally meet you.”

“Can’t wait to meet
her...this is a nice surprise. Oh, and while we’re on the subject
of surprises, you know Carmen is graduating in a month.”

“Yeah.”

“I’ve been thinking about
what to get her.”

“What is she doing after
high school?” Tyson inquired.

“Um...not sure, actually.
She applied to some colleges only because the guidance counselor
had asked her to, but—”

“She’s not going to
college?”

“Are you kidding me? My
dad can’t afford college for her.”

A smile touched his lips.
“Do you want her to go to college?”

“I would like for her to,
but—”

“Then it’s
done.”

“Tyson...”

“Sweetheart, look at
me.”

“It’s done,” he said
again.

“Just like
that?”

“Yeah. Just like that. I
told you...anything you want, all you have to do is ask and it’s
yours.”

“You’re welcome,
baby.”

“We better get to sleep,
baby, or when that alarm clock chimes, we’re not getting
up.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” she
said inhaling his scent. She kissed his chest and said, Goodnight,
babe.”

“Goodnight, my
love.”

“
She’s here
, Bri. I’m going to go
help her with her bags,” Tyson said. “Be right back.”

“You as well,” Gabrielle
told her. “Come on in.”

“Wow. This is amazing. I
finally have a sister,” Tamera said, excited. “Gosh, we have sooo
much to talk about.”

“Okay. Thank
you.”

“Gabrielle, have you had
lunch?”

“No, and I’m
starving.”

“Okay. Let’s see what
Tyson has planned. Ty-son!” Tamera called out to him.

“Be right there,” he said,
then came jogging downstairs. “So, you’ve met my lovely wife,” he
said to his sister, throwing his arms around Gabrielle.

“Sure did. Now we want to
know what your plans are today so we can have some girl
time.”

“Already?” he said with a
smirk on his face, looking at Gabrielle.

“Yep...you have her full
time. I’m sure you don’t mind me stealing her for an hour or two.
Or three.”

“Don’t mind at all,” Tyson
said, “As long as my baby doesn’t mind.”

“Okay, sweetie. I have to
go by the food house to get some desserts ready.”

“Right now?” Tamera
asked.

“Yep.”

“Then Gabrielle and I are
going to lunch. Come on, sis.” She took Gabrielle by the
hand.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Tyson
said. “You can’t just snatch her away from me without daddy gettin’
some love. Come here, Bri.”

“Love you,
too.”

“Call me if you need
anything, ‘kay.”

“Oh, leave her alone,
Tyson,” Tamera said. “She’ll be fine with me.”

“Okay,
sweetie.”

Gabrielle smiled. “Don’t
know about
famous
, but yes, I’m Gabrielle.”

“Tyson talks about you a
lot, you know,” she said. Her eyes had gotten bigger when she
said,
lot
.

“He does?”

“Oh, yes, girl...never
seen my brother so crazy in love. Wait...I take that back...he was
feelin’ Desiree for a while. I’m sure you heard the
story.”

“Yeah. He told
me.”

“But now, he has his
diamond, so the past no longer matters,” she said watching
Gabrielle reciprocate her smile.

“For work?”

“Yeah.”

“Nothing right now. Well,
I help out Padma here and there.”

“How is Padma, anyway? I
haven’t seen my auntie in a minute.”

“She’s doing well...stays
busy
all
the
time.”

“Yeah...that’s Padma. I
have to get over there and see her before I leave.”

“Definitely. She would
love that. When are you leaving anyway?”

“Tomorrow
night.”

“Oh, just a short trip,
huh?”

“Yeah. Just in and
out...had to come see my new sister-in-law, and my big bro of
course.”

“Well, if you want to see
Padma, you’ll have to get over there sometime today because I’m
going with her to Chicago tomorrow.”

“Really?”

“Yep...she invited me to a
restaurant expo.”

“Cool...have to see if I
can get over there today, then.” Tamera took a sip of water. “So
you like being married?”

“Yes...to
Tyson.”

“Why are you laughing at
me?” Gabrielle questioned.

“Oh.”

“I heard about what my
idiot cousin did to you.”

“You did?”

“Sure did...Tyson
mentioned it to me right after it happened...around the time you
moved in with him.”

“Oh.”

“He knew I could
relate...something similar happened to me and I ended up staying
with Tyson for a while.”

“What happened to
you?”

“I was in an abusive
relationship...marriage actually.”

“What kind of things did
he do to you?”

“Oh my gosh.”

“Not only that, but he
punched me in the face several times...gave me black eyes. He would
hit me in the stomach like he was hitting a punching bag. Now that
I think about it, that’s exactly what I was...his punching bag. I
just hung around and didn’t say anything.”

“What made you say
something?”

“Probably the same thing
that made you say something about Dilvan. I was tired of being
abused. I knew there was a better life out there for me and I
couldn’t tolerate living in fear of a man who’s supposed to love
me. So I told Tyson what was going on and jeez...he almost lost it.
I’ve never seen my brother so furious, Gabrielle. He and he beat
the crap out of my ex. Now, he’s in jail. I have a restraining
order already in place so when he gets out, he can’t bother
me.”

“Wow. Sounds like you’ve
been through a lot.”

“Girl, you don’t know the
half...”

“What?” Gabrielle asked
with raised eyebrows.

“Yeah,” Tamera said after
she’d taken a bite of her sandwich. “He was one of Dilvan’s
friends...another reason why Dilvan can’t stand Tyson to this
day.”

“Wait, let me get this
straight. Your ex-husband and Dilvan were friends.”

“Hmm...that’s interesting.
Since I’ve known them, there’s always been animosity between Tyson
and Dilvan.”

“Yeah, because Mark, that
was my ex-husband’s name, had been bragging to Dilvan about what he
was doing to me. Dilvan hadn’t said a word about it to anyone. And
he and Mark would go out all the time picking up women from clubs,
sleeping around and doing all kinds of nonsense.” Tamera took a sip
of water. “I had no idea Mark was like that when we
met.”

“How was he
then?”

“He was
charming...nice...never hit me. Then one day, he flipped like it
happened overnight, and he became this monster...guess he was tired
of the nice guy front and started hitting me.”

“Jeez...that’s
bad.”

“Yeah...I’m sure you know
after putting up with Dilvan.”