Truly Mine (25 page)

“I lied to Ali and told her I was going out of town, so I could watch and see what she was doing. She’s been going to Truly’s mom’s house every fucking day that I was supposed to be out of town.”

“Wait. Truly’s not in New York at all? She’s here in Fallport?” I ask him again, not believing what I’m hearing.

“Yes, since Friday at least.”

“So, this evening, I watched as they got in Ali’s car, all dressed up. Oh…and there’s some blonde chick I’ve never seen before with them. They went to Perdue’s, and as of about thirty minutes ago, they were feeling damn good. I didn’t want to tell you while you were driving, so I texted Rion to find out how far away from Fallport you were. He said you just got into town, so I flew over. We’re getting played, my friend.”

“What the fuck are they up to?” I say under my breath.

Cory is quick to answer, “I know what Ali is up to. She’s fucking around with someone, and I’m fucking done.”

Hearing him say that shocks me, even under the circumstances. I pause for a moment to absorb it all.
“Listen, when we get there, don’t go storming in, throwing punches. At least give me a chance to figure out what I’m dealing with. Then, I’ll help you kick the bastard’s ass.”

“You got it, brother. Follow me.” Cory cracks his knuckles before pulling off like a bat out of hell. I jump in my truck and follow leaving Rion behind.

The gravel flies as I speed into the parking lot. I pull my truck into the parking place next to Cory’s truck, and we’re out and standing at the front door in seconds. Cory’s anxiety is out of control. He can’t stand still and paces nervously.

“Let’s go in the door by the beer garden. They don’t smoke, so they won’t see us come in. I want to watch them for a minute,” I say as I turn. Then, I notice Rion approaching us. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see what was going on. Why’d you leave me?”

“Because this is none of your concern.”

Cory doesn’t waste a second. He takes off toward the back of the building. Rion and I follow.

When we get to the door, I realize that I don’t want my son involved in this shit.

I hold my hand out, stopping Rion from going into the bar. “Wait.”

He steps back. “What?”

I motion toward the front of the building. “Listen, Rion, go in the front door, and don’t get involved in this mess. We’ve got it.”

“Dad,” he argues.

“Rion! Not now. Go!” I demand before he takes off.

I turn back to Cory. “Keep your cool, man. Please.”

He doesn’t pay me any attention.

“Think about your daughters.”

He doesn’t say anything, but I can tell by his change in demeanor that he hears me. He slows his pace and takes in a deep breath.

We casually walk into the bar, scanning the outdoor area designated for smoking. As I expected, Truly and Ali and whoever the blonde is are not here. I avoid anyone I know and make a beeline for the door that leads inside. I walk in ahead of Cory and stand behind a group of guys to hide from the crowd. Cory peers to one side, and I look to the other, trying to locate the girls.

He shoves me in my shoulder when he spots them. “Right there on the dance floor.” He points across the bar to a group of women dancing wildly.

My eyes are drawn straight to Truly. I don’t want to be pissed at her. She’s so fucking beautiful. Her long legs are gorgeous, and her sweet ass is making me forget why I’m here already. One look at Cory, and I’m quickly reminded.

We stand there and watch them for the remainder of the song. Ali looks happier than I’ve seen her in a long time. As a matter of fact, I haven’t seen her smile like she is right now in years. The blonde has her back to me. I have no idea who she is.

The song ends, and the girls walk off the dance floor. Truly lifts her hair, exposing her glistening neck and shoulders. I have to keep myself in check. I want to take her home before I can find out that she’s doing something that will end us for good. I look to Ali and then to the blonde.

“What the fuck?”

“What?” Cory stands behind me, looking at the girls and then at me.

“That’s her friend Lissa. I don’t understand what the hell is going on here.”

“Join the club.”

“You said you first saw Truly here on Friday?” I question him.

I’ve never seen Cory so aggravated. “Yes. You know what, man? I get that you’re invested in this, too, but this is my fucking marriage that is about to end.”

Cory is right. His wife of over twenty years is lying to him and practically showing her ass on the dance floor in a bar full of men who would gladly take her home. In comparison, I’m dealing with minor shit.

“All right, I hear you.”

I keep my thoughts to myself as the girls order another round of drinks that they need about as much as they need a hole in their heads. Shortly after returning to their table and all at once, they throw their arms into the air and run to the dance floor again.

“I’m going to get a beer.” Cory passes in front of me, walking toward the bar. He finds an empty stool on the end.

When the bartender sets two beers in front of him, I take the seat beside him and take several satisfying long swallows before I turn back to the girls.

“Oh, shit.” I nudge Cory as I take notice of a group of guys dancing next to them.

We both watch as the guys dance close to our women. What’s fucked up is that the girls continue shaking their asses, not even attempting to move. I’m sickened, watching Truly dance with another man plastered to her back.

All the shit she said to me over the past week, all the plans we made, were all for nothing. This is what she’s doing behind my back. Really though, what do I expect? I barely fucking know her anymore. I’ve known her for a long time, but I don’t know her well. We’ve spent very little time together, and everything is based on sex anyway. Always has been.

If it weren’t for Cory, I would leave now. I have no interest in seeing her hook up. I turn away from her and motion for the bartender.

I order two shots, and Cory and I down them as soon as they are set down in front of us. As we slam the glasses down and look back to the girls, we both stand to our feet.

There’s a commotion on the dance floor. I try to make sense of what’s going on. Truly has her hands on one of the guy’s chest, and Ali is on her tiptoes in the other’s face. Lissa is trying to squeeze her way between them all.

Cory and I look at each other and then start toward them. I might be pissed, but I’ll be damned if I let anyone fuck with them. The girls are yelling and pointing in the guys’ faces, and just before we make it to them, the girls storm off in the opposite direction toward the restrooms.

Cory shoulder-checks one of the guys as he tries to step around us. “What the fuck is going on, guys?”

I step in front of the other one, blocking him from leaving. “They didn’t look too happy with you guys.”

“Who the hell are you? And what do you care? Mind your business.” Cory’s new friend is too drunk to be as cocky as he is, especially considering how pissed off Cory is right now.

Cory snatches the asshole up by his shirt and shakes him. “She
is
my fucking business.”

“Fuck,” the guy groans.

“Yeah, fuck is right, buddy. Now, tell me what happened here,” Cory demands.

“I’m fucked up, dude. I didn’t mean anything. I was just trying to have a good time.”

Cory shakes the guy again.

He starts talking, “Stop, man. Damn.”

Cory loosens his grip.

“She said she was married, and I’m just fucking fucked up. I’m sorry, man.”

Cory’s so confused right now that he doesn’t know how to react. He shoves the guy and lets go of his shirt, sending him sailing across the dance floor.

Before I can get my hands on him to hold him back, Cory is on top of the guy, delivering a lip-busting punch in the mouth.

I grab him from behind and pull him up. “Let’s go, Cory.” I guide him toward the restroom and away from the drunk asshole laid out.

Just as I look in the direction where the girls ran off, I see none other than Katie Brooks headed into the ladies’ room.
This is all I fucking need right now.
I yell after her, but she pays me no mind.

Just as we make it to the restroom, the door opens, and Katie flies out, slamming into the wall. No doubt thrown out by one of the girls.

Standing square in front of Katie, I lose my cool. “Stay the fuck away from her. I mean it.” I refrain from getting in her face, but she needs to understand that I’m not playing with her. “Shit is going to get real bad for you if you fuck with her, Katie.”

She glares as she slides past me and backs away, leaving.

Cory and I look at each other in disbelief.

I drop my head, exhausted with this day already. “What the fuck is going on? They are like a fucking tornado tonight.”

“Let’s get them out of here and find out.” Cory puts his hands on the restroom door and pushes it open. “Ali!” he yells into the room.

It sounds like chaos.

Ali comes barreling out and shoves past Cory and straight into me. “Asshole!” She slams her hands into my chest, catching me off guard.

I step backward and don’t bother asking what happened in there because I know. Damn it, I know exactly what happened. I throw my hands in the air because I know I deserve this. “I want to explain to her. Tell her to come out here.”

“Fuck you, Tyler. You will never change!” Ali screams at me.

“Ali, please.” I grab her shoulders. “You’re going to believe Katie and not even let me explain?”

Ali catches sight of Cory. He looks at her like a wounded puppy. Suddenly, I’m forgotten.

Just then, the door opens again, and a tearful Truly walks out, wrapped in Lissa’s arms. I step to Truly’s side.

Truly is quick to warn me, “Get away from me, Tyler.”

“Truly, let me explain. Please.”

She stops and looks me in the face. “Don’t worry about it, Ty. You don’t owe me an explanation.” Her voice is weak, and her eyes are swollen.

I hate myself for letting that night with Katie happen, but Truly has been lying to me for a while now, too. She told me she was in New York, and here she is, just minutes away from me.

“No, I do, and I’m going to tell you.”

She smiles weakly and keeps walking past me.

I take a few big steps and stand in front of her again. “Truly, what are you doing in Fallport?” I look at Lissa.

She holds her hands up in defeat. “Truly, please talk to him. You two need to work your shit out. First, put me in a cab to your mom’s. I need a pillow. You people are crazy.” Lissa wants no part of this mess.

“Don’t move, Lissa. I’ll have my son see that you get home.” I quickly cross the room and explain to Rion what I need him to do.

“Lissa, this is Rion. Rion, Lissa.”

They exchange polite smiles.

“Rion, can you please see that Lissa gets back to Truly’s mom’s?”

Lissa collects a house key from Truly.

“I’m going with you guys.” Truly follows behind them.

“Are you going to let me talk to you, Truly?” I walk beside her.

“I already told you. You don’t have to explain anything to me,” she mumbles.

“I think we both have some explaining to do. What are you doing in Fallport?” I match her I-don’t-give-a-fuck tone. It’s been a long day, and I honestly don’t have the energy for a battle with her.

Once we’re in the parking lot, with Lissa and Rion far ahead of us, Truly stops walking and turns to look at me. “I’ve been at my mom’s for a week. I didn’t tell you because there were a few things I wanted to clear off my plate before we…do whatever…we’re about to do. And I didn’t
want
to explain any of it to you, to be perfectly honest, Tyler.”

I’m taken aback for a moment by her blatant comments. I shake my head in an effort to refocus. “Do whatever we’re about to do? You sound really excited, Tru.” I roll my eyes at her less-than-enthusiastic choice of words to describe what I thought was the beginning of our relationship.

She unapologetically shrugs her shoulders.

“Why? Why is it all or nothing? I just missed an entire week of being with you when that’s all I fucking wanted. Don’t you understand that I will gladly”—I take hold of her shoulders and move close to her so that our faces are nearly touching—“help you deal with anything, Truly? I want to help you deal with whatever is going on.”

Slowly and very deliberately, she speaks, “I didn’t tell you because I had things to take care of that have nothing to do with you. I don’t need to be rescued, and I won’t complicate your perfect little life with my drama. I’m a grown woman, Tyler, and I don’t have to check in with you.”

I let go and step back, throwing my arms in the air. “Fuck, I’ll gladly stay the hell out of your way while you deal with anything, if that’s the way you like it. As long as we are in the same room every morning when we wake up and every night when we go to bed, I’ll do whatever you want, Tru.” I might as well be begging.

She stands cold and quiet, but she’s actually listening to me, so I figure I should get the rest out.

I hold her hands because I know this is going to sting. I hate that I’m hurting her, but she’s hurting me, too.

“And, as far as Katie goes, I was drunk, and it happened.”

She pulls her hands out of mine and begins to walk away, so I grab her arm and pull her back to me.

“No, listen to me, damn it. I’m sorry. But it was once—after you left here and we had no plans on seeing each other again. I know it was wrong on so many levels, but I wanted so much more with you. I missed everything about you. It was one time, and it was so, so bad. Nobody can make me feel the way that you do. It doesn’t matter who the hell I’ve been with over the years because I always see you, and I always want to feel you. But they never feel like you. They never smell like you. And they never fucking satisfy me even close to the way you do.” Finally, I can see a glimpse of compassion in her eyes. “Before I even came to New York to get your signature on the estate paperwork I made it clear to her that it was never going to happen again, Truly, and it hasn’t. I swear that to you.”

She’s just staring at me with a blank look.