“Why would he do this to me? To us?” I cry.
“I don’t understand it either. I know that’s not Dylan’s usual M.O., and I was shocked as fuck. He’s the last guy I’d expect to do something like this.”
“Get your fucking hands off her!” I’m forcibly ripped from Slater’s arms as Dylan pulls me into him. Hastily smoothing my thumbs under my eyes, I bat my tears away and stare at the rage-filled expression on Dylan’s face. His nostrils flare as he pulls me behind him.
“Let me go,” I demand, trying to shuck out of his hold.
“Don’t, Gabby,” Dylan says in a clipped voice, indicating he’s as pissed at me as he is at Slater. As if I’ve done something wrong.
And that does it.
I snap.
Yanking my arm away, I place myself in front of him with Slater at my back. “Tell me what really happened with that girl in the club.”
“I already told you what happened,” he hisses, glowering at Slater over my shoulder.
“I want the truth this time.”
Ignoring me, Dylan growls at Slater. “What the fuck did you tell her?”
“I gave her the truth, not the pack of lies you fed her.”
“Fuck you, you interfering asshole!”
Before I have time to second-guess his reaction, Dylan flies around me, thrusting his fist out and grazing Slater on the side of his jaw. Slater’s a big guy though, and he barely flinches. Dylan is also unsteady on his feet and swaying a little. I take a proper look at my boyfriend, noticing his flushed skin and bloodshot eyes, and I can tell he’s totally smashed.
The crowd around us has stepped back a little, and I feel the weight of several pairs of eyes on us.
“Do that again and I’ll hit you back,” Slater warns. But it’s like Dylan has lost all sense. He throws himself at Slater like a madman, landing another punch on his face, this time on his nose. Blood spurts from Slater’s nose, and whatever restraint he had is gone. He hits Dylan, square in the face, and his head whips back. I clamp a hand over my mouth, frozen in place as I watch the two of them go at it. They throw jabs and punches at one another while the crowd forms a circle around us, whooping and hollering.
“What the actual fuck?” Ryan shouts, appearing at my side and looking from me to the two guys with an incredulous look on his face.
“Do something,” I plead, just as a couple of bouncers approach, pulling the guys apart.
“Move aside, Miss.” A gruff voice says from behind me, and I step aside as two cops materialize.
Shit. Someone called it in, and they obviously had a cruiser close by.
“Fuck.” Ryan sighs, scrubbing a hand over his stubbly chin as we watch Slater and Dylan being cuffed and read their rights.
“Call Dad,” I tell him, finally breaking out of my dumbstruck-alcohol-influenced haze.
“I love you,” Dylan yells over his shoulder at me, wrestling with the cop as he steers him through the crowd.
“I’ll fix this,” Ryan tells Slater as he’s led away by another cop, his eyes latched onto mine.
Ryan slings his arm around my shoulders as we follow my boyfriend and his best friend, watching as they are removed from the club and put into the back of a police cruiser. Ryan, Myndi, and I take a cab to the station, and Ryan calls our dad on the way, quickly explaining what happened. He agrees to meet us there.
“What the hell is going on, Gabby?” Ryan asks me from the front passenger seat, after a few minutes of tense silence. “And don’t tell me nothing. Those two have been at each other’s throats for weeks now. I know this is somehow connected to you, so, for the love of God, please just fucking tell me.”
So I do. I tell them both the whole sordid tale, leaving nothing out this time. I must be all cried out because I don’t shed a single tear as I tell them what Slater told me tonight.
“Oh my God, Gabby. I’m so sorry,” Myndi says, wrapping her arms around me. “I wish you had told me.”
“I didn’t want to ruin your night.”
She hugs me to her. “You wouldn’t have. At least now I understand why you’ve been so preoccupied lately and why you looked so sad tonight.”
“I’m going to fucking kill him,” Ryan seethes. “And I’ll be having a few choice words with my best buddy too. He should’ve told me this.”
“Don’t do that. Don’t take it out on Slate. He was trying to do the right thing, and it’s not his fault.”
“He still should’ve told me. I’m your brother. It’s my job to protect you. Not his.”
“I’m not a little kid anymore, Ryan. I’m an adult, and I’m responsible for myself. I don’t expect my brother to ride to the rescue all the time. It’s my relationship and my responsibility to sort it out.”
“Please don’t tell me you’re going to stay with him after this?” He pins disbelieving eyes on me.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” I truthfully admit. Knotting my hands in my lap, I sigh. “I mean, this is Dylan, Ryan. Dylan.”
“I don’t care what’s come before, Gabby. He doesn’t get to disrespect you like that. Especially not with the history you guys have.”
“I know.” My voice is meek, resigned. “But you’ve got to let me deal with this. I know you want to protect me, and I love you so much for that, but you’ve got to step away and let me handle this. I’m not going to let Dylan treat me like this. Mom and Dad have brought me up to have more self-respect than that.”
That seems to appease him for now.
We hang around in the waiting area of the police station for Dad to arrive. Neither Slater or Dylan are anywhere in visible sight.
Dad turns up an hour later, and he goes straight to the desk, completing some paperwork and handing over his credentials. He takes a seat beside me while the officer at the desk goes to talk to the officers in charge of the case. “You want to tell me what happened, Buttercup?”
I give him an abbreviated, censored version and he listens attentively, without interrupting. When a tall man with salt and pepper hair arrives, he gets up, going over to greet him. Then he returns, standing in front of me with the man. “This is David,” he tells me. “He’s an attorney colleague of mine. I can’t represent both Slater and Dylan as it’d be a conflict of interest, so David will take one of them on.” Dad sits back down, taking my hands in his. “You need to tell me who you wish me to represent.”
“Slater.” Both Ryan and I say it at the same time.
“You sure, Buttercup?” Dad asks.
I nod. “Dylan can easily afford to pay the legal fees. Slater needs you more.”
Dad nods, patting my hand. “We’ll try to make this go away, provided they both agree not to press charges, and provided the police are willing to waive charges too.” He smooths a hand over my hair. “This could take hours, and it’s already late. You should go home.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Dad.” Seeing the determination on my face, he doesn’t even attempt to argue.
Ryan manages to convince Myndi to go home. He goes outside to put her into a taxi, and then he returns, pulling my head down on his lap. “Sleep.” He drapes his jacket over my upper body. “I’ll wake you when there’s news.”
I close my eyes, sure I won’t be able to sleep at a time like this, but I guess the emotional exhaustion has taken more of a toll than I thought, and the next thing I know, I’m being woken up. I sit up, groggily stretching, and a loud yawn escapes my lips. Ryan growls at the base of his throat, holding me close to him.
“Gabby?” Dylan’s voice sounds uncertain. I flinch, and a sharp ache pierces my chest cavity as everything comes rushing back at me. Raising my eyes, I meet his worried gaze. His hair is sticking up all over the place, and his eyes are still bloodshot and red-rimmed. Bruising shadows paint the area under his eyes, and he looks exhausted and worn out. “I’m so sorry.”
“Can we go home and talk?” Dylan asks, refusing to look at anyone but me.
I stand, clearing my throat. “Let’s talk outside.” Wordlessly, Ryan drapes his jacket around my shoulders, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. Dad appears then with Slater in tow. Slater purposely ignores Dylan, looking straight ahead. A muscle pops in his jaw, and tension percolates the air. I pass my father and touch his arm. “Can you stay for a few minutes, Daddy?”
“I’m going nowhere, Buttercup.”
Dylan opens the door for me, and I step out into the early morning, grateful I have Ryan’s jacket to ward off the slight chill in the air. We descend the steps and I turn left. Leaning my back against the wall, I wrap my arms around myself and stare at my boyfriend. “Why do you keep lying to me?”
Shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans, he gulps nervously. “Because I’m scared of losing you.”
“It’s true, isn’t it? What Slate told me.”
Dylan nods with his eyes downcast.
The pain is instant, intense and all consuming. “Why, Dylan?”
“I wish I could tell you, but I don’t know.” He takes a step toward me, and I recoil, not wanting him to come any closer. If I’d slapped him, he wouldn’t look as hurt. “I just … sometimes I’m like a different person, and I can’t control it … the impulse to seize the moment, and I just stop thinking and go for it.” Tears glisten in his eyes. “And then I snap out of it and I realize what I’ve done, and I hate myself. I hate myself for doing this to you, but I can’t seem to stop.”
Emotion clogs my throat, and I can’t even form words. Tears spill down my cheeks. “You don’t love me anymore.”
“No, baby. That’s the thing. I do. I love you so much, and I hate hurting you.” He cups my face. “Please believe me.”
“How can I when you’re ripping my heart apart?” I sob. “I don’t understand, Dylan. Everything was perfect when we came back to campus, and now everything has turned to shit.” My heart bleeds and I wish I could turn back the clock. To a time when my love was enough for him and we were amazing together.
He presses his forehead to mine, and we’re both crying now. The pain in my chest is so severe it feels like I’m having a heart attack. I sidestep him, needing to put distance between us. I’m tired and emotionally drained, and I can’t think straight when I’m like this.
“I’m going to go home with my dad. I need some space.” He reaches for me again, but I step back. “Don’t, Dylan.” I shake my head, tears clouding my vision again. “Don’t make it worse.”
He scrunches fistfuls of his hair, kicking at the side of the wall. “I know I’ve no right to ask you this, but please don’t give up on us. Don’t give up on me. I love you, Gabby. I love you so much.”
“I wish I could believe that.”
“It’s the truth! I swear it.”
Thing is, I can see the truth resonating in his eyes, but how can he say he loves me and then go and do all this other stuff with different girls behind my back? Either he’s deluding himself or he’s a better liar than I’ve given him credit for.
“I want to believe that, Dylan, but …” I trail off, unable to do this now. “Just give me some space.”
Reluctantly, he nods. “If that’s what you need, but please come home tomorrow. Let’s talk some more. I know we can work through this. We’ve been through too much together to lose what we have.”
“I’ll be home tomorrow night,” I agree. Stepping around him, I start climbing the steps.
“Please remember I love you.” Dylan says this as my dad, Slater, Ryan, and his attorney friend step outside. Slater sends Dylan a look of disgust mixed with disappointment, and Ryan folds his arms, narrowing his eyes at Dylan.
“Just go,” I say, turning to face him.
“I’m sorry, Gabby. More than you can ever know.” Then he slopes off with his shoulders hunched and his hands inserted in his pockets.
I wet my dry lips. “I’m coming back with you, Daddy.”
Dad pulls me into his arms. “No problem, Buttercup. Your momma’s already waiting up for you.”
“Are you okay?” Slater asks, concern shining in his eyes.
“I don’t know,” I honestly answer. “And I’m sorry you got dragged into this. I know you were only looking out for me.”
“Forget about it,” he says. “And just take care of yourself.”
I offer him a weak smile. Ryan pulls me out of Dad’s arms, hugging me to him. The scent of his familiar cologne is comforting. “You want me to come with?”
I shake my head. “Thanks, but I just need to be on my own with my thoughts.”
“Well, I’m here if you need anything.”
“We’re here,” Slater cuts in. “We’d both do anything for you, Belle.”
Tears prick my eyes. “I know and thank you.” I shuck out of Ryan’s arms, stretch up on my tiptoes, and kiss Slater’s cheek.
“Come on, Buttercup,” Dad says, nestling me under his arm. “Let’s get you home.”
Chapter Twelve
Mom has a veritable breakfast feast waiting for me when I arrive home, but I can barely stomach more than a few mouthfuls. “Sorry, it’s delicious, but I …”
“It’s okay, honey.” She kisses my temple. “I understand. Why don’t you grab a few hours’ sleep, and maybe we can talk then?”
I nod, letting Mom help me into bed like I’m a little kid again. She pulls the covers up under my chin, tucking my hair behind my ears. “I don’t know what’s happened, Gabby, but I know you’re hurting, and I hate to see my little girl in pain. Sleep and we’ll try to figure this out then.”
“Thanks, Mom.” I sit up and hug the shit out of her. It’s like I’ve regressed in time, and I just want my mom to kiss me and make it better. To promise everything will be okay and she’ll look after me.
When I wake, it’s after three p.m., and dim rays of sunlight are peeking through the gap in the curtains. I shower and get changed, grateful I keep supplies and some clothes at home.
Dad is mowing the front lawn as I come down the stairs, and I smile at the familiar sight. Dad is a creature of habit, and he always mows the lawn on Sunday afternoons. Mom is pottering around the kitchen, singing along to the radio, and the normalcy of it all brings a faint smile to my face. “Can I help?” I ask, and she startles.
“Oh my gosh, honey, you gave me a fright. I didn’t hear you come in.” Switching off the radio, she steps in front of me, inspecting my face. “How are you feeling?”
I shrug, and she encases me in her arms, rubbing my back and instantly making me feel better. “Dinner won’t be till five, but I’ll heat up some soup for you. Go and take a seat at the table.”
She sets a piping hot bowl of homemade pea soup in front of me a few minutes later, and I inhale the sweet, minty steam with a contented sigh. I wolf down the soup while she sips on her coffee, staring absently out the window into the backyard. When I’m finished, she leans over, taking my hands in hers. “Do you want to talk about it, honey? It might help to get it all off your chest.”
I don’t talk for ages, but Mom has the patience of a saint, and she waits me out. “It hurts, Mom,” I say, holding my hand over my heart. “It hurts so much.” Tears sting my eyes.
“What did he do?” she gently asks. In a trembling voice, I tell her everything, holding nothing back. Her face drops and her expression turns sad. “Oh honey, I’m so sorry to hear that.”
“He says he still loves me, but how can he love me and do that? I would never do that to him.”
She sighs, rubbing soothing circles on the back of my hand. “I was fearful something like this might happen,” she admits, and I quirk a brow.
“You knew he’d cheat?”
<
br /> She shakes her head, and waves of thick, glossy blonde hair, so like my own, fall around her face. “No, but you were both so young when you fell in love, and it was so intense. You were completely wrapped up in one another in a way that belied your years.”
“I’ve loved him from the minute I met him,” I admit, “and he felt the same even if we took years to confess that to one another. And I’ve always known this wasn’t puppy love or a fleeting feeling. I’ve always known he was meant for me and I was meant for him, but now it feels like I don’t know anything anymore, and I don’t know what to do. I haven’t planned for this.”
“No one plans for the speed bumps, honey, and that’s just life.”
“I can’t stay with him if he’s going to cheat on me, but then it feels like I’m giving up. Throwing away everything we have and everything we have planned, and that doesn’t feel right either.”
“Maybe you just need some time apart.”
“I’ve thought of that too, but what if that’s it? And we never get back together? I don’t know if I can bear to lose him.”
She moves her chair in closer to me. “If your love is meant to be, you’ll find your way back to one another.” She caresses my cheek. “You know we love Dylan like a son, right?” I nod. “And I hate that he’s hurt you, but we all know that boy, and he wouldn’t intentionally set out to do this. I’d stake my life on that. That doesn’t mean I condone it or that I’m not furious with him, because I am, but maybe he’s being honest when he tells you he doesn’t know why he’s done this.”
She presses a tender kiss to my forehead. “You’re adults now, but you’re both still growing and developing and finding your place in the world. Sometimes feelings change even when we don’t want them to. Or a sense of restlessness sets in. Maybe Dylan needs to experience the world without you to realize you are his forever love.”
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