by Unknown
“Screw you Ty. I can’t believe I never noticed how much of an asshole you are. You have no idea what I am going to decide and frankly it is none of your business anymore. You lost that when you couldn’t keep your dick in your pants.”
He hopped over to face me and grabbed my arm. “That is where you are wrong. You are always my business. I don’t give a shit who you are dating. My cousin included. If you didn’t love me, you wouldn’t have stayed in that hospital room for all those months.”
“I felt terrible for what happened to you. Your right, I stood by you because I thought you were my future. Things changed Ty. I am not proud of how they happened, but they did. I fell in love with Colt. I love him because he is everything you never were!” I argued.
I’d never felt scared of Ty. We had our share of throwing things at each other, and screaming until we lost our voices, but he never hit me. When his hand came over and grabbed my throat, I didn’t react fast enough. He pushed me against a beam in the horse stall. “You little bitch! I gave you five years. I asked you out when nobody else would. I let you be my girlfriend even before you had tits. Do you know how many other girls wanted to have the title of my girlfriend?”
I grabbed his hand, and at the same time he realized exactly how he had reacted. He pulled his hand down and I could tell he was sorry for it. I backed away, enough that he couldn’t reach me. Then I went into detail, because he deserved it. “I can’t tell you when I started loving him, but I wanted him from the first moment. His touch did things to me. He didn’t fight me very long. All I had to do was get him tipsy and he gave into me. That night was the best sex I ever had. He became my addiction. I wanted him all of the time. I needed him to touch me.”
Ty put his head down. I could tell I was getting to him. “Stop Van. Please don’t say anymore.”
“After a while, I felt like I couldn’t be away from him. I missed him so much when we weren’t together. After your parents finally caught us, and we were forced apart, I felt empty inside. He shut down and wouldn’t talk to me once you woke up. At first I didn’t know he felt the same about me. He wouldn’t ever talk about it, but after your proposal, he confessed his feelings when he found me crying in the rain. He took me into his arms and made love to me in the middle of that field. He did things to me that you could never do.”
“ENOUGH! God Dammit Van! Shut up!”
A small smile formed on my face. “You asked for it. Don’t you ever touch me like that again! I can’t believe I ever loved you.”
I should have left right then, but I didn’t. Ty slowly slid down until he was sitting on the ground. He put his hands over his head, and his head between his legs. “Go! Get out of here Van.” He said with his head still down.
I turned to leave, but I heard sniffling. Ty never got upset. He never cried. I had seen him tear up, but he never cried. Not since we were kids. I couldn’t be heartless to him, even after he went off on me like he did. I couldn’t be as low as him. My words had intentionally crushed him. I had stooped to his level.
I knelt down beside him and reached out to touch his shoulder. “Ty, I am so sorry. I shouldn’t have said that stuff. You just made me so mad.”
He pulled away from my touch. When he looked up at me, I saw the tears. “I never thought I would lose you. I know I cheated. I know I lied. I just never thought you would ever leave me.”
I kept kneeling next to him, but kept my hands over my knees. I was thinking of what I could say, but nothing came. I had left him. I wasn’t ever giving him another chance.
He wiped his eyes and his nose then looked up at me again. “I don’t blame you for wanting Colt. I could tell you he is a piece of shit, but we all know it is a lie. He is a fucking awesome person. I actually felt bad for hitting him today. Do you believe that? He took you away from me and I felt bad for hitting him.”
“Ty.” It was all I could get out.
He reached over and touched my arm. I let him, this time not feeling threatened. “We were drunk last night, otherwise I would have denied everything. I don’t know how long you would have even believed me anyway. It seems like me being in that hospital for months has caused everyone I know to get their feelings out. At any rate, I want you to know something Van. I want you to know that I don’t blame you for moving on. I can’t believe you stuck around for as long as you did. I love you, but it isn’t the way you want to be loved. You already know that.”
“Yeah, I get it.”
“I want to hate you so much, but I just can’t. I shouldn’t even be mad at either of you. It’s just too new. I am really trying here.” He explained.
“I meant what I said about being friends Ty. I know that is such a cliché, but it is true. I need to know we will always be close. Maybe someday you can tell me all about your secret life.” I said trying to break the mood.
He looked up and showed his dimples. Those deep brown eyes looked up into mine. Suddenly, all of his indiscretions were put aside. I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him so tight. “I will love you forever.” I whispered, trying to put aside the fact that he had grabbed me and called me a bitch.
He put his arms around me too. “I love you too Van.”
Before I knew what was happening, he put his lips over mine and held me so that I couldn’t pull away. When he finally let go, due to the fact that I was smacking him, he had a smile on his face.
I heard the barn door slamming shut behind us and my heart dropped. I stood up and smacked Ty. “You asshole. What have you done?” I asked while running out of the barn.
Ty was actually laughing behind me. What a dick!
I found Colt walking away from the barn. I know he heard me running toward him, but he didn’t turn around. I grabbed the back of his shirt, forcing him to stop. He turned around with a grin on his face.
“That was not what it looked like.”
His hand came up and brushed against my cheek. I saw him taking a deep breath as he looked into my eyes. “I can’t blame him for tryin’. I don’t know how long I could have stood back and let you be with him.”
I wrapped my arms around his waist. “You believe me?”
He kissed the top of my head. “Savanna, I trust you, besides, my cousin would never give up that easy. We have the same blood, remember?”
I pulled away and reached up to touch his face. His beautiful eyes looked directly into mine. “You really are the perfect man.”
He started laughing. “Who says that?”
“Ty.”
Colt grabbed my hand as we started walking toward the carriage house. “He would say that.”
Chapter 30
Colt
When I woke up and Savanna wasn’t anywhere around, I knew exactly where she would be. After walkin’ into the bathroom and takin’ a look at my face, it was worse than I first expected. Both of my eyes had turned purple and the bridge of my nose was swollen. I was lucky it was still pretty straight.
After assessing the damage, I headed out toward the barn. I wasn’t prepared for walkin’ in and hearin’ the two of them confessing their love for each other, and when I saw my cousin closin’ in on Savanna’s lips, I had to turn and walk away. I wanted to kill him, but before I could turn around and head in there to do it, I saw Savanna. All I had to do was see the look on her face to know she was tellin’ me the truth.
We got within inches of the house before I decided I had enough with Ty’s shit. I turned back around to head in the direction and when I did, I saw him standin’ there, leanin’ on one crutch just waitin’ for me to come at him.
Savanna was already runnin’ after me, but I continued movin’. In the distance, I saw my uncle walkin’ up the lane. If I wanted to get a punch in, I needed to take it right away. Ty was ready for me. He dropped his crutch and used all he had to jump on me as I approached him. I had to give it to him, it was his only chance of getting the upper hand. Even before his accident, he had never been as strong or big as I was. As we started tumblin’ to the groun
d, Savanna was screamin’ and trying to yank us apart. Ty attempted to head butt me, but I managed to move out of the way. I gave him a good fist to his side and heard him gasp when I did it. His arm came up and tried to hit me on my head, but I grabbed it and used my legs to flip us over. Once I had him pinned, I punched him right between his upper cheek and nose. It felt good, there was no denyin’ it. He had it comin’.
After that first punch, I felt someone draggin’ us apart. “God Dammit! I am not havin’ this shit between you two. Break it up!” My uncle yelled.
Savanna was standin’ back. She had her hand over her mouth and tears in her eyes. My uncle looked like he was goin’ to kick my ass himself. After helping up his son, he cornered both of us. He took one look at my face and shook his head. “You guys been at it all day?”
Ty got all serious. “Pretty much.”
“I aint havin’ this on my watch. All this over a damn girl? You both know better.” My uncle said. He shook his head and waited for me to say somethin’.
“She made her choice.” I stated while lookin’ to my cousin the whole time.
“Fuck you Colt. You stole her while I was down and out, you pussy bitch.” Ty yelled.
“You weren’t even together. Stop your damn cryin’ and get over it. She picked the better man. Move the hell on with one of the little sluts you bedded while you were with your girlfriend.” He deserved everything I said. I just didn’t care about savin’ our relationship. I knew this was goin’ to happen. Everyone else might have been fooled by his calm reaction last night, but I wasn’t. He was still pissed and lashing out. That was what he did best.
“I said cut it out!” My uncle yelled. He shook his head and started pacing between us. “You two are the closest thing to brothers that you are ever goin’ to get.” He turned to look at me directly. “Colt, did you know your aunt used to be obsessed with your father?”
“He mentioned it before.” I admitted.
“We were thirteen. She would hang out with me to watch my brother. She told me she would never be with me. Finally, he got an older girl pregnant and crushed all of her dreams about them getting together. The rest is history. I know your situation is more involved, but I know what it is like to want something that you can’t have and have your heart broken while you wait.” He stood between us and looked at Ty. “I don’t know everything that you’ve done, but I saw you the other night with that blonde. Then I saw Van here soakin’ wet runnin’ back to the farm later that night. At first I thought she saw you and ran away upset, but yesterday mornin’ I watched Colt here, walkin’ home with wet clothes. I tried to wake him that mornin’ and he wasn’t asleep in his bed. So, I am just assumin’ you two were together. I don’t want to know what happened. It doesn’t even matter. I tried to keep you apart and obviously, you didn’t listen. Now if I didn’t need the help, I would send you packin’, but I do need it. This shit needs to be worked out. I can’t have this goin’ on.”
Ty and I just kept givin’ each other dirty looks. I tried to be nice to him and consider his feelins’, but it just wasn’t goin’ to do a bit of good. Ty was as stubborn as they come. “I will do whatever it takes, except let her go. I just can’t do that.”
Ty crossed his arms across his chest, while Savanna sighed and shook her head. Finally, she threw her hands in the air and started walking away from all of us. I should have been ashamed for fighting like I was a teenager, but I was sick of his ass.
“I’m done here!” I said to my uncle before running after Savanna.
Neither of them said anything as I walked away.
I found Savanna on the couch. I could tell she was pissed from the look on her face. Ironically, she looked sexier than I had ever seen. I sat down next to her, but she wouldn’t look at me. Like a little kid, I danced my face in front of her and made silly faces. She tried to hold in her laugh, but finally she broke.
“Stop doing that. I am trying to be mad at you.” She said as she pushed me away.
I didn’t know why, but I felt determined. My night’s agenda was to make Savanna smile and forget about the crappy day. I stood up and pulled off my shirt. She tried to ignore me by turning on the television, but I got up and started dancing in front of it. I flexed my chest like some wrestler would do. She kept attempting to look past me, even closing her eyes, as I got closer. When I could clearly see that she wasn’t giving in, I knelt down in front of her and kissed her hand.
“How are you doin’ Darlin?”
She moved her shoulders. “I actually think I should go home. I mean, I am just causing too much stress for your family right now. If I took myself out of the equation, maybe you and Ty could work things out.”
“Savanna, I will only be here for another month or so. I really don’t want to lose any time together, especially when you haven’t decided what you want to do yet.”
She stood up and walked away from me. “Would you just stop talking about it. I can’t take it anymore! I can’t take the yelling and the fighting. I feel awful inside about everything.”
I sat down on the couch and looked at her, really looked at her. “Savanna, I don’t understand. What are you sayin’?”
“Please just take me home Colt. I need time to think about everything. This is all just getting to be too much for me. I just need to breathe.”
Women can be impossible, every man will say that, but Savanna was makin’ absolutely no sense. One minute she was all about being with me no matter what, and the next she just wanted her space. I shook my head, got up, and grabbed my keys. “Let’s go then.”
She didn’t say a word as we walked out to the truck. I looked over and saw her focused on the ground. She never looked my way. She never shed a tear. She was just quiet.
We got a mile down the road and I just couldn’t take the silence. “Savanna, please talk to me Darlin’. I know things happened fast for us, but you make me feel better than anyone else ever has. I just want to take care of you.”
I noticed how far away she sat from me. The distance was killin’ me because usually she sat with her legs up against me. She looked out the window and refused to answer at first. When she finally did. It wasn’t what I expected.
She waited until we pulled up at her house. I got out to walk her to the door, but she stopped me halfway up the sidewalk. “I never expected to feel the way that you make me feel. I never even thought it was possible to love someone the way that I love you.” She paused for a moment. “Colt….Ty was right. I can’t leave with you. I am so sorry.”
I reached out for her, but she had already turned and ran into her house. I stood there just waitin’ for her to run back into my arms. To tell me that she was just joking. But, she never did.
I waited a good ten minutes, flabbergasted about what just happened. Whatever Ty said to her in that barn got her thinkin’. I wasn’t even sure, at this point, where we stood. I was sure about one thing. I had a little over a month to convince her to change her mind. I was not about to give up on her that easy. It would be a cold day in Hell before I walked away from Savanna Tate.
After tryin’ to call her three times, I finally gave up and drove straight to the liquor store. I didn’t have anyone to talk to, so a bottle would be my best friend tonight. I headed straight into the carriage house only to find my cousin sittin’ in front of the television playin’ a video game.
“What the hell are you doin’ here?” I asked.
“I saw you both leave. I figured you wouldn’t be back for a while, and honestly I was sick of the fucking third degree I am getting inside the house.”
I shook my head and walked into the kitchen to grab a glass. While I was pourin’ one for myself, I decided to grab one for Ty. “What are they sayin’ about me?”
“You don’t want to know. They pretty much hate you as much as they hate Van right now.” He said while laughing.
“Fantastic.”
“Lighten up! They really don’t give a shit. They are trying to appease me. I even tol
d them how I was hittin’ a new piece of ass whenever it was available. They know the truth.”
I sat down next to Ty and slid a glass in his direction. “Guess it’s just you and me then.”
Ty hit pause on the game and leaned back, takin’ the first sip of his drink. “You got hard shit. What’s up cuz? She leave you already?”
I cocked an eyebrow. “She wanted to go home.”
“I know her man. She will be back.”
I shook my head. “Nah, I don’t think so. She said she couldn’t leave with me. I guess I never should have gotten involved with her. I feel like shit now.”
My cousin held up his cup. “I hear ya cuz. Trust me when I say, she will drive you insane. She is so Goddamn driven. All she cares about right now is getting that degree. It means everything to her.” He played around with his glass. “I’ve seen how she looks at you. Even when you aren’t looking, she is. That girl has it bad. Never in all the years we were together, did I ever get that look.”
“Maybe it’s just the sex.” I said sarcastically.
“Fuck you man. I’m trying to be nice here.”
“Sorry.”
“Whatever! What I was going to say is that I know she really does love you. I don’t know what she went through, but you came into her life when she didn’t even want to live anymore. You gave her something to live for. You saved her Colt. Van isn’t someone to let that just go. I may have been a shitty boyfriend, but I do know her. Maybe not the way you do, hell you probably know her favorite color and what music she likes. It doesn’t matter. I know she won’t just let you go. Give her time. Being around both of us has to be fucking confusing. Especially considering our love hate relationship right now.”