“Do you think it’s his?”
“I have strong suspicion it is. It all makes sense to me now. The list, the pictures, the letter before, it was about Tanner. I’m assuming the creep is trying to tell me something.”
“Are you going to ask him about it?” she asks.
“You can bet your ass I am.” I storm out of my apartment.
Chapter 28
I surprise myself by not letting my emotions get the best of me and punching him in his face when he opened the door. I coached myself all the way here reminding myself to keep calm and get the truth first before losing my control. He bends his head and kisses my cheek, unaware that my smile is laced with murder. I follow him into the dining room where his laptop is open on the table. He drops into the chair and hits a few keys while I walk to the opposite side of the table. He’s unaware I need distance because I’m liable to punch him straight in his lying ass mouth. I pull out the envelope containing the pictures and toss it on the table. As luck would have it, it slides across, coming to a complete stop perfectly beside a stack of folders next to him.
“Another one?” He peers up at me.
I harden my stare, cocking my head to the side saying nothing.
His gaze lingers on me for a moment searching for the reason for my bitch fest. He opens the envelope and pulls out the pictures. His poker face is flawless, but when the color drains, I get the answer I didn’t want. I knew it was his.
“Tell me about this.” I say rigidly, internally begging for my strength to hold.
“This is an apartment building.”
No duh.
“And?”
He sighs and leans back into his seat. “It’s my past, Samantha. I got rid of that a long time ago.”
I scowl, “For some reason, Mr. Weston, I’m not so sure I can believe that.”
His name from my mouth surprises him. His brows jump up. He’s frantic, raking his hands over his face. “I’ve been trying to figure out a way to tell you.”
I tilt my head not happy at his poor response. “Tell me what, Mr. Weston?”
“I didn’t mean for us to go this far. I thought—”
“Thought what? That I had dollar signs in my eyes?” I interrupt him.
He closes his eyes and nods.
I press harder. “And when you found out I didn’t give a damn about your money, or when I forgave you for you being a whore, you didn’t think about coming clean?”
When he finally opens his eyes, he stands trying to take a step toward me, but I throw up my hand. “Stop right there!” I say sharply. He admits defeat and drops back into the chair and I continue. “You know it’s funny how in a blink of an eye, I see how stupid and naïve I’ve been. Before I got to know you, I’d seen you walking the halls at work, but you always remained at a distance. Later, after we started seeing each other, you made sure to not be seen with me there. You knew things I never told you. It all makes perfect sense now.” I throw my hands to the ceiling.
“Samantha, I know this is horrible, but—”
“But what?” I interrupt him again, “Now I know why you would never talk about work. You had a lie soaking in your soul.”
“I didn’t want to lie.”
“Oh, but you did. You blatantly told me your last name was Smith. You bold faced lied.”
“I’ve been trying to figure this out. I was going to tell you the other night, but it got messed up,” he says.
“Tell me what, Tanner?” He hardens his stare at me, but I repeat myself. “Tell me what? That you aren’t who you say you are?”
“It’s just a name, Samantha. I’m still the same man.”
Ignoring his statement, I ask, “What did you want to tell me, Tanner?” I want him to openly admit his lie, to feel the shameful feeling he damn well deserves to feel.
He shakes his head and throws his ankle over his knee, too fucking comfortably if you ask me. “My name is Tanner
Smith
Weston. My father appointed me CEO four years ago when he found out he had cancer.”
“And the apartment?” I keep him going. I want all of the truth.
“The apartment. It seems you clearly remember what I said about the women with dollar signs in their eyes. Well after seeing that they only wanted me for money, I got an apartment to take them to instead of allowing them into my home. They weren’t interested in me as you have grown to know.”
“Did you live with any of them?”
“No, I told you I wasn’t looking for a relationship,” he says.
“You told me a lot of things.”
“I did.”
“You had to know I would eventually find out,” I say.
“I knew you would, but I was hoping to be the one to tell you first.”
“When were you planning to tell me, Tanner?” My tone is fueled with anger.
“I don’t know. I was trying to figure that out.” He places his elbows on the arm of the chair and interlaces his fingers. He taps his two pointer fingers together in a confident manner. “So, now what?”
“Oh, I don’t know, Mr. Weston. Why don’t we ride through town pretending to be a prince and princess? Let’s pretend we aren’t who we really are.”
“Samantha, I’ve never pretended to be someone I’m not. I just left out the work.”
I laugh at his words. He didn’t just leave out work, he left out who he really is.
“What’s so funny?” he asks clearly getting agitated.
“You,” I state blatantly.
“I’m glad you find me hilarious,” he says without emotion.
“I do. You’re a hilarious, twisted, fake, asshole. This isn’t something I can forgive. You lied to me, Tanner, and who knows how many fucking times. And you said you loved me!” I growl, slamming my fists down on the table.
He stands so quickly that he sends the chair crashing to the floor. “I do love you!” he roars, smacking the table. “Don’t you accuse me of throwing my feelings around, or yours, for that matter. I didn’t tell you because I felt something different with you.”
“So you start off with a lie? Who knows what the hell you have been doing when you leave with ‘some things to do,’” I shout, mocking his words. “You begged me to believe you, to trust you about those pictures of women. You wanted my trust, but in turn you didn’t fucking trust
me
!” I scream. “It’s one thing to have your past slap me in my face, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to allow your present to do the same.”
“Samantha, it’s a fucking job title. I’m still the same guy,” he seethes.
“No. The guy I fell in love with…” my voice trails and I shake my head begging the warm pools to hold on a little longer, “he would have never.”
“Samantha,” he tries taking another step to me.
I hold up a hand. “Don’t. You’ve lied to me for months. I’ve been plenty honest with you personally and intimately and you’ve thrown it in my face. Your only defense is you thought at first I’d be like the others or that you felt something different. Either way, you should have been truthful. Now look at us. It’s all just a joke…a sick, twisted little joke of yours.”
“No, Samantha.” He exhales, sounding defeated.
He glances in horror when I toss the little black box containing the necklace down on the table. “I’m done, Tanner.” I turn to leave, trying to quickly get out of the house before he can see my tears.
“I bought that for you,” he yells out.
“Keep it,” I say over my shoulder.
“Samantha!” he shouts behind me, but I walk out and shut the door without acknowledging him, rushing to my car.
I make it out of his driveway and onto the road before my strength cracks at its seams, and my tears begin to spill over the dam. The hurt in his eyes when I told him I was done destroyed me, but the pain that I’ve endured rejects any sympathy I have for him. My cry begins to fade away and I call Jess. Wiping the tears from my cheek, I tell her to meet me at the bar down the block. There’s no way I’m going to make it through the night without a drink.
The bar is pretty packed when I walk inside. Jess has nabbed a table beside the front window and being the wonderful friend she is, she has a beer and a shot waiting for me. I make my way to the table and toss back the shot of Jack Daniels, feeling the burn in my throat.
“Hi!” I smile cheerfully.
“Um, hi?” she replies bemused.
“Look, I don’t want to talk about it. I’m done with him, so let’s celebrate!” I tell her easing her curiosity, but dying at the words crossing my lips.
She gives me a knowing smile. She knows I’m dying inside only holding strong because I need to. “I’ll get us another shot!” She hops down from the stool and hurries to the bar returning moments later with four shots instead. She knows exactly what I need. Damn, I love her.
_________________________
“Ugh, I think I’m drunk.” I slur as Jess helps me through the front door.
“You’re a heavy shit when you’re drunk. I feel like I just carried a damn gorilla down the freaking block,” Jess says cracking up at the thought.
“Well, I’ll buy you a wa-gon and a puupppy doggy to pull us from the bar next time.” The voice doesn’t sound like me and now I crack up.
“Oh lord, how much did you drink? Come on, let’s get you in bed.”
After she helps me take my shoes off and get into bed, I’m left in the darkness of my room. The spinning begins and I force myself to fall asleep before I kneel at the porcelain altar.
Chapter 29
I feel something. That sensation you get when someone is watching you. Yeah that one, it’s crawling all over me. I stretch out, pulling myself out of the drunken sleep and switch on the lamp beside my bed. I’m already scanning the room before my eyes can adjust to the sudden burst of light. Thankfully, it’s empty. I must have had a vivid dream, a very vivid dream. My head is still fuzzy from the alcohol I consumed last night, so I lay back on my pillow, drifting back out with my light still on…just in case.
“Well, good morning, sunshine.” Jess says to me as I drag my ass into the kitchen at eleven. I can’t remember the last time I slept this late. I hate it. I feel like I’ve nearly slept my day away.
“No,” I reply dryly. No good morning sunshine. Screw the sunshine today.
“Coffee is in the pot,” she laughs pointing toward it.
I pour my coffee and join her at the table where she reads her tabloid magazine. “How are you feeling?” She doesn’t take her eyes off the page to see that I’m in distressed by the volume of her voice. The blazing orange fury of sunlight is too loud too.
“I’ve been run over by a semi-truck and used as a speed bump by a caravan.”
She finally looks up cocking her head, pity in her eyes. “That bad, huh?”
I rub my temples, begging for some form of relief. Something has to give or my head is going to explode, spraying the kitchen with last night’s Jack Daniels. “My head is pounding.”
“Drink your coffee,” Mother-hen says.
She’s been patiently waiting for me to spill the news about me and Tanner, and with the mood I’m in now, I might as well give in to her curiosity and tell her what transpired between us yesterday. I stumble through the recollections with an achy body from too much alcohol and a broken heart from, well…the obvious. I stay collected not letting myself be upset about it any longer. We’re finished, he’s a liar, and there’s nothing I care to do about it because I’m not going to put up with it.
“So you’re done with him?” she asks picking at the corner of her magazine.
“Yep.” I try convincing myself.
“What do you plan to do today?”
“With the way I feel, I’m good for nothing.”
_________________________
I’ve drunk my coffee, I’ve laid on the couch, I’ve taken a shower, but my hangover is a bitch. It’s not going away, and I know there’s only one possible way to get rid of it. “Want to get a beer?” I ask Jess.
“Seriously, Sam? It’s one in the afternoon. We have to work tomorrow.”
I open my mouth to tell her how a magical beer would help, how it will ease my brain that’s smashing around in my skull, but then I pause. I forgot about going to work. Hell I forgot that I work
for
him.
“Oh my God, he’s my boss.” I sigh dropping my head into my hands.
“You just thought of this?” I say nothing at her surprised expression. “Sam, you’re going to run into him eventually. It’s inevitable,” she says.
“Yeah. I didn’t think about this part. I need to find another job.”
“Belle, you will get through it and be able to face him. I’m sure seeing him will become just part of the job.”
“Yeah, I’m sure,” I deadpan.
“Hey, do you remember that time when I tried to get you to become a cheerleader damn well knowing you weren’t and you still showed up for tryouts?” Is she really taking me way back down memory lane?
“I slipped and busted my head open, Jess,” I remind her.
“Yeah, well you forgave me and now look at us.”
“Please explain to me how that has anything to do with now?”
“You embarrassed the hell out of yourself. I knew you couldn’t do it, but I still asked you to try, and you knew this. You were mad as hell at me for like a week, but then I totally swooned you back. I’m not saying forgive him, Belle, I’m saying to move past it. Don’t quit a job you love over this, unless he doesn’t leave you alone. Then, think of how sweet it would be to take his sorry ass to court for harassment.”