Truly Mine, page 13
I clap my hands together and point my finger. “I knew it. I fucking knew it! I tried to warn her about him.”
After sucking in a deep breath, Liam speaks. “She’s not gonna listen to us. She’s too blinded by new love and needs to make her own mistakes.”
“I get that, but what if he hurts her?”
Liam sets his beer down on the table, and his eyes meet mine. “If he does, I’ll kill him.”
That makes two of us.
Chapter Ten
Sophie
THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE FIGHT
I still can’t believe Weston asked me to move in with him so soon. Even though I’ve lived with Maria since moving to Sacramento, she and Carter have really gotten on my nerves lately, so I knew it was time to go. The two of them are talking about starting a family, and it was either move out or be left with an apartment I couldn’t afford. When Weston asked me, I felt like he was proposing. It’s a big step for both of us and a step toward our forever. I’ve fallen in love with him quickly—hard and fast—and I can’t imagine him not being in my life.
I’ve only been living with him for two weeks, but so far, waking up in his arms has been amazing. I didn’t realize a relationship could really be like this, but I knew it was possible. Sometimes, I think about Weston and me and wonder if we’ll have the same unconditional love Lennon and Hunter have. While he gets frustrated with me sometimes, I know it’s normal during this adjustment phase. He hasn’t lived with a woman before, and I haven’t lived with a boyfriend, so it’s a change for both of us. But honestly, I’d rather deal with him than Carter any day.
After rehearsal, I decide to surprise Weston and pick up something for dinner before heading home. I’m so used to only worrying about myself that it’s nice to have another person to think about. Weston has filled a hole in my heart I didn’t realize was there. I pull into the driveway and notice he’s not home yet, so I grab the food and bring it inside.
While I wait for him, I clean up the kitchen and wipe down the counters. Weston’s particular about his house and doesn’t like anything to be out of place. I learned that the hard way after I first moved in. Every item needs to be put back where it was, and he can’t stand a mess, which I can appreciate after living with Carter, who was a complete slob.
This morning, I drank a cup of coffee and left my cup in the sink, so I want to wash it before he comes home. I don’t want to be the annoying roommate like Maria and Carter were for me. I’m not walking on eggshells, but I’m trying not to disrupt his habits either. The last thing I want is for him to regret asking me to move in.
I check the time and begin to worry slightly. He typically works from five to five, and it’s nearly six thirty, so I send him a text. Sometimes, he has to stay later if another one of the correctional officers is late, but that rarely happens.
Sophie: Hey baby! I picked up dinner for us. How much longer will you be?
I begin to pace the kitchen, and after ten minutes, I finally get a response.
Weston: Already ate. Having a drink with the guys. Won’t be home until later.
I let out a long, frustrated sigh. If he had communicated this earlier, I would’ve just gotten myself something to eat and not waited for him. Instead of voicing my frustration, though, I send a quick message back and slide my phone across the table as I eat a piece of chicken and some potatoes.
Over the past few days, he’s been drinking more than usual, and I’ve tried not to say anything about it, but it’s been enough to notice. I haven’t told a soul either, not even my sisters. After I put my leftovers in the fridge, I go to the living room and watch TV, trying to occupy my mind. Hours pass as I mindlessly watch different shows. A yawn escapes me, and I look at the clock and see it’s nearly eleven.
Ever since Brandon died, I’ve had anxiety when people don’t show up when they’re supposed to. I know how much it affected Lennon, and my mind seems to always go to the worst-case scenario. I contemplate texting him again when the door swings open, slamming against the wall. As soon as he walks in, he starts complaining that it’s dark in the house, so I turn on the lights for him.
He’s so drunk he can barely walk.
“Did you drive like that?” I ask, concerned as hell.
“Why do you care?” he throws back at me.
“Weston. Why didn’t you call me? I would’ve picked you up.”
With narrowed eyes, he turns and looks at me. “I don’t need you mothering me. Okay?”
“I’m not. I just worry about you and don’t want anything terrible to happen.” I try to explain, but he’s not hearing me, which only pisses me off. Instead, he rolls his eyes and stumbles into the kitchen, but this conversation isn’t over at all. The last thing I need is to lose the love of my life after I’ve found him, but he doesn’t seem to understand that at all.
Weston opens the cabinet and pulls out a bottle of whiskey and begins to drink even more. When I walk toward him and try to pull it from his hands, it’s as if he transforms into a completely different person. A monster. His hard fist connects with my face as he rips the bottle from my hand and slams it on the counter.
He. Hit. Me.
I’m in shock and might be seeing stars. My mouth falls open when I put a hand over my cheek, too shocked to speak. He grabs my arms as hard as he can and pulls me forward, close to him. He doesn’t seem to notice he hit me; he doesn’t even seem to care. My face is pounding, but I can barely focus on it with his tight grasp on me.
“Don’t you ever fucking do that again,” he demands.
His fingers dig deeper into my skin and pain courses through me. “You’re hurting me, Weston.”
He tightens his grip like a vise on my arm and jerks me forward. I nearly gag from the smell of alcohol and stale cigarettes drifting from him. For the first time since we met, I’m actually scared when I see the dangerous look in his eyes.
“Do you understand me? Do you understand you don’t fucking control me? I do what I want, and as long as you live under my roof, you do what I want too. Got it?”
His words rock through me, shaking me to the core. He doesn’t mean it. He can’t.
“Let go of me,” I say between gritted teeth as tears being to spill down my cheeks.
As if the tears woke him from his drunken stupor, he looks at me with sad eyes and releases his hold on me. “Oh my God, Soph.” He blinks, then scrubs a hand down his face.
Night and day.
I pull my arms back and rub the area where he held on to me, but I can already see it’s going to bruise. The tears continue to fall, and I walk away from him, but he follows me.
“Sophie, I’m sorry. Baby, don’t leave,” he begs. “Please.”
I turn and look at him but can’t find the right words. I don’t want to upset him further because he’s been drinking so much, but I can’t have him thinking it’s okay to put his hands on me.
“That can never happen again,” I tell him flatly.
He closes the gap between us, opens his arms, then pulls me into them. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” He holds me against his chest. “I’ve had a really bad day and didn’t mean to take it out on you. I’d never do anything to hurt you, sweetheart. I’m so fucking sorry.” As we release our embrace, he leans down and kisses me and apologizes again. I want to believe him. I have to.
Before we go to bed, I walk into the bathroom. When I look at what he’s done, it causes me to cry even more. Never, in my life, did I think he’d do this. I’ve seen him in a new light. I try to let my emotions out quietly, but eventually, he knocks on the door.
“You okay in there?” His soft voice sounds like the guy I’ve fallen for and not the monster I saw tonight.
I quickly wipe my tears away and turn on the water to splash my face. “Yep, almost done.”
By the time I enter the bedroom, he’s already passed out, still fully dressed, and snoring. I undress him so he’ll sleep comfortably, though, at this point, I’m not sure if he deserves to. After he’s down to his boxers, I pull the blankets over him and crawl into bed. It takes a while for me to fall asleep, but eventually, I do, with sadness in my heart.
The next few days are awkward between us, but I’ve been trying to forget it as he shows me how sorry he is for what happened.
A few mornings after, I stir to Weston kissing my cheek and telling me goodbye. It’s early as hell, but he makes sure to wake me anyway. He’s really been trying, as much as he can, and I appreciate his effort.
“I love you so damn much, Sophie. I’m sorry again for what I did,” he softly says before placing a sweet, lingering kiss on my lips. He’s apologized every day since it happened.
“I love you too,” I whisper back, and he smiles back at me. “Don’t forget tonight is my sister’s secret proposal,” I remind him. “You’re still coming with me, aren’t you?”
He nods. “Absolutely. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He flashes me a wink. “Love you.”
I repeat his words before he stands to leave for his day. After falling back asleep, I wake up around eight to a text message from Hunter, but I’m not too alarmed by it because he’s been texting me lately to discuss his plans. A smile touches my lips at the thought of Hunter proposing to my sister.
Hunter: You awake?
Sophie: Yep. Sure am. I’ve not had coffee yet, though, so tread lightly.
I get out of bed and make a pot because I need all the caffeine I can get right now after not sleeping very well.
Hunter: You think you can distract Lennon today? Ask her to go grocery shopping or something? I need her out of the apartment. I didn’t think about how I’d get everything set up if she’s coming directly home after work.
Sophie: You got it, bro. Is it weird to call you bro?
Hunter: Ha-ha. Yeah. Don’t do that. Weirdo.
I snort and pour myself a cup, then add my favorite creamer. I nearly orgasm when I take my first sip because it’s so damn good.
Sophie: Yep. I got you. I’ll text her in a while, so then it’s not so suspicious. I need to go to the grocery store anyway.
Hunter: Thanks! I seriously owe you one.
Sophie: At this point, you owe me two.
Hunter: Deal. :)
I sit at the table and finish drinking my coffee. Glancing down at my arm, I see the bruises have gotten darker and let out a deep breath. I noticed my upper cheek looked slightly discolored this morning too, but it’s nothing I can’t cover with some foundation. I don’t know how I’d explain what happened to anyone, considering I’m still in shock by it all. Instead of continuing to think about it, I decide to lose myself in music as I typically do when I’m frustrated or upset. Since Weston’s house is three bedrooms, he’s allowed me to set up an area in a spare room. I grab my violin, pull the music stand from the corner, and begin to play the songs in my heart. It’s not surprising when Robert Schumann comes out. A tortured soul like most of us musicians.
After I’ve played for an hour straight, I take a quick break, then go back to it. For the past few years, I’ve taught piano on the side, but after I moved in with Weston, I put my lessons on hold. Considering the mood I’ve been in, I’m thankful for the space from other people, though I could use the money.
Hours pass and my stomach begins to growl, so I eat a banana. I try to push the thoughts about Weston out of my head and decide I’m going to keep this to myself and give him the benefit of the doubt. He’s been stressed, and I understand how that can affect everything. Add alcohol to the mix and it’s a recipe for disaster, but I just never thought I’d be on the receiving end. Though I wasn’t trying to tell him what to do, I understand how it looked from his point of view. It’s the last thing I wanted, and I wish I could take it back.
I have no appetite once I start eating, but I force myself to finish, then decide to text Lennon to make sure she can meet me. If she says no, I’m not sure what I’ll do other than beg because Hunter really needs her out of the house for his master plan to work.
He has a really cute scavenger hunt planned at a park based on fairy tales and even bought her a dress to wear that matches the whole theme. A smile hits my lips as I text her, knowing what’s really in store for her later.
Since dating Weston, I haven’t hung out with Maddie or Lennon as much as usual, which is my fault. I love them dearly, but I’ve been focused on my relationship lately. Weston doesn’t want them to know our person business and has made several comments about how much I tell my sisters. So I try to keep everything as private as possible, but it’s hard as hell because I’m so used to sharing every little detail about my life with them. But out of respect for him, I don’t.
When Lennon texts me back, agreeing to meet me, I immediately text Hunter and tell him the plan to get her out of the house worked, but stupid me, I only gave myself fifteen minutes. So I hurry and get dressed, then head to our favorite grocery store.
I have to remind myself not to mention anything about tonight, so I tuck it away deep inside. With just one look, Lennon can tell I’m lying because I suck at it, so as long as I steer the conversation away from unrelated things, I’ll be fine. I’ll just keep the focus on school, since she’s back to teaching again, and my adorable niece.
I’m nervous to meet up with Lennon, considering how strained things have been lately and all the changes happening in our lives. She hasn’t been unsupportive of Weston’s and my relationship, but she worries about me. I understand because I worry about her too, especially after Brandon’s unexpected death, everything going on with our parents, and Hunter.
By the time I make it there, she’s already waiting for me by the entrance. As soon as I see her, I smile and greet her, and she starts talking as we walk in. I grab a cart, and we head straight to the veggies. I know I need to keep her here as long as possible to give Hunter enough time to do this thing.
“So how’s school been?” I ask, not making eye contact with her as I push the sleeves up on my sweater and reach for some bell peppers.
“It’s been great. Getting ready for the spring concert next week,” she tells me. A moment later, Lennon grabs my arm and pulls me closer to her. When I look into her eyes, I jerk my arm from her grasp.
She lowers her voice, worry blanketing her tone. This is the last thing I wanted to happen, especially here and when I’m still dealing with my own feelings over it.
“What happened, Soph?” She goes quiet, and I can tell she’s concerned. I feel myself begin to break, so I push my emotions back, not wanting to cry in front of Lennon. I’m stronger than that.
I let out a laugh. “It’s nothing.”
As suspected, she doesn’t buy it. “That’s not nothing.”
Lennon places her hands on her hips and waits for me to explain, but I don’t even know where to begin. I can’t tell her how I really feel about it, so I suck in a ragged breath and give her a brief summary. It sounds so stupid coming from my mouth in the middle of a grocery store.
“Did he hit you?” She looks over my face, and I realize I didn’t add more foundation before I left.
“It was an accident, Lennon,” I say between gritted teeth, trying to push down my embarrassment.
She shakes her head, angry and obviously upset. “You don’t drink too much, then accidentally hit someone. This is not okay.”
I want to change the subject and talk about something else. Anything but this.
“He promised me it would never happen again, okay?” I snap, wanting her to drop it right now. I think about Weston and everything he’s done over the last few days to make it up to me. I have to believe it was an accident. A man I love would never do anything to hurt me. Up until that night, he’s made me extremely happy, and I know what we have is special. My anger rises as I continue, “He loves me, Lennon. I know that’s hard for you to believe because no one is allowed to be happy except for you.” I know as soon as the words leave my lips that I shouldn’t have said that. It was uncalled for, and her reaction tells me as much.
“Are you serious right now? I want nothing but the best for you and Maddie. That’s total bullshit you’d say that to me.” Lennon turns to leave without even looking back at me.
Guilt streams through me along with a handful of other emotions. I chase after her, not wanting her to leave but knowing she can’t. I refuse to be the reason Hunter’s plans fall through, and I don’t want my sister mad at me for eternity. Not when today is going to be one of the happiest days of her life.
“Lennon, wait. I’m sorry. I don’t want to argue with you.” She ignores me, not making eye contact because I pushed her too far. “I didn’t mean to say that. I have a lot going on right now and shouldn’t have taken it out on you. I know you only want the best for me.” I feel the tears creeping, welling, and I try to keep them at bay. There’s so much I want to tell her but can’t. If Weston found out, he’d be pissed, and if Lennon knew how scared I was that night, she’d tell me to leave him.
“You need to be careful, Sophie. It’s not okay for someone to lay their hands on you, no matter what, and I’m worried about you. I already don’t care for the dickface, but then this happens.”
It’s the first time she’s admitted she doesn’t like him even though I already suspected as much. Actually, none of my friends like him, but I wish they’d just give him a fair chance. Liam hates him and so does Mason. Hunter and Maddie don’t seem to care for Weston either. No one does but me.
“I know,” I finally say. “He promised, though, and I believe him.” I’m not lying when I tell her this. After knowing him for months, I’ve never seen him act that way. Alcohol makes people do stupid things and so does stress. Lately, his boss has been riding him, and I know that’s the culprit even though it doesn’t excuse his behavior. Lennon continues but eventually drops it. I can tell it’s in the forefront of her thoughts, but I’m relieved all the same. I chat about Allie and Hunter, about work, and about anything other than myself.
