Lag (The boys of RDA #2)(66)
“So you opened it and came in? We are not together, Mari. You can’t do this shit.” Trey’s voice is loud, but I’m too scared to look and see if it’s because he’s closer or angrier.
“I don’t understand why you’re so mad. I’ve always followed your stupid rules, but don’t you understand? I realize now it was a bad idea. You want me to commit myself like your willing secretary. Trey, I only dated other people because you were, but I’m ready to commit to you and make this work."
Heels click on the hardwood floor and I flinch with each step as they get closer to my hiding spot.
“I came here to apologize about tonight. I was wrong, but I miss you. We belong together, Trey. We deserve another chance.”
Trey’s loud sigh settles over the room. “Mari, I told you it was over months ago. Whatever f*cked up arrangement we had is done.”
“But we’re expected to get married.”
There’s a scraping sound, but I’m not sure where it comes from. A stool being pulled out? Is she planning to sit and chat about this?
“We are never going to get married. Get that through your head.”
Trey’s words are low and harsh, but with a pitch of pity. I don’t want to be around for the rest of this conversation between whatever these two now are. I trust Trey and this is private and should stay that way. I turn to my left to dash to the hallway and hide out in his bedroom, but there’s a hidden trash can on the other side of the column and it falls to the side with a crash when I hit it with my foot.
I freeze. The toppled over can wobbles back and forth on the ground. As the sound dies down, another picks up. The sound of heels as they edge nearer.
“You have someone here?”
With nowhere else to go and knowing I’m caught, I straighten to my full height and brace for Mari’s wrath head on. It doesn’t take long. Her red hair is the first thing I register as she stands on the other side of Trey’s breakfast bar, mere feet from me. She sees me as well and lunges in my direction like she’s freaking Superman, but Trey steps in front of her taking the brunt of her attack.
“We were together for years and you never invited me over, but your f*cking secretary is here and wearing your clothes?” Her voice screeches in the open space and I swear some of the glasses in the cabinets shake.
“You’re a whore!” The final blow said in my direction not Trey’s.
She tries to side step him again, but Trey moves with her. All my muscles tense and ready to run from her if needed. I’m not a fighter if she gets past Trey. I’m more of the runner variety.
“If this is what you need, then have your fun, Trey.” She whips her head around to glare at me. “And you. He’ll make you all the promises in the world, but he’ll come back to me eventually and I’ll make sure you have nothing.”
Trey’s hands ball into fists at his sides. “I will never have anything to do with you and you will never talk about my girlfriend again.” His steady and hard words are ungiving.
His use of the word girlfriend brings a small smile to my face and my heart lightens for a minute. How wrong. I shouldn’t get so excited over it when we’re in the middle of a showdown, Hatfield and McCoy style.
Mari screams and I’m ripped from my happy thoughts and thrown back into battle mode. I take two steps back and get a little upset at myself for never asking Trey the extent of Mari’s crazies. Is she normally like this?
“Girlfriend. Your girlfriend!” she screams the words with distaste.
Still calm and collected, Trey stares her down from the outburst. “You have two minutes to get the f*ck out of my house or I’ll call the cops and have you removed.”
She narrows her eyes at him. “You will regret this, Trey. I will make you hurt like you’ve made me. I will cut you where it matters the most.” Then as if nothing's wrong in the world, Mari sweeps her hand down the same black pencil skirt she was wearing earlier, turns on a heel, and walks out of the room. Trey turns to me and his eyes look worried. I wave a hand out to him silently telling him to make sure she gets out. He follows Mari out of the room, the door slamming behind him.
My first large breath since Mari stormed in releases in a noisy fashion, and on still coiled feet I walk to the couch and plop down on the side. A door not far away slams and I assume Mari’s left the building. I lean back and put my eyes to the ceiling resting the back of my head on the couch.
Less than a minute later, the interior door closes much softer and the couch dips beside me. “I’m so sorry, Simone.”
His hand rests on my knee and I worry he’s scared to touch me more, waiting for my reaction to this whole ordeal. “No, this wasn’t your fault. It was all over me. I'm sorry. I didn’t know what to do.”
“You have nothing to be sorry about.” The hand on my knee travels up my covered arm and rests on my jaw. He turns my head toward his and places a lingering closed mouth kiss to my lips.
“Mari was a dumb time in my life. I’ve known it was a mistake for a while now, but I didn’t know what to do about it. And I wasn't motivated to deal with the fallout… at least until now.”
His arms wrap around me and he pulls me closer to him. “I’ve learned a lot since you tried to guillotine my balls.”
I laugh and it releases some of the tension from the room.