More Than Lies (More Than #1)(121)

It’s not a bad thing that he’ll be based in Los Angeles. It’ll give us more reasons to make trips out west. Chance and I have become pretty good friends in the past year since I became the owner of my own tattoo studio. He’s offered a lot of great advice. The place has done a one-eighty in a short time span.

I hate that Tara isn’t there daily any more, but Natalie was a good hire. She keeps everyone in line and our schedules full. She filled our vacancies. We now have seven full-time artists in the studio. She hired a piercer who is equally talented as a tattoo artist. His name is Danny. Along with his wife, Carly, they moved here a few months ago. Carly is a tattoo artist, too, and she’s great. Tara still does payroll and all the accounting for the business, but she mainly does it from home. Natalie took over as the manager a few months ago.

I head out of the bedroom door and jog down the stairs landing in the foyer in seconds. I’m immediately alarmed when I hear Mason’s voice booming. He’s shouting.

“You’re a fucking lying bitch.” Mason is angry that much is clear. It takes a lot to set him off.

“What’s going on in here?” Three bodies turn to face me. Matt is gripping Mason by the arm. Mason, whose face is blazing, has his fist balled at his sides. And then there is a chick that doesn’t look the least bit familiar. Then again, my motto hasn’t exactly changed where they’re concerned. Women are still a dime a dozen. What has changed is me, because of Tara. She’s the one that is special. The one that has and will always have my attention captured. No other will ever hold a candle to my girl, the love of my life. I know my dumbass wasted so much time fighting my feelings for her. I know why, but I also know deep down that they aren’t logical. I keep trying to tell myself that every day. Maybe one of these days I’ll start to believe it.

Speaking of Tara, I don’t see her, but I can’t worry about that now. Mason looks like he wants to rip this woman apart.

“This bitch came in here saying she’s pregnant with your kid.”

It takes me at least ten full seconds to comprehend what he has said. I look down to see the woman is indeed toting a calf, but I can guaran-fucking-tee you it isn’t mine. I haven’t slept with another woman since the night I first hooked up with Tara. I still have a hard time believing she and I have been together for a year. I don’t count all that other bullshit when we weren’t officially dating, or when I had a short circuit in my brain last year and damn near cost us our future.

Tara is the only woman I want to be with. I don’t miss the one-night stands. Those days are over, and I’m not the least bit sorry to see them go. No more does a quick fuck get me the release I seek. If I’m honest with myself, even then it wasn’t satisfying; it took shutting my eyes and picturing the woman I really wanted in order to get off.

“I don’t know who the hell you are.” I look her in the eyes, training mine on her hard. It doesn’t take but a second or two for her smug smile to disappear and be replaced with what looks like a bit of fear. “I’ve never laid eyes on you, much less touched or fucked you.”

“Look—” Her voice is drawn out and maybe even shaky, but I don’t give her an inch nor do I let her get another word out of her lying mouth.

“You came into my house. Lied to my friends. What the fuck did you hope to accomp—” I stop mid-sentence.

Tara.

She not being here suddenly has my chest tightening like there is a rope squeezing around my heart. Where is she? She didn’t know what I had planned, but she was well aware the only reason I took today off was so we could spend time together.

I turn to look at my friends.

“Where’s Tara?” I ask fearing the worst. Did this bitch get to her, spewing her lies to my girl, and if so, did Tara believe her? I won’t lose her again. I can’t go through that again. Eight months ago I almost lost her for good. I was stupid for doubting I am what she wants and needs.

“She took off.” Matt confirms my thoughts.

“And you both let her leave?” She can’t possibly think I’d cheat on her. There is nothing or no one worth losing the person I can’t live without over.

I turn back toward the nuisance taking up oxygen in my living room. “Get the fuck out of my house. Make sure I never see you again.” When she doesn’t make any attempts to leave I force my point by taking a large step closer to her. “If I need to remove you from my house, don’t think I won’t.”

I’ll never touch this bitch, but she doesn’t know that. I’m okay with using my large build to my advantage.

“Whatever.” She walks around me heading in the direction of the front door. Good. The sooner she is out of my sight, the sooner I can focus on finding Tara and fixing this mess. “I’ve completed the task I was hired to do anyway.”

“What does that mean?” It is Mason that demands an answer. Normally I’d care, but I don’t know where my girlfriend is or what’s going through her head. My priority is Tara.

The cunt turns back around to face us before walking out the door. “Seems your friend there,” she points her finger at me, “pissed off the wrong bitch. She did tell me to relay a message. Something about regrets being such a bitch.”

Holly Torres.

“Elaborate.” Mason’s tone is furious as though it were him this woman came in and shelled out lies about.