False Illusions (False #1) (9 page)

Me: I’m sorry, but I can’t get away tonight.

Yoel: I guess I understand, I’ll talk to you later.

He
guesses
he understands? Is he mad? He knows I’m with Marcus. Things are getting complicated now.

I finish ordering the food just as Marcus walks in with just a pair of joggers on. Once upon a time I used to love the sight of him bare chested, you know, back when I was blind to his cheating ways. Now I would give anything to be seeing Yoel bare chested.

After changing into my sleep shorts and tank, I tie my hair into a messy bun and join Marcus on the couch where he has the food spread out on the coffee table. We haven’t done this since we first started dating.

“Thanks for ordering the beef and broccoli.” He digs into the carton.

“It’s your favorite,” I automatically reply.

Marcus stares at me then looks at the T.V.  “Do you want to pick the movie?”

Picking up the remote I put on Netflix and press on the first movie I see. The Gunman, it is.

We watch the movie in silence mostly, making small talk every so often. 

Marcus clears his throat. “So have you been planning the wedding?”

Wedding? He barely acknowledges that we’re engaged.

“Um, no.” Confusion laces my voice. My stomach drops just thinking about planning it.

“Well I talked to our moms this morning,” he says and suddenly it all makes sense. Marcus never wants to
hang
out with me. He wanted me to get our moms off his back about the wedding.

I fight the urge to roll my eyes at this. “Well, we haven’t actually talked about it Marcus. You’re never home.”

“And neither are you,” he throws back.

I don’t reply back because I’m shocked by his statement. I’m shocked he even noticed.

“Well would you rather I stay home alone?” I say waving him off. “I’m with Chelsea most of the time. Who are you with?” I smirk.

He narrows his eyes at me about to say something, but his phone chimes and he pulls his eyes away from me to look at the screen. Marcus types quickly then stands up.

“Well thanks for dinner, I have to run. So-“

“Don’t stay up late.” I roll my eyes finishing for him.

He huffs. “Yeah, just start planning the wedding so we can get this over with.”

My eyes don’t leave the screen, and when he realizes that I’m not going to reply he walks off to our bedroom.

I can’t believe the nerve of him. Fucking prick. He only thinks about himself.

Instead of texting Yoel, who I’m sure is mad at me, I pull out my laptop and log into my emails.

Scrolling through the multiple job offers, I take a deep breath.

Why does life have to be so complicated.

Love Remix Ft. J Cole- Drake

I swish the ice cubes in my glass of whiskey. I don’t normally drink when I’m training, but I need this. Madison is asleep in my bed while I’m in the main room staring out into the Vegas night sky. She surprised me about an hour and a half ago. My guess is that she ended up alone but I didn’t ask. I was too busy getting her out of her clothes and devouring her body.

I keep racking my mind trying to figure out what exactly I’m doing with her. The feelings that plague my heart shouldn’t be there, she shouldn’t still be coming to my bed every other night. We shouldn’t be having dinner and talking about our days like we’re a fucking couple.

Madison mentioned that she would be at the promo party in a few days. I’m sure she was watching my reaction but I gave nothing away. Honestly I don’t know how I’m going to handle seeing her on Marcus’s arm. I couldn’t decide if I should bring a date or not.

Why not? She’s going to be with her
fiancé.

I curse and sip my whiskey. This was going to be hell, absolute hell. If I could I wouldn’t show up, but it was part of the contract.

I need a date. It’s final. I couldn’t show up alone while he showed up with her.

Sliding my phone out of my sweats I scroll until I find the name I’m looking for and send her a quick text. I know it’s past midnight, but I’m sure she’s up.

My phone chimes and I almost laugh at her response. At least I had a date so I wouldn’t look like a loser.

“Hey, what are you doing out here?”

Slipping my phone into my pocket I turn to see a sleepy Madison, her hair is everywhere and my t-shirt she is wearing barely reaches her knees.

Her eyes narrow in on the glass in my hand. “Are you drinking?”

Shrugging I set the glass on the glass table next to me. “Not really. Go back to bed. I’ll be there in a minute.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes.” No. 

Madison bites her lip, but nods walking back into the room.

I couldn’t tell her I was falling for her. I was gone after the fight. Out of her life.

I spend my morning sparring with Chris and running miles on the treadmill, anything to keep my mind off seeing Madison tomorrow night at the party. I haven’t spoken to her. More like I have been avoiding her.

She knows I am, if the last ten texts didn’t tell me. I hated this, hated ignoring her, but I need to focus on training and not about what happens when I leave.

Or when she finds out the truth.

The thought of her finding out hurts more than leaving her in a couple of months. Rico told me this idea was crazy, he was right. Have you ever looked back on stupid decisions you have made and wonder why you didn’t punch yourself in the face? Well this is one of those times for me. I feel like a fucking idiot. When I thought this would backfire, I thought it in the sense that I would be caught before it even started, not with me falling for her.  We were far past our base rules. We were very into each other’s lives.

“Bro, I think you should take a break, you ran six miles already,” Chris’s amused voice breaks my concentration.

He’s right, I have ran six miles. I pull the red string to top the machine and gulp down water.

He throws me a towel. “Are you bringing Madison to the party tomorrow?”

I glare at him. “You know damn well I’m not taking her.”

He looks at me confused for a moment until realization replaces it. I never told him who she was. Only Rico knew.

“El, man. Please tell me she isn’t that
Madison
.” Chris knew my plans; I just never got to the part of telling him I went through with them. He knew her name and I assumed that he put two and two together, but I guess he didn’t.

“Madison St. Cruix?” His eyes bug out. “The heavyweight champs girl. Are you crazy? Does she fucking know?”

“Yes she knows who I am.” I wipe the sweat off my face.

He studies me and I try to look everywhere but at him.

“Damn, El, she’s going to hate you if she finds out you have been using her in your fucked up game of fucking with Marcus.”

I know.

He follows me into the locker room when I walk away from him.

“El, what the fuck.” Is all I hear him say before I slam the door to the steam room in his face. I didn’t need him to judge me, I judge myself enough already.

This Love- Ellie Goulding

“Madison, are you listening to me?” My mother snaps into the phone.

We have been on the phone for what feels like hours going back and forth on a wedding date. A wedding that I dreaded even thinking about, let alone actually go through with planning it.

I rub my temples. “Yes, I told you that I would have to talk to Marcus.”

She makes a sound of disapproval, “and how is Marcus, is he training hard?”

Rolling my eyes I fill my fifth glass of wine this evening. “Yes he trains and yes he still rarely comes home so I honestly have no idea how he’s doing.”

“Your attending the promo party with him tomorrow, right?” She ignores me. “It’s been awhile since you two have been seen together. People are starting to talk.”

God forbid her circle of bitches start to talk about if I will tie the knot or not. They need a life.

“Well don’t worry,” I say dryly. “It’s been great talking to you mother, but this new bottle of wine and Sex in the City is calling my name.” I hang up before she can reply, which I do a lot.

Snatching up my glass and wine bottle I settle on the couch, clicking the play button to start my night with Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha.

Yoel has been ignoring me or avoiding me. Both are horrible, I have no idea why he hasn’t replied to me. Maybe he’s busy; he is training for the fight of his career. That’s what I tell myself, and I feel better for a little bit until I send him another text that goes unanswered, again.

Now annoyed I turn my phone off and dive into my marathon.  Marcus, of course, was out for the night screwing some slut who caught his attention. Probably another gym bunny, figures.

After an hour of staring at my phone more than watching my show I cave and turn it back on. At first I don’t want to look to see if I have a missed text and after hyping myself up for a few minutes I finally look.

There’s a text.

Yoel: Hey babe. I left my phone in the room.

See you were freaking out for no reason.

I see that the text was sent forty minutes ago.

Me: Oh.

Oh? Is that all you can say?

Yoel: Miss you…

Me: I miss you too…

Minutes pass before he texts back.

Yoel: I’m beat. I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?

He means the party. The party where I will be with Marcus. Was he bringing a date? Would I be able to handle that?

Me: I’ll be the one in pink :)

Yoel: I’m sure I would be able to see you in any crowd, babe. You’ll be the perfect one lighting up the room.

I almost text back
I love you,
but I stop myself.

Me: Night. XOXO

I say instead and hold my phone to my chest.