Pivotal Moments (In Time #1) (27 page)

“Friday night.”

“And you didn’t tell me?”

I shrugged, avoiding her furious gaze.

“No. This is major and you didn’t tell me. I wanna know why.”

“I was afraid you’d tell Connor,” I admitted. “And…I guess if I told anyone, it means it really happened.”

She looked back at the image and frowned. “Do you know who she is?”

I nodded. “That’s Renee.”

“The bitch from the restaurant?” Penny burst out, incredulous.

“Yeah.”

“What a fucking asshole!”

She had no clue how much I agreed. She scrolled down, reading the following messages, then smirked. “That’s the most epic response ever, chica!”

A tiny flash of pride ran through me.

“What are you going to do?” she asked, handing the phone back.

“Nothing,” I answered, dropping the device into my bag. “I mean, what can I do?”

She nodded. “You’re right. I just hate that he thinks he can get away with this.” She reached over and grabbed my hand.

I met her gaze. “I know.”

***

That night, I was in my room, attempting to study, when my phone gave a text alert. Probably Penny wanting to know how I was doing. Still half-focused on the book in front of me, I absently opened the message. Then I froze.

Teagan: What the hell is going on? What does that mean?

My mouth opened. Was he serious? Face flushing, I punched back a reply.

Me: It’s pretty obvious. You’re a dick. At least I found out now instead of later.

Teagan: Did I miss something? I thought we were fine!

Me: Fine? I don’t hear from you for days. Then, on the night you were supposed to be here, I find out you’re cheating on me! Guess what? We’re done. Go screw whoever you want.

It was several minutes before he answered.

Teagan: I never cheated on you, baby.

A cold numb settled over me. Shaking myself loose, I quickly thumbed through my pictures, pulled up the one he’d sent, and forwarded it back to him.

Me: A picture says a thousand words. Don’t contact me again.

I muted my phone and threw it across the room. It vibrated over and over, from both texts and calls. I went back to studying, listening to it buzz.

I was a lot of things. Inexperienced, naïve, and innocent. But I was not stupid. Teagan could kiss my ass.

***

I left my phone at home for the next two days. It was for the best. If I spoke to Teagan again, my resolve could crumble. Come the weekend, I begged Penny to come and stay with me. The thought of being alone was unbearable.

When I had told Penny what Teagan said, she went ballistic. She wanted to drive to Gainesville and “give his ass a whippin’ he’ll never forget.” As appealing as that sounded, I decided to leave it be. It was time to move on.

Friday night, we gorged ourselves on junk food and watched cheesy comedies. I laughed so hard that I had tears in my eyes, and my sides hurt. Penny was openly determined to keep my mind distracted, and she succeeded. God, I loved her.

I had just gotten in bed when the front door opened and closed. It was well after midnight, and I frowned. Maybe it was Mom? Footsteps sounded on the stairs, then came down the hallway and stopped at my door. Then a knock rang out.

It had to be Mom. “Come in,” I called.

The door swung open, and Teagan walked in. His eyes narrowed, and he glared at me. “We need to talk.”

Chapter 24

He had put me through hell, and all I could do was let my eyes roam over him, drinking in his presence. Pain flared inside my chest, and I gasped for breath. I had missed him desperately. The events of the last week came back at full speed, and the hurt hardened to anger. I jumped out of bed, edging toward the bathroom. “We need to talk?” I gaped at him, incredulous.

“Yes, we need to talk. I drove all the way from Gainesville because we need to talk.” He paused and ran a hand through his hair, then exhaled sharply. “Actually, I need to talk.” He pointed at me. “You need to listen.”

Where did he get off? He’d ignored me, broken my heart, and caused me to eat four containers of ice cream in seven days. Did he seriously think he could enter my house unannounced in the middle of the night and expect me to listen?

“I don’t think so.” I shook my head and backed another step.

He glared at me. “I didn’t drive three hours for you to not hear me out. Sit your ass down.” He pointed at the bed. “Listen to what I have to say.”

I laughed harshly. “You’ve lost your mind if you think I’ll listen to your excuses.” I stalked over to him. “Maybe you don’t get it.” I stabbed a finger into his chest. “You cheated on me, asshole! I don’t even want you in my house!” I scowled as a thought occurred to me. “Wait a second. How the hell did you get in?” The doors had been locked, and the alarm was set. He couldn’t have just strolled in.

He opened his mouth to respond.

“You know what? I don’t even care.” I shook my head. “I didn’t invite you. So get out. Leave, or I’ll call the police for breaking and entering.” I was so furious I was shaking. My breathing was ragged, and my heart was pounding.

Teagan stared at me, his eyes intense. “Don’t be like this, Aislinn. Don’t do this. I just need you to listen to me!” He reached out to me, but I backed away. I needed space between us.

“Please, Teagan. Just leave, okay?”

“No.”

I couldn’t do this anymore. “Fine. If you won’t, I will.” I started to walk around him, but he grabbed my arm.

“You’re not running away this time,” he murmured.

His grip on my arm wasn’t painful, but it was firm. I tried to pull away, but his hand tightened. “Let me go,” I ordered, trying not to panic.

“Not until you’re sitting down.”

There was no way I could escape now. “Fine!” I snapped. “I’ll sit. But I already know you’re full of crap.”

He gave a low growl and tugged me toward the bed. Upon reaching it, he dragged me around and gently pushed until I sat on the edge of the mattress. Despite everything I’d said, not once had he raised his voice or been rough with me. I paused and really examined him.

There were dark circles under his eyes, and the scruff covering his jaw was thicker than usual. His hair too, was messy, sticking out every which way. Meeting my gaze, he ran his fingers through the mess, ruffling it further with a tired exhale.

Then I remembered the picture.

“I’m sitting,” I grumbled, crossing my arms over my chest. “Get it over with.”

He sighed and turned away, pacing back and forth in front of me. His shoulders were tense, his hands clenched, and his jaw tight. I would’ve been nervous if I weren’t so angry.

“Tonight would be outstanding,” I added.

Teagan stopped and turned to face me. “Look, it’s been a killer couple of weeks. Cut me a little slack, okay?”

“Yeah, like that’ll happen,” I snapped.

“God!” he burst out. “You are the most frustrating woman I’ve ever met!” His fingers gripped at his hair, and his face contorted for a moment. He closed his eyes and took a slow, deep breath, then straightened and let go of his hair. Then he opened his eyes and met my gaze. The agony in his expression made me freeze.

He was wrecked.

He moved to me and dropped into a squat so we were eye level. He rested his hands on the bed on either side of me. “Aislinn,” he said in a low voice. “You need to listen to me. Please, just hear me out.”

His warmth was doing dangerous things to me. I wanted to forget everything and just throw myself into his arms. I nodded. His distress was genuine. Maybe he’d gotten drunk? People did stupid things all the time. But when I took in all the emotions displayed in his eyes, I knew I’d forgive him. If he was honest with me, we could work through it.

His hand gently cupped my face. “Baby, I didn’t cheat on you.”

So much for honesty. I tried to push him away and stand, but he grasped my hips, keeping me planted on the mattress. Tears rose up in my eyes, and I blinked furiously to hold them back. “Let me go!” I cried.

“No.” He shook his head. “I won’t let you do this to us. Sit still.” His hands tightened on my hips. “I didn’t do anything with Renee last Friday.”

“That picture says otherwise,” I retorted.

“Look,” he sighed and ran his hand through his hair again. “This is what happened. This is it all laid out.”

“This should be good,” I muttered and rolled my eyes. He gave me a pointed look to which I made a face at. His eyes narrowed at me in warning but I just shrugged and looked away. He wouldn’t allow that, however. No, he just reached out, put a finger under my chin and forced me to look back at him. He was definitely not my favorite person right then.

“Shush and listen,” he instructed. “After we texted that Saturday, I went to work. About an hour later, one of the other bouncers said I had someone asking for me. I went outside, and there’s my brother, Blake.”

I frowned, confused. “I thought he was overseas in the Marines?”

“He was,” Teagan said with a nod. “But…” He sighed. “Blake was sent home on a medical order. His commanding officer cut his tour short.”

“Why?”

Teagan slid his hands up so they were holding my hips again, his thumbs stroking the bare skin of my side. A little of my fury melted. Forcing myself to meet his gaze, I said, “Was Blake injured?”

He glanced down. “Have you heard of Force Recon?”

Who hadn’t? They were one of the Marine’s Special Operations units. They were badass too. Right up there with the Army’s Delta Operators and the Navy SEALs. “Of course I have.”

“Well, Blake is Force Recon. He’s seen and done some serious shit. The Marine doctor at his base diagnosed him with severe PTSD—recommended Blake be sent home for treatment.” Teagan shifted weight and looked me in the eye. “Problem was, Blake and Dad don’t talk. Going home wasn’t exactly an option.”

I frowned and shook my head. “I don’t see what that has to do wi—”

“I’m getting there,” he interrupted. “Just…just listen, okay?”

I reluctantly nodded.

“So Blake told me all this, then asked if he could stay with me. I didn’t think it’d be a problem, but I still had a few hours before I got off work. He told me he’d wait. I get him in, and he heads to the bar. I go back to bouncing.” He scrubbed a hand over his face, then rested it on my knee. His fingers gripped my leg gently.

“I only had thirty minutes left until the end of my shift when a fight broke out. I went over there to break it up.” Teagan paused, closing his eyes. “It was Blake.” He looked at me, eyes glazed with the memory. “He was in the middle of three guys, and he was winning. But when I looked at him, he wasn’t really there. You know, mentally. His face was a blank mask.”

Teagan’s expression darkened. “Of course, the assholes pressed charges against him. And it didn’t help that Blake started it. So, I left work early and went to the jail. I was there until seven in the morning, trying to get him released.”

So that’s why he hadn’t called. But it didn’t explain everything else.

Teagan held up a hand. “I’m sorry, baby. I should have called, but I was exhausted. I just went to bed. When I woke up, Blake and I got into it. It was a major argument. A lot of shit that shouldn’t have been said, was. By the time we were done, I just…I didn’t want you having to deal with that drama,” he explained. “So I texted you that bullshit about studying.”

I scowled. “That’s what couples do, Teagan. You know, get involved in each other’s lives so they can help?”

He hung his head and sighed. “You’re right. I should have told you.”

“Not only that,” I added, “but instead of giving me the chance to be there for you, you went to her instead.” My voice cracked, and I had to blink to keep from crying.

Teagan stroked my hair, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Aislinn, baby, just hear me out. Please?”

I took a deep breath and nodded.

“The next couple of days sucked. If I wasn’t in class or at practice, I was dealing with Blake and his shit.” Teagan paused. “We came to blows again on Monday night.” His eyes took on a distant expression. “Tuesday morning, Blake and I got into another fight. He’d been out of control, bringing girls home, drinking, and breaking shit.”

“I told him we’d have to talk about other living arrangements. He didn’t take the news very well. I left for class, telling him we’d talk when I got back. But when I got home…” His words choked off, and a tear slid down his cheek. Before I could stop myself, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him close. His arms wound around my waist, holding me tightly.

“What happened, baby?” I whispered.

“I walked in, and he was on the couch. Zver was sitting between us, and he wouldn’t let me past. I could tell by the way he was acting that something was going on. I had to force him out of the way.” His voice was thick with tears. “Blake was sitting there, holding a handgun. He smiled at me, raised the gun to his mouth, and pulled the trigger.”

I closed my eyes, pulling Teagan closer and stroking the back of his neck. His head dropped to my lap, and he clung to me like a raft in a stormy sea. I was completely okay with it. Renee didn’t matter anymore. Teagan’s tears dampened the material on my legs, and my heart broke even more.

“The gun jammed, Aislinn.” His fingers tightened. “I was so shocked that I didn’t realize what had happened. But when I did, I got the gun from him. I beat his ass…I was so pissed that I beat him until he was almost unconscious.” He swallowed and looked up at me.

“I made some calls and found out the military hospital at Jacksonville Naval could take him. I knew it was going to be a few days, which was why I couldn’t come see you. Then I dragged Blake’s ass into my truck and drove to Jacksonville. I didn’t even pack our clothes, just got in the truck and drove.”

I ran a hand through his hair. “Why didn’t you call me at all?”

He gave an apologetic smile. “I forgot to bring my phone. I left it on the couch at the house. It took four days to get Blake situated, but I stayed a few extra to make sure he was going to be all right.”

I stilled. He’d left on Tuesday. I’d gotten the text on Friday…my heart thudded to a stop.

He hadn’t sent the picture.

He straightened and pulled me close to his chest. “Next time, have some faith in me, Aislinn.”

I nodded, my eyes full of tears. “I’m sorry. God, I’m so sorry! You’re right. I should have had some trust. But when I got that picture…” I trailed off and sniffled. “How did I get the picture?”

He tightened his arms around me. “It doesn’t matter, honey. Just know that it wasn’t me.”

I frowned and pulled back to meet his gaze. “Hey, you never answered me. How’d you get into the house?”

He chuckled and smoothed down a lock of my hair. “Connor let me in.”

I flinched. “Connor’s here? He knows about this?” I closed my eyes. This couldn’t be happening.

“Sweetheart, I had no choice but to tell him,” he said softly.

“Why?” Connor was going to be seriously pissed at me. What’s worse, I couldn’t really blame him.

Teagan ran a hand up my back and stroked my neck with his fingers. “I needed to know how the hell that picture got sent.”

“Did you find out? Why was she even in your house?” I demanded.

“It doesn’t matter,” Teagan murmured.

I scowled. “Why was she there, Teagan?”

“It’s over and done, okay? Let’s just leave it at that.” His voice was pleading.

I shook my head. “It matters to me.” I stood up.

“Aislinn, where are you going?”

“I’m going to ask Connor about this.” I slung open my door and stormed out, and it dawned on me that I had no clue where the hell he was. “Connor!” I bellowed. “Where are you, dammit?”

“Jesus, Ash! Could you be any louder?” he complained from downstairs. “I’m in the kitchen.”

I stomped down the stairs and into the kitchen, Teagan hot on my heels. Connor and Penny were sitting at the table together, and they looked up in surprise. Penny’s expression changed to concern—Connor’s turned to panic. He glanced at Penny briefly before turning back to me.

“Hey, sis! What’s up?” His voice was a little too cheerful.

“I want to know why Renee was in your house,” I growled. Connor’s smile dropped, and he glanced at Penny again. He shifted in his seat. “Well?” I demanded.