Chapter Thirty-Six
TYLER
I’ve been strolling around the gym with a cheesy grin on my face that I can’t wipe off.
This past week has been amazing, and nothing could piss me off right now.
Gemma’s mine again, and everything between us has worked out perfectly.
Our mutual attraction and the feelings we have for each other are beyond my wildest dreams.
After I close the gym, I walk home and immediately jump in the shower. Gemma and I have breakfast plans in the morning, and if the weather cooperates, we’ll go on a hike too. Honestly, I don’t care what we do as long as I’m with her.
Thoughts of her take over as the water streams down my chest, and my dick comes alive at the memories of her mouth on me. I loved the way her hands slid down my chest before she gripped my shaft and stroked it hard and fast. Or how she moaned when I growled out in satisfaction.
It’s all too much.
I pump my cock, squeezing tightly as flashes of Gemma flood through my mind.
The way she simultaneously looked at me with so much hunger and tenderness has me increasing my pace.
Resting one hand on the shower wall, I pump with visions of Gemma kneeling in front of me and am soon grunting out my release, exhaling roughly as my head tilts back in relief.
Fuck.
I miss her so goddamn much.
Though we see each other every day and most evenings, I can’t seem to spend enough time with her. Everything’s still new and exciting, but it’s always felt that way when we were together.
Once I’m out of the shower and have dried off, I slip on a pair of shorts and look for food. I see a note on the counter from Everleigh.
Hanging out with Ruby at the pub and will probably crash at her place. See you tomorrow!
P.S. Can you take Sassy out for me PLEASE?
That little shit.
She probably didn’t text me because she knew I’d give her hell for leaving me to dog-sit.
Quickly, I slip on some gym shorts and a T-shirt.
“C’mon, Sassy. Let’s go for a walk.” She immediately bounces when she hears her favorite word. I grab her leash, and we go around the block. She stops at every tree and sniffs every yard. By the time we get home, it’s been thirty minutes, and my stomach is raging with hunger.
After warming some leftovers, I sit on the couch and click on the TV.
As I flip through the channels, I scarf down the food and stop on an old episode of Seinfeld.
Once I’ve finished eating, I take my plate into the kitchen and grab a beer.
Just as I settle back in my spot, a knock sounds on the door.
It’s late, which means Everleigh’s probably drunk as fuck and can’t find her keys again. I’m gonna give her so much hell for this.
As soon as I open it, I’m pleasantly surprised to find Gemma standing there.
“Hey.” I smile. “Wasn’t expecting you.”
“I know.” She steps in when I shift to the side. “But this couldn’t wait.”
After I close the door, I notice something’s wrong. She looks like someone stole her prized possessions—bloodshot eyes, tousled hair, fidgety hands. Gemma frowns, and when I scan down her body, I notice red marks on her wrist.
What the fuck?
“Gemma, what’s going on?”
We walk into the living room, and I cross my arms over my chest as I wait for her to answer.
“Did something happen?”
She swallows hard as if she’s trying to find the courage to tell me the worst fucking news on the planet.
“I don’t wanna hurt you, Tyler, but I have to be honest with you.”
My jaw immediately tightens. “Alright.”
“I’ve realized we can’t rewrite the past and just pick up where we left off twelve years ago.
I can’t pretend you didn’t crush my heart when you left.
I still carry resentment from how badly you hurt me, and because of that, we can’t be together.
Robert has always been there for me, and I was having mixed feelings, but they’re clear now. I love him.”
Blinking hard, I wait for her to admit she’s kidding, and this is some cruel joke.
“Excuse me?” I nearly stutter.
“I love Robert, and the wedding is happening. I’m so sorry, Tyler.” She stares at me emotionless, and it’s obvious something isn’t right.
“Bullshit,” I blurt, lowering my arms. “I can see right through you, Gemma. You’re lying.”
“I’m not. It’s the truth. Robert and I are getting married in a couple of weeks, and I’m quitting my job after I find a replacement.”
Now I know she’s playing me for a fool. She’d never quit working at her dad’s shop.
“What happened between today at work and now?” I challenge, not taking her words at face value.
“I already told you. I had a realization…”
“Goddammit, Gemma,” I hiss, stepping closer and causing her breath to hitch. “What’d he say to you? Why’re you doing this?”
“It’s not gonna work out between us, so stop trying to—” I close the gap between us, cup her face, and crash our mouths together. Her words are full of fucking shit, and the way her body responds gives her away.
At first, she tenses, but then she quickly relaxes in my hold and wraps her arms around my waist. Sliding my hands down, I grab her ass and lift her off the ground.
Her legs wrap around me, and I push my erection against her.
She releases a moan, and I’ve undoubtedly got her.
Walking to the couch, I sit with her straddling my lap.
She grinds against my cock as I hold her in place.
“You wanna tell me again how we’re over?” I growl, moving my lips to her neck and sucking on her soft skin. “Tell me you don’t love me. Convince me you love him. C’mon, repeat it,” I demand.
Gemma shakes her head and looks down. I cup her face and watch as tears form in her eyes. “What’d he do to you, baby? Please, tell me.”
The tears fall, and she becomes visibly more emotional. “He showed up at my house and told me he owned my dad’s land. If I don’t marry him, he’ll bulldoze it to the ground, and everything my dad and I love will be forever gone. Robert’s fucking crazy, so I have no doubt he’ll actually do it.”
“What?” I look at her in shock. “How’s that possible? Are you sure he’s not just BS’ing you?”
She nods. “He showed me the paperwork. It’s confirmed.
I guess my dad took out a second mortgage to take care of my mom’s medical bills years ago and wasn’t able to keep up with the payments.
Right before it went into foreclosure, Robert bought it and waited for the opportunity to use it against me so I’d bend to his will.
He’s a monster.” She wipes her cheeks, and I hate that bastard for putting her through this.
I grip her face and rest my forehead against hers. “Why didn’t you just say that?”
“He threatened your life too.”
Rolling my eyes, I scoff. “How?”
“He said he’d make sure Victoria got her revenge without any consequences. Though they aren’t working together—another thing he blamed me for—I believe he’d find a way to cover up her crimes.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck. Victoria already has an endless amount of money and can pay anyone off. She doesn’t need him to get away with murder. She’s done it several times already.
“Sweetheart, listen to me,” I mutter softly, and she meets my gaze. “I’m in this for the long haul, you got me? Be honest with the shit he says or does to you, and we’ll get through it together. Promise me.”
She nods again. “You’re right, I should’ve, but I was so scared.
He’s worse than usual and admitted that even though we don’t love each other, he wants me as his wife for his public image.
I’m not sure what I’m gonna do. I can’t lose my cottage or the house my mom and dad built together. He’d be devastated.”
“I don’t have the answers right now, baby, but we’ll figure it out. Okay? If we have to be together in secret until we find a solution, then so be it. It’ll suck, but there’s gotta be a way out of this.”
“There isn’t much time,” she insists. “The wedding invites went out today.”
“Well, he’s not the only person who knows people. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe and for us to be together.”
She wraps her arms around my neck and presses into me. I hold her to my chest and inhale her scent. “We’ve got this, baby,” I whisper in her ear. “I’m not letting you go this time. Never.”
“I’ll have to keep up the act until we have a plan,” she explains. “In public, I’ll have to pretend we’re a perfect couple, but hopefully, we can find a way to end the charade before the wedding day.”
“We will,” I promise.
She leans in and presses her mouth to mine. “Before you kissed me, how’d you know I was lying?” she asks, searching my face.
“Because I can read you, Gemma. Your mouth said one thing, but your body said another. I learned a lot of weird shit in prison, one of which was body language—a defense mechanism—but the two weren’t lining up.”
“Well, you were definitely right about one thing.” Her lips shyly tilt upward.
Brushing hair behind her ear, I grin. “What was that?”
“That I love you. I’m completely crazy, out of my mind in love with you,” she states confidently.
Her confession has my heart nearly beating out of my chest, and I can’t hold back the wide smile on my face.
“You have no idea how happy that makes me, baby. I’m madly, deeply, insanely in love with you. I love you so damn much that it physically hurts when I think about how I almost lost it all.”
Gemma laughs through her happy tears. “I can’t believe we’re finally together again and have to pretend we aren’t.”
“It won’t be for long, sweetheart. We can sneak around, and when it’s all over, we’ll be able to appreciate every single minute we get together.” I press my lips to hers.
“I hope so. As long as he doesn’t throw anything else at me, I think I’ll be able to pretend for a couple of weeks.”
“You’re stronger than you realize, Gemma. You always have been.”
She melts into me and presses her mouth to mine. Our kiss quickly grows hungry and desperate, and her hands grasp me as I squeeze her ass cheeks. Gemma rocks her hips, and that sexual urge returns, greedy and eager.