Chapter 8 #2
It wasn’t a big deal? It was a huge fucking deal!
She was going to tell everyone eventually, but she wanted it to be on her terms and when she was ready.
Mary turned accusing eyes to Rayne. The other woman held up her hands in capitulation, but she was grinning and didn’t seem the least bit repentant for sharing such intimate things with the others.
“It’s not a big deal that you guys haven’t slept together yet,” Rayne said. “Besides, we all know you’re not a one-night stand kind of woman.”
“I used to be,” Mary mumbled.
“Yeah, before you met Truck,” Rayne reiterated. “But all that aside, I think your plan is good. I argued with Ghost tonight about Truck. I told him that he was babying him too much. I asked how he’d feel if it was him who’d lost his memory, and his friends didn’t tell him about me.”
“And how did he take that?” Harley asked.
Rayne wrinkled her nose. “He wasn’t thrilled. But seriously. Those guys are taking this too far. I mean, yeah, they shouldn’t give him too much information at one time, but admitting that they have girlfriends, or are married, isn’t going to kill Truck. Ghost didn’t agree.”
Mary slumped in her seat. “So if the guys don’t want me around him, this’ll never work.”
“What the hell?” Rayne said harshly.
Everyone’s eyes went to her.
“Mary, you can’t seriously be giving up.
What happened to the take-no-prisoners best friend I used to know?
The one who told me to go for it when I texted you about Ghost when I was in London?
The woman who wasn’t afraid to stand up for what she wanted and to hell with the consequences?
I know I was the one who tried to talk you out of coming tonight, but I can admit I was wrong about that.
I have a feeling the more Truck sees you, the more curious he’ll be.
All that notwithstanding, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but you’ve gotten soft.
And it isn’t pretty. I want my bitch friend back. ”
“First of all, I didn’t say I was giving up,” Mary huffed. “I was inferring that trying to get to know Truck in public places like this bar, with all the guys watching us, isn’t going to work. But secondly…” Mary glared at Rayne. “You want the bitch?”
“Yes!” Rayne snapped. “At least that Mary wasn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with Ghost when he was being an ass.
She had no problem standing up to Truck and the others when they were being idiots.
Well, they’re being idiots again, and you’re sitting here all frowny-faced and sad.
I don’t necessarily like it when you make a scene, but now, in this case, I’m not sure it wouldn’t be warranted. ”
Mary wanted to protest. Wanted to tell Rayne that she was scared no matter what she did, Truck wouldn’t take a second look at her.
That he’d pick Ruth the paramedic over her.
But something deep inside stirred at her best friend’s words.
She’d had a hell of a year, but the cancer was behind her now.
Hadn’t she decided earlier in the week that she was going to fight for Truck?
So why was she sitting here moping? Why wasn’t she standing up to Ghost and the others?
She was the one married to Truck. Not them.
“You’re right.”
“Damn straight, I’m right,” Rayne fired back.
Mary’s lips twitched and she turned to look in Truck’s direction—just in time to see Ruth plastered to his side as she stood on her tiptoes to whisper something in his ear before she stepped back, patted his chest, then sauntered off toward the restroom.
“Oh, fuck no,” Mary growled.
“Oh, shit,” Harley said. “You’ve awakened the beast, Rayne.”
Mary downed the rest of her beer then stood and headed for the restroom.
She didn’t wait for any of the girls to go with her or to stop her.
This shit had to end. Once she took care of the skank trying to steal her man, she’d make sure Ghost and the others knew what she thought of them keeping so many damn secrets from their teammate.
Mary waited outside the bathroom for Ruth to reappear. She was not going to get into this inside the nasty restroom. She’d been in there earlier, and never wanted to have to go in again.
Within minutes, Ruth opened the door and, upon seeing Mary waiting for her with her arms crossed over her chest and a scowl on her face, stopped in her tracks.
“That’s right, bitch,” Mary said. “It’s me.”
But Ruth recovered and flipped her hair behind her shoulder and sneered at her. “What do you want?”
“I want you to stay away from my husband,” Mary fired back.
“Doesn’t look like he feels the same.”
Mary stepped into Ruth’s personal space and said in a low, hard tone, “I think he made himself more than clear the other day where things stood with you. Nowhere. He’s mine, and if you insist on embarrassing yourself, you’ll regret it.”
“I know all about his amnesia.” Ruth smirked.
“One of my coworkers is married to someone on post, who heard about it from one of the nurses at Darnall Army Medical Center. Truck doesn’t even remember you.
If you were so tight, don’t you think he’d instinctively know and push me away?
But he’s not—so you obviously aren’t as close as you thought you were. I’m taking my shot.”
“Look, Ruth, I know you think you’re smart and all, but you don’t know shit.
Truck has amnesia. He doesn’t have Spidey senses or anything.
That’s not how the brain works. But make no mistake.
He’s mine. He’s always been mine. And he might not remember me, but that doesn’t change the fact that we’re still married.
I’ll protect him from anything—or anyone—who tries to hurt him. ”
“He didn’t seem upset to have me by his side earlier,” Ruth said with a smug smile. “Besides, you can still have him. I just want him for a night or two. I’ve never been with someone as big as him…if you get my gist.”
Mary saw red. She was done trying to be nice. Rayne wanted the bitch back? Fine.
“Truck is not a piece of meat to pass around. And if you were paying attention, you’d have noticed how he leaned away when you pressed your tits against him.
His lip curled when you couldn’t take your eyes off his dick.
You aren’t fooling him. Truck isn’t stupid.
He knows that you don’t give one little shit about him as a person.
All you care about is how big his dick is.
If you really want to get fucked, you can go to any sex shop and buy a big dick. ”
Mary took a breath and continued, “I’m here to tell you that Truck is the most amazing person I’ve ever met.
He’d give the shirt off his back to anyone who needed it.
He’s also the kind of man who would be polite to a pushy bitch who’s horning in on his bro time and isn’t getting the obvious hints he doesn’t want her.
So, because you’re clueless, and a chick, and my friend Rayne is always telling me that there’s some unspoken girl code that says women need to look out for each other, I’ll let you know straight up—Truck doesn’t want you.
He would rather play darts with his friends then go home to an empty bed and jack off than be anywhere near you. Was that clear enough?”
“You’re a bitch,” Ruth hissed.
“Thank you,” Mary responded. “But that doesn’t change the fact that Truck doesn’t want you. He’ll never want you, no matter how much you throw yourself at him. Go home while you still have some dignity left.”
Instead of answering, Ruth pressed her lips together and took a step toward Mary. She swung her arm back to slug her.
Mary grinned in anticipation and shifted her weight, readying herself for a fight. It had been a long time since she’d gotten to take a bitch down a peg or two.
But before Ruth could follow through with her swing, her wrist was grabbed and her arm twisted behind her back.
Her boobs almost popped out of the shirt she was wearing with the movement, but somehow she stayed decent as Blade spun her around and pressed her face to the wall of the hallway.
Mary turned—and saw that Beatle, Coach, Ghost, and Truck were all standing at the end of the narrow hallway, staring at them.
She swallowed hard. Shit. There were times she didn’t mind letting others see how much of a bitch she could be, but now really wasn’t one of them.
“How much did you all hear?” Mary whispered to Blade as he easily held the struggling Ruth against the wall.
“Truck isn’t a piece of meat,” Blade told her with a smirk on his face.
Mary relaxed a little bit. So they hadn’t heard the part when they’d talked about his amnesia or when she’d called him her husband.
Lifting her chin, refusing to be ashamed of what they’d heard, especially since every word was the truth, she turned toward the others as confidently as if she had smackdowns in the hallways of bars every night of the week. She walked right up to Truck and held out her hand.
“Hi. I’m Mary.”
Truck didn’t hesitate. He grinned down at her and took her hand in his own. Instead of shaking it though, he brought it up to his mouth and kissed the back. “I’m Truck. But you obviously know that.”
“I do. Wanna buy me a drink?”
His grin got bigger, and he didn’t let go of her hand.
“I’m not sure—” Ghost began.
But Mary didn’t let him finish. She turned and glared at him. “You’re my friend, Ghost—but butt out.”
“Mary, you can’t just—” he tried again.
“Seriously,” Mary interrupted. “I got this. You’re just going to have to trust me. I’m not going to do anything to hurt Truck. Hear me? I may not have made the greatest decisions in the past, but I have nothing but his best interest at heart.”
“Leave them alone,” Coach told Ghost. “After the way she just stuck up for him, I’d say he owes her at least one drink.”
Ghost frowned and ran a hand through his hair, but finally nodded. “Okay, but we’re gonna be watching.”
Mary rolled her eyes. “Thanks, Dad. I’m sure Truck appreciates you guys protecting him from big bad me.”