Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 73192 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73192 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
“His dad left when he was at an impressionable age,” he said softly. “We were young when it happened and it rocked both of our worlds.”
I looked down at my hands. “His mom lost it. Alana lost it. Everyone lost it and it was up to Tyler to make sure that they didn’t break completely.”
I gritted my teeth. “They owned a horse farm and had obligations. His mother stopped working. His sister started skipping school. Bills weren’t getting paid and everyone, including him, was failing school.”
I swallowed.
“I did his homework for a year,” he said. “I turned that shit in for him and didn’t care one single bit that he was using me. Because that’s what friends do for each other when the other’s world is completely falling apart.”
“Tyler left you for four years,” I snarled at him.
Rome grinned and sat back in his seat. “Tyler didn’t leave me, honey.”
“Really?” I asked. “Because it looks like he left you from my perspective.”
I wasn’t sure why I was getting so mad at Rome. If anyone in this world deserved my ire, it was Tyler and not Rome.
And hell, even then, my anger would still be pointed at the wrong person. All of the fault lay at Dusty’s feet, not anybody else’s.
“He checked up on me every week. He called my mom. Called my dad. Called my sisters and brothers. But, right around that same time, my family and I had a falling out, too. The only reason that I know that Tyler called my mom was because my youngest sister still talks to me. She told me that Tyler checks on me every week and that everyone says I’m perfect.” Rome sounded disgusted. “A person who doesn’t care doesn’t call your mom to check on you once a week for four years.”
I didn’t know what to say to that.
He was right.
“Why did he never just call you?” I pushed.
I was angry, but Rome was starting to get through to me.
“Tyler learned a long time ago to keep his emotions bottled up inside, because if he let them out, his family would see that he was struggling, so no one will ever see him struggle. There’s just something inside of him that keeps it all closed up and the moment that he shares his troubles with you, it means he’s broken. Or it means that you’ve finally gotten in deeper than anybody before you ever has.” He leaned back in his chair.
I looked away. “He hurt me today.”
“He didn’t hurt you,” Rome said softly. “That piece of shit Dusty Rhymes hurt you. Tyler just said some things that can be repaired if you’d allow him to fix it.”
I looked down at my hands that were tangling underneath the table.
“My ex-boyfriend turned stalker almost raped me, Rome.” I glanced to the side to make sure that the only other occupied table in this roadside diner wasn’t paying attention. “And honestly? Tyler needs to get over himself. He didn’t even check on me before he started in with the yelling.”
Rome sighed. “He was scared, babe. Then he had his ass handed to him the moment he walked into that surveillance room, by one of his rookie cops, no less and listened to the audio recording of the 9-1-1 call. I’ve never in my life seen Tyler lose it before, but when he came out and you’d been picked up by your dad? Yeah, that was not good. He freaked out. Then he left. I haven’t been able to find him.”
I felt something sharp move through my stomach. “What do you mean you haven’t found him?”
Rome leaned forward.
My eyes followed the movement and it was only then that I saw my father standing there, taking in every word.
I felt something sick slide into my stomach at realizing what my father had heard.
There was no way in hell that he hadn’t heard all of it.
It didn’t take fifteen minutes to fake going to the bathroom.
“I mean, honey, that Tyler has gone out hunting and it isn’t gonna be good.”
I held my father’s eyes.
One day soon, we’d be having a come to Jesus meeting and he wasn’t going to be nice to me either.
“You mind staying here with her?”
My dad’s words had Rome turning and looking over his shoulder to the man at his back, but he looked unsurprised to find him there.
“No, I don’t mind,” Rome murmured. “Keep in mind, though, when you find Tyler, just know that anything you say or do to him won’t be any worse than what he already wants to say and or do to himself.”
My dad didn’t acknowledge Rome’s statement and instead was turning to leave before the words had even finished resonating in the air around us.
“Shit,” I murmured. “I didn’t tell him for a reason.”
Rome’s eyes were warm on me. “You didn’t tell him for the same reason that you didn’t scream it from the rooftops when Tyler came in. You didn’t want either of them to get in trouble. But let me tell you something. That isn’t your decision to make. They have a right to protect the woman that they love.”