ONE
I hurried out of the car and made a beeline for the apartment stairs, praying I wouldn't pee my pants before I made it upstairs. I'd spent the last few hours watching doctors rush around Mom's hospital bed, too terrified that she was going to die to think about anything else.
I took the stairs two at a time, desperate for a shower and my bed beside my boyfriend, Tyler. He'd probably be asleep by now.
Just as I got inside, I heard a man's low groans and the repeated slap of skin against skin coming from our bedroom.
Was Tyler watching porn?
The thought seemed ridiculous. He'd always shut me down whenever I suggested bringing anything different into our sex life and made me feel ashamed for even asking if I could touch myself while he watched.
I almost went to the second bathroom to avoid an awkward conversation, but the sounds were too real to be coming from a screen.
I pushed the bedroom door open.
Tyler's ass was arched high off the mattress as the man behind him drove into him. His voice cracked as he gasped, "Don't stop, baby. Don't fucking stop."
My mouth fell open when I saw the man behind him.
Paul. Tyler's friend. The lawyer handling my brother's case.
Tyler lifted his head, his eyes locking onto mine.
"Oh shit! Lisa."
Warmth trickled down my thighs. I ran to the guest bathroom, barely getting my pants down before my bladder gave out.
When I came back out, Paul was already in the hallway, his sweatpants pulled crooked around his waist. He towered over Tyler, who hovered behind him with a crumpled sheet clutched around his hips like a scared schoolboy.
“Lisa, I’m so sorry,” Paul said, holding his hands up. “We—”
“You don’t owe me an apology,” I said, keeping my voice level. “You’re not the one I’m with.”
Tyler stepped out from behind Paul, keeping his eyes fixed on the floor.
“What changed, Tyler?” I asked. “Cheating was the one thing you said was unforgivable.”
Tyler opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Paul spoke for them.
“Lisa, it wasn’t supposed to happen like this. We were just messing around. I’m sorry.”
Tyler turned on him instantly. “That’s not true.”
Paul tried to quiet him, but Tyler pushed past his arm.
“Paul and I are in love. I was going to break up with you sooner, but we thought it was better to wait. With everything you were dealing with, we didn’t think you could handle it then.”
My chest tightened as the tears came, but I wasn’t going to let them see me cry.
“Then why did you ask me out? Why tell me you loved me and make me believe I was building a life with you when you were already planning to leave?”
Tyler looked away toward the wall. “You weren’t this exhausting when we started. Things were different back then.”
My breath hitched.
I’d been dealing with all of this for months, and somehow the one who was supposed to have my back was making it look like I chose problems to come to me.
“You’ve just become too much, Lisa,” he continued. “It’s always something. Your mom’s dialysis, your brother in jail, your sister dying. I can’t keep coming home to all of that. I don’t want this life anymore.”
Paul reached out to quiet him. “Tyler, please. Take it easy on her.”
“Stay out of this,” Tyler snapped at him. “I’m done, and I’m not going to let her make me out to be the bad guy. We’ll still help with her brother’s case, but I’m not putting up with this anymore.”
My eyes stung as I shook my head.
“Keep it. I don’t want anything from either of you.”
“You don’t mean that,” Tyler said. “Paul’s a great criminal lawyer. He’s the only reason Benny’s been treated decently. Don’t let this ruin his chances.”
I stared at Tyler, then at Paul. “It’s been six months of you telling me to be patient. How am I supposed to know you weren’t both playing me this whole time?”
Paul’s face hardened.
“Lisa, please don’t be ridiculous. Your brother got mixed up with crime lords who can buy judges. I’ve done everything I could, and I did it for free.”
“Looks like you already got paid.”
Paul went dead silent.
I turned away and walked back into the bedroom. The air was still thick with the heavy scent of sweat and sex. I pulled open the drawers and started throwing my clothes into boxes.
My mother would laugh if she saw me right now. She’d always said falling in love just for the sake of love was foolish. Love wouldn’t pay the bills or catch you when everything fell apart. I’d spent two years trying to prove her wrong.
Maybe she’d been right all along.
