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The moment that guy came into view, Tara froze, then panicked and fled. She seemed upset, but I don’t even know who he is. She ran out of here so fast that I couldn’t even ask her what was wrong.
I need to know what the fuck is going on here. The man looked at Tara with adoration, mixed with a little mischief. He was staring at her like a man obsessed. She knows him—I saw the recognition in her eyes when she saw him.
I want to break the tension, ask what the hell is going on. But Tara’s mom beats me to it.
“Zayan, do you know who this man is?” she demands, like I’m not even standing here. The man, Zayan, gives me an evil smirk, much like the one a bully gives in elementary school right before he takes your Snack Pack at lunch.
Zayan—I’ve heard that name before… This is the man Tara was trying to get out of marrying when she met me.
“He’s a friend of Tara’s.”
Friend? A crack splits my chest wide open. I’m her fucking husband. We might have gotten married for reasons other than love, but our feelings are growing deeper than just a contract. They’d know that, if she’d told them. If we’d both been fully in this from the beginning.
My thoughts go to our heart-to-heart in the car on the way over here. We both agreed that this was more, that we wanted to try this thing for real. I spilled pieces of myself that I never thought imaginable, and it hurts more than I thought it would being called just her friend.
I keep my mask in place even though I’m hurt, and hold out my hand. “Ma’am, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Nix Taylor. I’m Tara’s husband.” I add a little acid to the last word, and throw Zayan a glare so he knows his place.
Tara’s father takes a protective step forward, crossing his arms over his chest. I deal with a lot of people in my career. A lot of people who don’t take shit, or try to intimidate me, but I’ve never felt... vulnerable. Ever. I don’t want to disrespect them more than I already have, but the way he’s looking at me has me uneasy. Like no matter what I say, he’ll only have disdain for me.
I’m standing in the middle of Tara’s house, telling her parents that we’re married, and she’s nowhere to be seen. She ran the first chance she got. It’s her M.O. She runs because she gets scared. We all have a weakness, but hers is to bounce the first chance she gets.
Her mom’s face goes through so many emotions in the matter of seconds. Confusion. Hurt. Anger. Her brows are scrunched and her mouth is open forming a perfect O. “Y-you’re her what?”
Zayan speaks before I even get the chance, his voice both condescending and charming at the same time. “Nix here is a little confused on his place, because I’m Tara’s fiancé.”
Like hell he is. Fuck no. Tara has my ring on her finger. My last name. Lives in my damn house. She is my wife. He might have been with her at one point, but that ship has sailed. She actively tried to get away from him by marrying me. He’s the one confused.
“No confusion over here. Tara is one hundred percent my wife. I don’t know who you think you are, but I suggest you just stop talking, because she’s mine. You’re the one with your wires crossed.”
I just want to smack the smug look off Zayan’s face. This man isn’t even faltering. It’s like he finds this amusing, like he knew this was going to happen.
“Wife? No. You must be wrong. We’ve never even met you,” Tara’s mom says in confusion.
“With all due respect, Tara wanted to wait to tell you. We were going to do that tonight. We’re very much in love, and I’d never do anything to disrespect your daughter. She’s the most caring, loyal, funny woman I’ve ever met.”
I might be trying to butter her parents up right now, but it’s not a lie. Tara is all of those things, and I think deep down, I’m in love with her—even though she’s a thorn in my side half the time.
What the fuck? Love. I don’t love anyone besides my mom and Reilly. I don’t know how to love a woman, or how to even be in a relationship. That’s all foreign to me. But that’s what it must be. If I didn’t love her, I wouldn’t be standing here bleeding out because another man called her his fiancé.
I wouldn’t be itching to knock him out, to show him she’s mine. The possessiveness I feel over her wouldn’t be consuming me if I didn’t.
This time her father speaks up. “You can’t be married. We don’t know you. There wasn’t even a wedding. Tara would never do that to us. She knows how much we wanted her to marry Zayan.”
What’s so special about this guy Zayan anyway, that has them dead set on not giving me a chance?
“Sir, we are very much mar—”
Zayan cuts me off before I can finish. “Allow me to explain. There definitely was a wedding, which you weren’t invited to. They kept it from you because it isn’t real. They’re like little kids playing house right now. It’s all just a game to them.”
How does this fucker even know about our wedding? His ass certainly wasn’t invited. He seems to know a little about the truth behind our relationship too. Something only a select few people really know.
The arrogant prick raises a casual eyebrow. “But she’s still marrying me.”
The fuck she is.She can’t marry him when she’s already taken. I’m trying to keep my composure in front of Tara’s parents, but now I want to rip Zayan a new one. I want to shred him apart, piece by piece.
“She’s not marrying you. She’s trying to get away from you, jackass. When I met Tara, I heard this little arrangement and how she didn’t want it. She wanted as far away from you as possible. Plus, she can’t marry you because she’s already married. Bigamy is illegal here.” I don’t know if I’m saying too much, but I have to fight for her. Until she’s out here to speak up for herself, I’ll defend her… defend us. I won’t let him tarnish this relationship, no matter how it began.
“Oh yeah? Then why has she been talking to me the whole time you’ve been married? Telling me how much she loves me, how much she can’t stand you. How you’re such an asshole who treats her like shit.” My stomach drops. What he’s saying about me being an asshole is true, but there’s no way she’d want to be with him. That can’t be true. Why would she lie about not wanting to marry Zayan? Our marriage hasn’t been perfect, but it’s been getting better, and she has everything she could ever want. She’s happy and safe with me. She even told me she’s ready for us to really try to make this work.
