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And then she’s gone, disappearing into the crowd, likely in search of her own baloney pony to ride.Weirdo.
“Hey,” Rachel squeals, rushing forward with her arms out for a hug. I frown, but allow it, even going so far as to pat her back a couple of times, to be nice. Rachel and I have never hugged in all the history of us knowing each other.
“Hi,” Nicki says from beside her, popping her gum between her teeth as she looks around the room, but never at me.
“I just wanted to say goodbye before you leave tomorrow.” She tips her head toward TK on the other side of the bar. “I don’t know how you did it, Cora, but your man is fucking gorgeous.”
And he’s mine, so fuck off, skank.“Thanks.”
Nicki sticks her bottom lip out in a pout. “I knew we should’ve talked to them that night at the concert.”
Rachel’s eyes bug out at her friend before turning to me with an apologetic smile. “Anyway, I’m glad it worked out for you. I was sure the night I gave you that Xanax you would loosen up a bit and maybe hook up with that biker guy. But then you just kinda dropped off the map for a while, and I was sure you’d stay single forever.”
My ears ring as I gape at her, my entire world shifting on its axis. “What did you say?”
She steps closer and raises her voice. “I’m glad it worked out for you,” she says slowly, as if she’s talking to someone who doesn’t understand English.
I push away from the stool. “You drugged me?”
Rachel scoffs and rolls her eyes. “It was years ago, and it was just a little Xanax. What’s the big deal?”
I can’t move, because if I give my body permission to, even a fraction of a millimeter, I’ll punch this woman’s teeth down her throat. “What’s the big deal?” I repeat. “What’s the big deal?”
My voice grows in volume and my blood boils as I poke her in the chest, forcing her back against the wall. “He raped me, Rachel!” I scream, my nose just inches from hers. “He raped me while I was passed out, and that’s how I got pregnant with Harrison.”
“Oh, fuck,” Nicki mutters, but I can’t take my eyes off the treacherous bitch in front of me.
“For years, I’ve blamed myself for what he did to me. I thought I’d done something to make him think I wanted it, but it was you,” I seethe.
“Cora,” Carl says, his wheelchair moving to get between me and Rachel, at the same time TK comes up behind me and takes my hand.
“Step back, baby.”
I feel the tears burning as they spill onto my cheeks. “She drugged me,” I whisper, unable to believe my own words.
“I heard.” Pulling me away from Rachel, he leads me toward the back door.
“All these years, I thought I’d drank too much and just couldn’t remember, but it was her. She did that to me.”
The bar goes silent, everyone inside watching the scene unfold before them.
“I know, baby,” he says, pulling me to his chest.
“I think you’d better leave,” Carl tells Rachel and Nicki, motioning for them to go.
I stare up at TK and shake my head. “What kind of person does that?”
He draws in a deep breath and kisses the top of my head. “A sick one,” he replies. “But think about this. What she did was shit. What happened to you was shit. You can’t do anything to go back and change it, but you got your boy out of it.”
His words wash over me. I have Harrison. And because I have my boy, I wouldn’t go back and change it if I could.
“We can deal with that skank anyway you want to, darlin’, but for now, let’s just enjoy this awesome going away party your friends put together for you. Then, first thing tomorrow morning, we head to Austin.”
I hold his stare, using the steadiness he gives me to ground myself. “To Austin.”
He kisses the tip of my nose. “Now, go let these people love on you, because after tonight, you’re all mine.”
TWATKNOT
