Other Options （18）

"So which one: the red one or the black one?" She held up both dresses on hangers as she finished getting packed for Nick's wedding, which was in a few hours at a hotel on Long Island.

"What's it fuckin' matter? You could wear a plastic bag and you'd still be a smoke," Tyler told her, as he lay on her bed scrolling through his phone. "But you better pick one because we need to grab Osi and get going. The traffic's a real bitch over there."

The team had gotten a rare break in their schedule from the previous Sunday to the upcoming Sunday, so Nick planned a small wedding for that Friday. A few of the players who hadn't decided to go home or take a quick vacation would be in attendance.

Osi and Tyler would.

Ryan would not.

"I hate that I won't be able to come with you," he'd told Amara. "But you understand that I have to go, right?"

"I know. I totally get it. I was just looking forward to another night out with you."

Luke had called him Tuesday morning to say that their mom had ended up in the hospital after passing out. It didn't appear too serious, but they were running a bunch of tests because they couldn't figure out what had caused it. Ryan decided that he needed to be there and had flown out to Minnesota that day.

"Amara? Behave," he'd told her, before leaving for his Uber and after pulling her in for a long, slow kiss.

"I'm gonna go with the black one," she said aloud, folding it and placing it inside her suitcase. "I just have to grab my makeup and hair stuff and then we can head out."

"So, hey: I never got to ask you," Tyler said, putting his phone down. "The fuck was goin' on the other night with you guys?"

"What do you mean?" She played dumb, as she went into the bathroom.

He followed her, leaning against the door frame with one arm above his head. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. The super-hot, stacked blonde who was molestin' Rook in the elevator."

"Oh. That? Umm, nothing. We're just…trying out something different. It's fine. Ugh, where the fuck is my foundation brush?" she whined, moving things around wildly on her vanity.

"Is it fine?"

"Yes! God, where is it?"

"Why are you so flustered right now, Mar?"

"I'm not flustered!" she yelled. "There it is." She snatched the brush, stuffing it into her toiletries bag and zipping it aggressively. She grabbed the bag off the counter, pushed by him, and went back into her room to get her suitcase. "Come on, we need to go. Text Osi."

"He's got you fucking other girls with him? Already? And you're cool with that?"

"Tyler," she warned. "Back off."

"You get to play around with other dudes, or does this arrangement just benefit him?"

"That's none of your business, OK?"

He took her suitcase from her and set it down. "If you're upset, it's very much my fuckin' business. And you're upset. So, you better talk to me."

She immediately let herself fall apart in front of him, collapsing onto his shoulder while he ran his hand up and down her back. "Yeah, that's exactly what I fuckin' thought."

She pulled away after a few seconds and wiped her eyes. "It was me. I suggested we try an open relationship. That was our first time, and it was hot, but I kinda regret it." She sat down on the edge of her bed, wiping her eyes.

"I bet you do. Why the fuck would you even suggest some shit like that?" he asked, sitting next to her.

"Because he's…who he is. I don't know if Ry's even wired for monogamy. And I don't wanna get cheated on again. I won't survive it."

"No man is wired for monogamy, Mar. If you care about someone, you work at it. Amara, did he cheat on you? I swear to God, I'll fuckin' beat his face in."

"No. I just found some stuff online…that's what I was trying to talk to you about that night I was outside your door and you made me leave."

"Because you smelled like alcohol and were coming on to me like a horny prom date. What kinda stuff online?"

"It was the Islanders subreddit."

"The what?"

"It's a forum where people can post about different topics. Bridgeport has one, and girls didn't have a lot of nice things to say about him."

"Like?"

"They said he told them he had a girlfriend and that he wouldn't meet up with them for sex."

"And that upset you? Sorry, I don't follow."

"No, it's…" She pulled her hair back and let it fall again. "But he said all that while he was still flirting with them online, making sexual comments, telling them he jerked off to their pictures, liking all their stories and shit. And then when they'd try to meet up, he'd ghost them, basically leading them on."

"This is after you two agreed to date?"

"Yes."

"Wow. What a piece of garbage."

"I just don't know if it's fair for me to ask him to…"

"Ask him to what, act like your boyfriend? The boyfriend he basically pressured you into having? He doesn't get to have it both ways, Amara."

"It's just...he's still young."

"Bullshit! He's fuckin' three years older than me, and I have no problem tellin' a bitch to go home."

"Shit. I always forget how young you are, Tyler."

"Yeah? And I always forget that you belong in a nursing home, Grandma."

She elbowed him. "Dick."

"So, what'd those hoes have to say about me?"

She laughed. "There's been nothing posted since your breakup, but before? That you don't cheat, that you won't cheat, that you don't respond to messages, and to not even waste your time. Every single one of them."

He flexed. "Boom. See that? That's how it's done." He looked down at the floor. "It's not that complicated to be a real man, Amara. You wanna screw around, you don't get into a relationship. You wanna be in a relationship with someone, you make sacrifices."

"Coming from the guy who ruined two marriages," she replied, instantly regretting it when she saw the hurt that crept across his face.

"That's fucked up. I made mistakes, OK? Big, heavy mistakes that I have to carry around daily, that haunt me nonstop. But that's not an excuse not to change. I'm not that 16-year-old lost kid anymore, Mar."

"I'm sorry. I had no right to say that."

"No, you didn't. But you're hot, so I'll let it slide."

She changed the subject. "Back to what I was saying. As far as making sacrifices, with this…arrangement, we kinda don't have to."

"You gonna come cry on my shoulder every time he fucks another younger, hotter girl and your old ass feels insecure?"

"Will you let me?"

"You know I will."

"I mean, I had some fun with her, too. And it was kinda hot watching him do his thing with someone else. I just have to force myself to get used to it is all. Besides, I have some other options of my own I'd like to explore."

"Well, for the record, I know you both pretty well, and I think this is a real fuckin' stupid idea."

"I don't remember asking what you think," she spat back.

"So, uh, you never answered my question." He snuck an arm around her waist and scooted her closer to him, so their hips touched. He reached his other hand around the back of her head, pulling her forehead to his.

"What are you doing?" she asked, running a hand across his chest.

"Do you get to play, too? You allowed to explore those other options?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Uh huh," she panted.

"Well? Go on, then."

"Ty." Her heartbeat thumped uncontrollably in her ears as his lips finally pressed against hers, followed quickly by his tongue. She met it briefly with her own, which sent a shock wave through her entire body, before pulling back abruptly and pushing him away.

"Jesus, Amara, come on!" he whined. "How long are we gonna fuckin' do this?"

"Yes, I do get to play, too. But it has to be threesomes or group stuff, no going off one-on-one. And I can't play with…you, Tyler. That's his main boundary."

"Of course it is!" He stood up abruptly, adjusted the front of his pants, and shook his head as he grabbed her suitcase again. "Fuck. Just…get the rest of your shit. We gotta go!" he snapped. "You're fuckin' unbelievable!"

"Tyler…"

"I don't wanna hear it. Let's go." He got to the front door, stopped, threw her suitcase to the ground, and whipped around to face her. "Nah, fuck this! You had no issue tellin' me how you felt about my ex-girlfriend when we were together, so now it's my turn. If you wanna bang other people, and if he wants to bang other people? Break it off with him!" he shouted, startling her. "You're not this stupid, Amara. You know he's using you, right?"

"No, he's not," she protested. "He's not."

"Yes, he is! He's using you to fill some void in his stupid, fucked-up brain. You provide this part-time girlfriend experience while he gets to continue being a full-time sloppy whore. He's controlling you. You don't see it?"

"No, he's not."

"Stop making excuses for him. What, just because he makes you cum hard? Plenty of other guys can do the same, minus the mind games. He's controlling you, Mar!" He got right up in her face and jammed a finger into her chest. "And you're lettin' him! You're fuckin' lettin' him. You know, I'm disappointed in you. I really thought you were smarter and stronger than this." He picked her suitcase back up and walked out.

"So did I," she said softly, following Hayes out the door.