Chapter 30

30

Iona

I sat in my living room watching the live footage of Tyrion and Evenie in his bedroom. I’d damn near paced a hole through my living room the entire time they were gone. Here he was taking this bitch on a date while I was sitting at home waiting for him to get back. It was pure torture watching them, but I couldn’t stop. I’d gone from watching on my phone, to casting the video on my seventy-five-inch television in the living room. I needed to hear and see everything like I needed air to breathe.

It had, indeed, become an obsession.

I hadn’t been to work in a week and a half. I barely ate, and when I did eat, it was just enough to stop the stomach cramps from not eating. I hadn’t showered in days. All I did was replay these videos, cry, and drink, then pass out from the drinking when it became too much.

It had consumed me.

Here I was watching my man… the only man I’d ever really loved, move on without me. I had to watch Summer Rose fawn over her mama like she was her entire world. That used to be me. I used to be on the receiving end of her and her father’s love. I used to be the one that made them happy. The worst thing that ever happened to me was her coming back.

It wasn’t my fault she got kidnapped.

It wasn’t my fault she lost ten years with her family.

Yet I was the one suffering. It wasn’t fair.

“What’s on your mind?” Evenie asked.

“I’m just admiring you,” he said, kissing her toes. “Pretty ass.”

“Ha!” I laughed at the screen. “She doesn’t look better than me.”

I watched her, blushing and shit. I hated that bitch.

“I have something for you,” he said, going over to the dresser.

I sat up straight as I watched Tyrion rummaging through a drawer. When he turned around with a small black box, my eyes widened.

“I know the fuck not!” I yelled, sliding to the edge of my seat.

“I know we have a long journey ahead of us, but you were made for me, Ev. God took His time and handcrafted you to fit every part of my life. I’m so sorry I ever tried to have the life that was always meant to be with you, with someone else. No matter what happens, no matter the circumstance, I will never not wait for you again. If I can’t be with you in this life, I’ll just wait until I can be with you in the next. I love you… I love you past my heart, past my body… I love you with my soul.

“You and Summer Rose are my greatest gifts and my biggest blessings. There is nothing in this world I wouldn’t give for either of you, love. I would lay down my life to make sure that you and that little girl are okay. I know we’re technically already married, but I wanted to give you this ring to reaffirm my commitment to you. If you decide to wear it, I want it to be with pride. Evenie Jade Lewis… will you do me the honor of remaining my wife?”

Evenie giggled. “Yeah, man.”

He kissed his teeth. “Try that again, woman. I just poured my heart out to you.”

She laughed as she wiped the tears from her face. “Yes, Tyrion James Lewis. It would be an honor to remain your wife.”

I picked up my liquor bottle and hurled it at the television, causing the screen to shatter. My anger surged as I flipped the glass coffee table.

“Son of a bitch! You regret me? Me! After all I’ve done for you, you selfish fucking bastard!”

I stormed into the kitchen to my liquor cabinet only to be disappointed because it was now empty.

“Fuck!”

I slammed the glass door, causing it to shatter. Leaning against the counter, I took several deep breaths, attempting to calm my nerves. Standing up straight, I tossed my hair over my shoulder and sauntered back into the living room to grab my phone. I swiped to the camera app and clicked on it. The first thing I saw when the image populated was Evenie on top of Tyrion, riding him. I felt like I’d been stabbed in the heart watching the look of pleasure on his face.

He liked it… loved it.

“That’s it, love,” he whispered, running his fingers through her curls. “Take what you need.”

“Fuck!” He groaned beneath her. “You’re so fucking beautiful, baby. So fucking perfect. Look at me, Ev. Please… look at me.

“I love you so much,” he declared, kissing her neck. “All of you. Every piece of you belongs with me, and I am never letting you go. You’re my heart and soul, Evenie.”

Every declaration he made to her was like twisting the knife in my chest. I was filled with so much hurt and anger. If he ever loved me, how could he say that? How could he act like I meant nothing to him? I stood there watching them until I couldn’t take it anymore.

I closed out of the app, tears streaming down my face. With trembling fingers, I called my mama.

“Iona?”

I could tell she was driving from the background noise.

“Mommy… I can’t take this.”

“Baby, please, let me help you—”

“He gave her a ring.”

“How do you know that, sweetheart?”

“I’m watching them right now, Ma! Damn! He really just moved on from me with no hesitation.”

“Iona… she’s his wife. They were separated a long time, baby—”

“I don’t care!” I screamed. “He was mine! They were mine! She should have stayed gone. I hate him. I hate him for hurting me. He thought he knew pain when she disappeared, he hasn’t seen shit yet!”

“Iona, baby, let me come to you. Let me take care of you. Please!”

“I don’t need to be taken care of. I don’t need a lecture. What I need is for him to feel what I feel!”

“Please let me take you—”

“I’m not going any fucking where! God, why did I call you? You’re never on my side. You’re supposed to be on my side sometimes.”

“I’m always in your corner, but right is right, and wrong is wrong. You have no right to cause harm to him for choosing to be with his wife, Iona.”

“You’re acting like I was a side chick. I was his fiancée. He asked me to marry him, to spend the rest of my life with him, then he just snatched it all back just because I sent his wife the divorce papers he should have sent long ago?”

“Are you hearing yourself, baby? Do you see how crazy this all sounds?”

“I’m not crazy,” I yelled.

“I didn’t say you were crazy—”

“Mama, why are you trying to reason with her?” Meena asked in the background. “This ain’t the first time she’s gone off the deep end. I don’t know why you won’t just commit her. You have the power to do it.”

“Shut up, Meena! You would love to see me put away. You hate the idea of anybody loving me.”

She laughed. “Nobody would be stupid enough to actually love you if they knew what they were getting. That’s why you fucked my husband. You’re the reason I’m getting divorced!”

“You still mad about that? It was eight years ago. I don’t want that nigga, but believe me, if I slid this pussy across his face again, he would absolutely take it.”

“Iona!” my mother yelled.

“I hate you!” Meena screamed. “You always want what you can’t have because nothing about you is desirable. Look at you. You paid all that money to be a bad bitch and still going out a sad, crazy, deranged lunatic. You wanted to play house with a man that already had a wife. All that sucking, fucking, cleaning, and playing mommy might have gotten you the ring, but you still don’t have the man.”

“Both of you need to stop it,” our mother begged.

“No, she needs to hear the truth. Did you hear what she said, Mama? She’s watching them. You put cameras in that house, didn’t you?”

“She wouldn’t do that,” my mother defended.

“It’s either that or crazy is at the house. You hear all the yelling she’s doing. There’s no way she’s over there. They would have come out or called the police by now.”

My mother was quiet for a minute. “Iona… did you put a camera in the house?”

“I don’t have to answer to either of you.”

“See,” Meena said. “You need to call the police and have her committed before she does something stupid. This is gonna fall on you if she goes out there acting a fool. Don’t let her ruin your life, Mama. God! Daddy is probably rolling over in his grave.”

“You keep talking and you’re gonna join him, bitch.”

I hung up the phone and went back to the app for the umpteenth time since I downloaded it. Tyrion and Evenie were cuddled in bed at this point. I could hear the soft sounds of his familiar snoring. He’d better enjoy a good night’s sleep now, because by the time I was done with both of them, they might just have eternal rest.