Page 12 of Property Of Chrissy

“Not you too?” Bentley shakes his head at Grit. “My sister already has the fucking invitations picked out and I haven’t even met the girl yet.”

Bentley tugs at his collar. It’s clear he’s uncomfortable. All I picked up from the conversation the guys were having is that Hailey is setting him up on a date, but it sounds like she’s planning his damn wedding. I never see the officer nervous. Not even under pressure when he’s dealing with criminals in the line of duty. The guy’s usually cool as a cucumber. But right now, he looks anxious as fuck.

“Dude, relax. She’s a sweetheart, and she’s hot as shit. Just look at her,” Grit assures, gesturing toward the bar. My eyes travel in the same direction, and when they land on Chrissy, my anxiety kicks up a notch. “See her in the red tank?”

“Well, damn. Maybe my sister got it right on this one. She’s a fucking knockout.” Bentley nods, appreciating the view. What’s not to fucking appreciate?

No. Fucking. Way. This shit is not happening. There is no way I’m going to sit here and watch Bentley move in on my girl. Fuck. She’s not my fucking girl, so why the hell do I care? I was just trying to figure out how to get rid of her ass. So why the fuck is jealousy sitting in my stomach like a lead weight?

Bentley starts walking to her like he’s being lured by a siren, and I’m about to lose my shit. I watch him approach. Chrissy turns in his direction, and I see a genuine smile form on her mouth. Whatever he just said, she liked. She holds out her hand for him to shake. He takes it then pulls her in for a hug. What the hell? Why the fuck is he already touching her? Who the fuck does he think he is? And why the hell is she now giggling at whatever the fuck he’s saying? And not fake giggling. She’s truly amused. Just a minute ago her light was dim, and now it’s like he’s flipped a switch on. Like he’s hung the fucking moon.

I’m out of my seat, moving towards them before this goes any further. I’m trying to tell myself I’m only looking out for my brother here, but I know the truth. There’s no way I’m watching her date someone. The thought of someone else making her smile and lighting her up makes my chest physically hurt. And I sure as shit wouldn’t survive seeing her fall in love and moving on. That would kill me and I’m already nearly a dead man from when she broke my heart.

“Hey, man.” I approach from the side, and Bentley and Chrissy both turn in my direction. Her smile dropping the moment she sees me. Seeing my effect on her hits me so damn hard in the gut that now I’m more determined than ever to get this girl out of my life once and for all. “Just thought I should give you a heads-up, Bentley. You shouldn’t waste your time with this girl. She’s not someone you want to get tangled up with or you’ll end up living to regret it.”

Bentley’s smile drops from his face. “What the fuck, man?” His angered tone is directed at me, but he should really be pointing his anger in her direction.

“Don’t shoot the messenger, brother.” I hold my hands up. “I’m just giving you the warning I wish someone would have given me years ago. You being a man of the law and all, figured you’d want a partner who’s honest. This one doesn’t know the meaning of the word.”

I never would have stopped to help her with her tire that day had I known where I’d end up. Chrissy’s soft gasp has my eyes snapping to hers. Hers once again filling with big damn tears.

“I’m sorry, Sean,” she quietly whispers, her voice so thick with remorse. A pain in the left of my chest begins to throb. “I’m so sorry for what happened. I’m sorry for not telling you the truth. I’m sorry about all of it. If I could go back, there are so many things I would have done differently. I should have told you. I hate myself for what I did. I hate that I…”

I can’t listen to this. Her apology doesn’t mean squat to me. All it does is make me want things I can’t have. Make me want to forgive her and put the past behind us. But I know if I do, I’ll only get burned again.

“Save your fucking apology for someone who cares, Christina.” Her gasp lets me know I’ve landed my strike. And fuck does it suck to be me right now. Because seeing the pain I’m causing her rips me to pieces. I need her gone. I can’t do this anymore. I physically hate myself for what I’m doing to her. “If you really are sorry for that shit, then you’ll leave this town. You’ll quit this job right now and never come back. You’ll get the fuck out of my life once and for all. And you’ll make sure you stay out of it.”

The tears finally slip down her cheeks, and I fight the clawing urge to reach for her and wipe them away.

“Dude, what the fuck is going on with you, man? Why the hell are you being such a dick?”

I turn toward Bentley and explain exactly why he should stay the fuck away. “Because I thought I was going to marry her. She was the fucking love of my goddamn life. But it turned out I was just the guy from the wrong side of the tracks who she was having some fun with. Meanwhile, she was setting up her fancy life with some rich prick. Found out she was engaged to the guy the day before I was going to propose to her myself. That’s why, Bentley. You deserve better, man. Not a girl who’ll string you along while she finds herself Mr. Moneybags to set up shop with, and then shred your fucking heart apart.”

“Sean, what are you saying? Wait…I…you…” Chrissy’s stuttered whispers have me turning my attention back. A thousand different emotions are crossing her face. None of them pleasant ones. The most prominent one being utter confusion. “Is that what you believe? Is that what you think happened?”

Her question pisses me off further. “What the hell does that mean? What I believe? I saw it with my own damn eyes. You were there, Christina. You still had my cum dripping from your cunt while you were sitting at your damn engagement dinner, drinking champagne and showing off that huge fucking ring on your finger. There was no mistaking the truth. Why would I believe anything different? I know what fucking happened.” I fucking lived it.

Her gasp cuts through the noise of the bar. “Didn’t you get my texts and voicemails? Oh my God. I left you so many messages. Did they not go through? Did my dad somehow block them from getting to you?”

The panic in her voice and the pure look of horror resonating on her face has me doing a double take. But again, I’m not falling for her lies a second time around.

“I didn’t need to listen to any more lies or excuses. I saw it with my own two eyes, Christina. You were all cozied up next to your fiancé. What the fuck could you have said to that? And if you were trying to give an apology for betraying me, I had no need for it. It was too little too fucking late. I knew what a rich girl like you wanted. I realized exactly why you didn’t want me to meet your family. Why you always wanted to spend time in my neck of the woods. It was so you wouldn’t be seen with me. I may have been poor, but I wasn’t a dumb shit, Christina. So, to answer your question, yeah, I got the messages, but I deleted every single one right as it came in. Then I blocked your number when I realized they weren’t going to stop coming.”

She sucks in an audible breath and her entire demeanor deflates. The expression on her face can only be described with one word: devastation. Chrissy looks devastated by what I’ve just said.

“So, is that why you left? Or did my father threaten you?”

Why the hell is she asking me that? Threatened? By that asshole? No fucking way would I feel threatened by a man like that. I don’t care how much money he has. No one was or will ever take me down or make me feel like less of a man. I may have had a shit upbringing, but I fought my way out of hell and came out victorious and strong. Even back then, when I was barely getting by, men with money did not intimidate me. Is that what she thought? I would’ve felt threatened by her family so she chose some rich prick over me?

“No. I never felt threatened by your dear old dad. Not a chance in hell would I cower to a man like that. I took off because I couldn’t stand the thought of seeing your lying face again.”

Her eyes reveal such a massive amount of pain, I’m nearly brought to my knees. I want to reach for her, but I stop myself. I can’t let her sink her claws in again.

“Brother, you need to take this to my office.” Trigger’s voice manages to cut through the chaotic storm whirling around my mind. He’s standing by my side. The tables around us have grown awfully quiet and we now have an audience. I turn back toward Chrissy, ready to take her out back so we can finish this conversation in private and she can move the fuck out of my life, but the look on her face has me halting in place.

“You didn’t… He never… You left because… Oh God.”

Chrissy stumbles into Bentley, trying to back away from me. He catches her. His arms steadying her and remaining locked around her waist. Fuck. I want to punch him for touching my girl. “Chrissy, are you okay?”

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