Page 18 of Resolving Rumors

Dallas narrowed his eyes as he glanced my way. “That particular affliction seems to be going around a lot lately.”

“More than you know. Becs is also pregnant.”

“Fuck dude,” Dallas hissed and I checked out of the conversation as I worried about how Vic was doing. I neededmy phone to charge faster before I knocked both of the Mercer brothers out and took off after her anyway. If Austin was here dealing with Jordan’s shit, then that meant the chances she had gone to meet up with my girl were slim to none.

Dallas must have had the same thought because he asked when Austin was with Jordan last.

“I just came from her place,” Austin stated.

“She lied,” Dallas growled. “Did she even have her car there?” He glared at me as he asked the question. “What the hell is going on with you and my sister?”

“Whoa! What sister? You better not be fucking around with Katy, asshole.” Austin yelled.

Dallas laughed, but it was a menacing sound that put me on my guard. “No, that would be too easy and far more age appropriate, wouldn’t it?” My best friend asked.

Before I could answer, Dallas’s phone pinged with an incoming text. I was able to see it when he opened it up and there was a picture of my girl giving a thumbs up to the camera.

“You’re lucky she said she’s home now and that she didn’t bother waiting around for Jordan.”

“I’m lucky?” I asked.

“Yeah, fucker. Something isn’t right between the two of you, and it better not be what I think because you’re fucking married. It might be to Satan in makeup and a dress, but that little devil woman is carrying your child and I won’t have my sister dragged into that bullshit.”

“Damn Dallas, chill out. If something was going on between Victoria and your BFF, we would have known about it.”

“You would think,” Dallas murmured and then he turned and moved to get into his car. “I don’t like being kept in the dark and I have a bad fucking feeling.”

I wanted to tell him the truth. There was no need to keep it a secret besides the fact that I didn’t have solid proof aboutthe baby yet, but it wouldn’t be long before I could get that. Still, I couldn’t come clean to Dallas and Austin without talking to Victoria first. When I glanced at my phone again, Dallas slammed his car door shut and took off half a minute later.

“Look man, I get that life can be complicated, but I have to say, I rooted for you and Vic a couple years ago.”

“What?” I asked Austin in shock. He nodded and as if he figured it would be news to me that he knew about us.

“I hoped you two worked out whatever made you want to keep your relationship a secret, but then Justice was in the picture and I figured I didn’t know shit about shit.” Austin glanced back to where we could both see Dallas’ taillights growing smaller in the distance.

“I don’t know what the hell is happening now because my dumbass brother seems to think you married that bitch and maybe have a baby on the way. If that’s the case, then you need to leave my sister alone. That kind of complicated bullshit is too much for anyone to handle. Vic comes off as strong and sometimes domineering, being the oldest sibling and all, but she’s all soft and gooey inside. I don’t want to see my marshmallow of a sister display those soft insides to the people who cracked through the outer shell only to watch the good parts spill out and leave a mess behind.”

I stood there speechless as Austin walked off, got in his own car, and took off without any further fanfare, just like his younger brother had done moments ago.

I needed a plan to get Justice out of our lives once and for all. If Victoria’s brothers’ attitudes were anything to go by, that plan needed to fall into place yesterday.

After I got in my car, I pulled my phone up and saw that it had enough charge to turn back on. The minute it was up and running again, I dialed Vic. The phone rang out to voicemail and did so again when I hung up and attempted another call.

“Vic, I know you got home safe, but we are never doing that again. Your safety is more important than our secret or how someone might react to what has been going on. I wanted to come by and see you, but since you’re not answering, I’m going to go home and work on getting my plan in place to get us out from under this mess with Justice. I love you. Please, remember that. I almost told your brothers today, but I didn’t want to make another misstep without talking to you first.”

“You owe me a date!”Justice snapped at me the minute I walked through the door.

“What the fuck?” I growled back.

Justice flounced toward me before even a single toe could get through my front door. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear she had been lying in wait for me to get home. As soon as she was within reach, she slammed the door shut behind me and then stuck her hip out with her hand on it.

“What do you think you’re doing?” My fake wife asked with just as much attitude as she had greeted me with.

“Last I checked, I’m a grown man and you aren’t my mom. I don’t have to answer to you.”

“I AM YOUR WIFE!” She spat the words at me as if they were laced with venom and could do maximum harm on impact.

“We both know our marriage isn’t real, so again, I don’t know who you think you’re yelling at, but this is my fucking house and I don’t have to stand for it.”

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