“Sugar, I’ll protect you until my last breath. I don’t share, not now and not ever. You’re mine and only mine. No one is allowed to put their hands on you, no matter the situation.” I grabbed her by the waist, drawing her to my body. “Maybe I’m being harsh, but the thought of someone else touching you just pisses me off. I tried to control myself, but the prick had to keep running his mouth.” I touched her cheek, holding her face in my hand.
Her face softened as she leaned into my touch. “He did. I’m sorry. I’m drunk and we’re just having some harmless fun.”
I leaned in, hovering just above her lips. Her eyes fluttered closed as I inhaled in the smell of Suzy. The scent wasn’t right. “What the fuck?” I sniffed her cheek and neck. She had a sweaty musky scent on her skin. “Why do you smell like a man?”
Her eyes flew open and grew wide. “What are you talking about?” she whispered.
“You smell like another man’s been pawing you. That jagoff didn’t touch your face. Why the hell does your face and neck smell like someone else?” My heart started to pound sporadically, my chest felt hollow except for the flutter of my heart.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I haven’t touched anyone.” She grabbed my shirt, holding me to her.
“Like fuck you haven’t. I can smell him.” Nausea overcame me as the realization that Suzy had been that close to another man. Maybe she wasn’t the woman I always thought she was.
“City, I haven’t touched anyone. You’re making shit up.”
I backed away, dropping my hand from her cheek. “I find you with some guy with his hands all over you and now I can smell someone all over your skin. Don’t you have anything to say for yourself or are you just going to deny it?”
She looked to the sky and back to me, her eyes glistening in the light. “I didn’t do anything wrong,” she yelled, her hands fisted at her side.
I shook my head, feeling my heart shattering into a million tiny pieces. The thought of her cheating on me made me feel like death would be preferable. I didn’t want to look at her anymore. I couldn’t take the lies or the dull ache in my chest. “I don’t believe you,” I whispered, looking over her. I couldn’t stomach looking in her eyes anymore.
“City,” she pleaded, reaching for my arm.
I recoiled, moving my body out of reach. “No, not this time, sugar. I need some time to myself,” I said as I turned my back to her.
I didn’t want to see the hurt on her face. I didn’t have to look at her to know it was there, but I was too pissed off to stick around and talk about it. I needed to get away and cool off.
“Bro, where ya going?” Michael said, stepping in front of me.
“I need to be alone, brother. I’m taking a cab home,” I said, trying to control my breathing. I closed my eyes and breathed out through my mouth before looking him in the eyes.
“Come on. We have the party bus. We can go somewhere else.” Michael gave me a fake smile.
“Fuck that. I’m going home. Take the party bus and enjoy the night. Tell Suzy to stay here with the girls. I need to be alone tonight.”
I walked around him, leaving them behind. I found a cab and headed home. I tried to process how the night went so terribly wrong. Did I overreact? Probably. Did someone touch my fiancée? Most definitely. Could we be fixed? Only time would tell.
I closed my eyes; the blur of palm trees made my head hurt more than it already did. I thought about everything we’d been through in the last year. Suzy lost her good girl image and stole my heart. I wrecked on my bike and almost died. The woman nursed me back to health and waited on me hand and foot.
It may have been a bachelorette party, but the shit still stung. My over active imagination and the words the cocksucker spoke was like a punch to the gut. I knew my Suzy. She wouldn’t cheat, but the thought of someone else touching her made my stomach hurt and my heart ache. I literally pushed Suzy away and turned my back on her. I let my anger rule instead of using my head. I reacted without thinking and would have to deal with it tomorrow.
I rubbed my face, wishing I could wash it all away and go back in time. I’d been a total dumb fuck and there would be a heavy price to pay and most likely groveling. I wasn’t one to grovel and beg, but this was my sugar. I’d do anything for her, to keep her, and make her mine. The closer I got to the house, our house, the more I knew I fucked up.
After paying the cab driver and walking up the driveway, I pulled out my phone and checked my messages. Not a message since I left her.