Page 40 of If You Love Me

I’d come over here from Tyrion’s. I made the mistake in not leaving right away. As I was leaving, Evenie’s words echoed in my ear.

“I’ve got my eye on you.”

“Be careful about that. You might not like what you end up seeing.”

That had me seeing red because, what was she plotting? Was she trying to win Tyrion back? Make him break our engagement? What went on while I wasn’t there? Instead of leaving, I circled the block and parked a few houses down. Anxiously, I sat waiting until they came out of the house. It was another two hours before they finally emerged, looking all happy and shit.

I frowned at the sight of Tyrion opening Evenie’s door and grinning like they were all one big happy family. Who told him to be such a fucking gentleman? She climbed into the car, and he leaned in.

“Did he just kiss her?” I said aloud. “I know the fuck not!”

Even though I couldn’t see exactly what had taken place in the brief five seconds that he was in the car, my mind had created several different scenarios. None of them were pretty. Tyrion stood upright and closed the door. Rounding the car to the driver’s side, he climbed inside and cranked up. As he backed out of the driveway, my first mind told me to follow them and pop up on their little family outing anyway.

Alas, I pulled off from the curb and headed straight to my mother’s.

“Ma!” I yelled again, storming through the house.

She appeared at the top of the stairs with a frown on her face.

“Iona, I’m on an emergency call with a client. Stop all the damn yelling.”

I huffed as I crossed my arms. “How much longer are you going to be?”

“About twenty minutes. Go make you a drink or something and calm your nerves.”

She sashayed away. I stormed into the family room where the bar was and grabbed a bottle of vodka. It didn’t matter that I hadn’t eaten a thing this morning. I popped the top, tossed my head back, and let the liquid trickle down my throat.

“Now that is some alcoholic shit if I’ve ever seen it,” I heard behind me.

I turned to see my sister Meena leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. As usual, she was dressed to the nines in nothing but designer. Being a housewife of a wealthy man with no children afforded her the opportunity to do nothing but spend money. Meena was a pain in my ass. She loved to throw it in my face that she married well, and she lived better than I did.

Even when we were kids, she always thought she was better than me. She liked to refer to herself as the pretty sister. She was. I mean, I was far from ugly, but I’d never felt as beautiful as Meena. I was always in my sister’s shadow, and it was a dark place to be. Our father died when she was sixteen and I was fourteen. He left us both a nice inheritance that was ours on our eighteenth birthday.

She spent hers traveling the world, where she met her husband. I spent mine enhancing my appearance. My surgery was pricey, but very worth it. I didn’t go overboard. I simply upgraded what God had already given me. Everything looked natural and proportionate.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“Mom and I were on our way out to brunch when she got a call from a client in crisis.” She tilted her head as she looked at me. “Looks like they aren’t the only one. Why are you drinking this early?”

“Why are you in my business?”

She laughed. “No need to be testy, little sister. What is it this time? Trouble with your boy toy? Mom told me his wife turned up.”

I could choke my mom for telling her my business, knowing that we didn’t fuck with each other like that.

“I told you not to date a man with a kid or a missing wife, Iona,” she said, shaking her head. “You never listen to me.”

“Meena, I barely even like you.”

She wiggled her finger at me. “That’s that green-eyed monster. You nevercouldstand being second best.”

I gripped the bottle in my hand, fighting the urge to throw it at her smug face.

“Your best bet is to go wait in the car,” I said, taking another sip.

“Still the angry drunk, I see. Don’t worry. I know your anger is misdirected at the possibility of losing your man, sis.”

Her laughter echoed as she left the room. A few seconds later, I heard the front door open and close. I sighed heavily as I capped the bottle and placed it back on the bar. The sight of my engagement ring almost made me cry. I loved Tyrion so much. I’d worked overtime to get and keep that man.

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