Page 87 of If You Love Me

“Like I’m where I belong.”

I kissed her forehead and settled into the bed.My sentiments, exactly.

27

Iona

“You got new bedroom furniture,” Evenie commented, looking around.

“I did. I got new mattresses too. I um… in hopes of you coming home, I wanted us to have a fresh start. I put our old bedroom furniture in storage before Iona and I ever… you know. It didn’t feel right bringing another woman into a bed I shared with you. “Unfortunately, the storage unit flooded a few years ago, and everything had water damage. I replaced the second new set because I couldn’t have you in a bed I shared with someone else either.”

“Bastard!” I screamed at the video footage.

I was on the verge of throwing my phone, but I had to practice restraint. Watching this shit was doing more harm than good to my mental. I told myself I was going to take a break, but after our interaction in the pickup line today, I couldn’t help myself. As soon as the last child had been picked up, I hightailed it back to my office to grab my things and made a beeline for home.

For two weeks now, I’d been watching Tyrion’s house, and the more I watched, the more I hurt. The more I hurt, the angrier I became. I’d endured watching him and Evenie being hugged up and kissing and shit. I’d endured the sickeningly cute little family moments between them and Summer.

The green-eyed monster on my back was rearing its ugly head. It should have been me. It wassupposedto be me.

“You didn’t want to fuck that bitch on the same bed you fucked me on? Like I’m some dirty whore!”

I tossed the phone on the bed as Tyrion disappeared into the bathroom, and Evenie unwrapped her towel. I didn’t want to see her fat ass get naked. Tyrion was tripping if he preferred her over me. Did he really think she could compete with me? Did she think she could compete with me?

The green-eyed monster on my back laughed.“She’s got him, and you don’t. I see no competition.”

“Shut up!” I yelled.

I yanked the covers back. Jumping to my feet, I stormed out of my room and into the kitchen to grab myself another drink. I’d already gone through a whole bottle of my strongest wine, and it did nothing for me. I needed something stronger.

Rummaging through my liquor cabinet, I pulled out a bottle of Hennessy and popped the cap open. Turning the bottle up, I took one long swig of it, not caring that it was burning my chest. I didn’t bother to grab a glass before heading back in the direction of my room. Just as I turned the corner, my doorbell rang.

“Nobody’s fucking home!” I yelled.

“Iona, open this damn door!”

It was my mother. She had some nerve showing up here after she called to have a wellness check done on me last week. I’d been minding my own business when there was a knock on my door. When I answered it, I was surprised to see an officerstanding there. At first, I thought maybe Tyrion had found the cameras and figured out it was me that put them there. Once he explained the reason for his visit, I knew it was nobody but my mama.

She’d been calling me nonstop since she figured out I’d stopped taking my medication. I hated that she had access to my medical records. When I first got my diagnosis, my father made it a point to have him and my mother my legal medical proxy. With his family history, it had become necessary in more cases than not. No matter how old I got, one of them would always have control over me when I couldn’t have control over myself.

My mother promised me she would never use it against me unless it was a last resort. Just to get her off my back, I made an appointment with my doctor to have them adjusted. While I had the new prescription, I still wasn’t taking them. The officer didn’t know that when I presented him with the bottle. To him, I looked and acted normal. My house was clean since I’d finally put my shit back. I was clean, and at the time of his visit, I wasn’t spiraling.

“What do you want, Christina!” I yelled.

“Open this goddamn door, right now!”

I stumbled through my living room to the front door. After unlocking it, I swung it open, not caring that I was standing in the front door in nothing but my bra and panties with an open liquor bottle in my hand.

“What?”

My mother looked at me in disgust as she brushed past me and into the house.

“Go put on some clothes.”

“This is my house.”

I slammed the door and walked over to the couch, flopping down. She took a seat across from me, sitting there looking all poised, prim, and proper.

“Can I help you, Mother?” I asked, turning up the bottle again.

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