“Okay, stop, please. I have to tell you guys something.”
Ruby Jane smirks, as if she knows what I’m going to say.
“First, I got on Nashville Star!” Everyone squeals and hugs me, almost toppling me over. “Second, the wedding is off. I’m not marrying Wes.”
Ruby Jane jumps up on a chair and whistles “Whoop whoop. This is the best news ever.” She grins brightly, and I shake my head at her. She’s nuts.
“It’s whatever. It wouldn’t have worked either way, because the damn show caused a rift and told me that due to scheduling it would have to be pushed around. Wes thinks it’s silly, and I’d never make it so why bother trying at all. Besides the producers flat out told me no. They have some twisted bullshit in the works with Jameson. I’m not supposed to talk about it though.” I roll my eyes and pull a red bikini off the rack.
Ruby starts skipping around us singing, “Peyton is gonna be my sister.”
“Oh my God. Please stop that.” I look to Karson and Whitley. “Can one of you make her hush? People are starting to stare.”
My phone rings as the girls try to wrangle Ruby Jane under control.
“Hello,” I answer with a sigh, seeing that it’s Wes.
“Can we talk? Do you think you can come home and just talk to me, please? I just need to see you, Peyton. I’m not handling this that well and it’s fucking me up inside. I lost a major case yesterday. I just want to talk. I promise.”
Guilt eats at me. I did just spring all of this on him out of nowhere. It wasn’t exactly fair of me to just expect him to be okay with me saying the wedding isn’t happening a month out from the date. “Okay, I’ll be home soon.” I don’t want to see him, but I know I need to be mature about this and give him back this rock I haven’t been able to take off yet. I don’t know why I am still wearing it. Out of habit I suppose. I have to decide where I am going to live now too. The apartment is his. “Babes, I gotta go. That was Wes and well… he wants to talk.” I give them a small smile and take off against Ruby Jane’s protests, but I stop by the register on the way out and pay for a couple of the swimsuits I tried on just in case I decide to take off to Cancun on my own like a runaway bride or contestant. Whatever shoe fits.
“It’s girl’s day,” Ruby Jane whines as I go out the door. She’ll get over it. I need to put Wes and all this wedding stuff behind me.
I get home to the apartment, but I don’t see Wes, so I go in search of him. He’s sitting on the edge of the guest bed, the bed I slept on last night and where I planned to again tonight, until of course I get my own place. He’s reading the contract.
Shit.
Sitting my purse on the dresser, I approach him, slowly.
“Hey,” I greet him, deciding on pretending nothing is wrong.
The contract is shoved under my nose, roughly. “You signed this garbage?” Falling to my butt with my legs curled under me, I can only nod as I stare up at him from the floor. He makes me feel like a child.
“Jesus, Pey.” The contract goes flying through the air. Wes drops to the floor on his knees. Gripping my arms, squeezing me too roughly, he pulls me into his front. “They fucking own you. How could you be so damn stupid?” Spit flies at my mouth as he yells and shakes me.
Flinching under his heated glare, I attempt to reason with him. “I wasn’t thinking. Ruby Jane—.”
He cuts me off mid-explanation. “Ruby Jane,” he scoffs. “When are you going to stop hanging out with that child. She’s in high school for Christ sakes.” Moving his head back and forth, he shoves me backward. The force of him manhandling me has me knocking my head on the hardwood flooring.
Shock washes over me. I can’t believe he just put his hands on me. He’s never been violent or overly controlling to the point of physical harm. Crawling away from him, I move for the door. I’m not sticking around while he abuses me physically and verbally. No way. I won’t be an active participant in this fight he is insisting on having.
“Where are you going?” He grabs my ankle and pulls me away from my escape. “Get back here. I’m not through with you. You’re going to listen to what I have to say!” He roars at me. One hand grips my hair, tugging hard, while the other coils around my waist.
“Let me go, Wes,” I sob as the tears begin to fall.
“Not until we talk about this!” He shouts in my ear. “I can’t believe this shit. Just tell me why? I love you, Peyton. I want to be with you forever. You made a promise to me,” he growls, tearing at my clothes. The front of my blouse rips down the middle. Raw fury burns in his darkening gaze. For the first time since meeting him I’m afraid of him. Scared of what he will try to do.
I can’t think. My body and my brain don’t seem to be coordinating at the moment. His fingers skim along my breasts, and I feel sick. “It was spur of the moment. Just something for the hell of it. I didn’t mean it…I didn’t know,” I plead, trying to push him away. I just need to get him to stop and think for one second so he can see how wrong this all is. “Wes, I never meant to hurt you but we both know it was never really going to work between us. We’re too different.” I stroke my fingers along his jaw and his gaze softens.
Both of his hands wrap around my torso, hugging me to his chest. “I’m sorry, Pey.” He squeezes me tighter, placing his lips to the column of my throat, and I don’t pull away even though I know I should. I don’t want to set him off again. “I’m so sorry,” he croaks.
I know he is. “So am I,” I whisper, slipping my engagement ring from my finger. The loss of the weight makes me feel tons lighter, physically and spiritually. Placing the ring in his hand, I try to break out of his arms. This was nothing compared to what it could escalate into. Whitley had an abusive boyfriend when we were roommates. I watched her go through hell. I won’t put myself or Wes through it. This isn’t like him. He’s not violent or abusive.
His hand crushes the ring in his palm and then he does something I never thought he’d do. Wes twists my face towards his. I’m in such an awkward position, I can feel my muscles straining against the hold he has on me. I’m afraid he’s going to snap my neck. He forces his lips on mine, trying to push his tongue inside my mouth, his body grinds against mine, making me feel nauseated. When I refuse to kiss him back, he bites me and then he smacks me across the mouth so hard my bottom lip splits open.
I stare at him in shock. I can’t find any words to tell him how disgusted I am with him. I rub at my split lip, staring at the blood on my fingers. “You hit me?” Tears burn in my vision. I can’t believe he actually hit me. “I will never be with you. Not now not ever,” I grit as tears stain my cheeks.
“I—,” he starts to speak, but I stop him by simply holding my hand up.