“Uh–”
“Yeah, I’m good.” Joplin nodded, before I could object.
“Good.” Anthony winked and shut the door. “We’re not going anywhere.”
He held his hands up, in that silent plea again, “I just– I can’t believe you’re here. I’ve been looking for you for a fucking year…”
“You chased me away, just to look for me…” I squinted at him, and the ridiculousness that he wanted me to believe.
“I didn’t chase you anywhere. I bought a marriage license with you. When I came back, you were gone. They said that you didn’t work there anymore and your roommate freaked out–”
“So, that gave you a reason to shatter the fucking door?” My voice rose without my meaning for it to happen, as my emotions began to boil and spill over.
“I didn’t shatter the door. It was shattered when I got there…”
“You tore up the marriage license.”
The horror in his eyes told me how wrong I was.
“I spent my last fucking… I gave you everything but a few little dollars, so you could buy those and feel good about yourself on our wedding day.” He motioned toward my chest.
I’d not wasted his money. I got better tips as a result of the surgery.
“Anthony, I can’t do this. I have Joplin now… I have to provide a life for her. I have to stay focused.”
“Marry me.” He spat, ignoring everything I said.
I closed my eyes against the urge to pull my own hair out.
“I can’t fall like that again, Ant… I can’t…”
“Trust me,” he implored, under his breath, his pinky locking with mine. “I swear to fuck, I never stopped looking. I opened this hoping you would come through the doors and find me. Now, you’re here. Crystal, don’t fucking leave again.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Bring Your Family
Anthony
My heart was skipping beats on me. I felt like I was in the middle of a damn basketball game. If she moved, I had every intention of throwing myself in her path. I wanted her to choose to stay, but I didn’t know how to let her go if she didn’t.
“You say you want a life for her, let me fucking give it to you. Let me take care of you both, Crystal, I swear to God… Stop this. Where is your ring?”
I took her hand in mine, and she didn’t pull away. Her knuckles were bare, and the sight of it made me nauseous.
She reached to her neck with the other hand and plucked the chain from her under her shirt, letting the ring dangle down her chest.
“Put it on,” I whispered, sliding my palm along her face. “Put it on and let me take you home.”
“Yeah,” she exhaled, with a gentle shake of her head, “where the fuck is home?”
“Right now, wherever we are together. Next week, in the one we pick out.”
Her lower lip quivered, and my fingers curled into a fist. I could sense that something was off from the beginning of the whole mess, but now I was convinced, her leaving wasn’t random. It wasn’t cold feet or whatever Mark scoffed about.
She didn’t run from me.
She was chased off.
