Loving the White Liar (21 page)

Our honeymoon was everything it should be. We spent half our time naked and in the hotel room and the other half feasting on ocean delights, playing at the beach, and walking around as tourists.

Jayden was more attentive than he ever had been without his typical routine and distractions of home to keep him busy. I was his primary focus and it couldn’t have been more perfect.

Our last night, we ordered room service, eating crab legs while tangled up in the sheets we’d ruined. He cracked a claw with his hands and I marveled at his strength and the skill of his fingers. He dipped the sweet meat in butter and brought it to my mouth before taking a mouth full of my nipple.

“This is heaven,” I remarked as he got carried away, pushing our feast to the side to attend to his growing erection and my needy nipple.

“I agree.” He stopped his assault long enough to look down at me, entwining our fingers and hovering above me.

“What?” I grinned up at him.

“I’m just thinking of what a fuck up I would’ve been if I would’ve let you get away. And now you are my wife. How amazing is that?”

“Another line to add to my long list,” I cooed up at him as he turned my hand over to study my ring. Looking down at our hands, he pulled himself to the side of me, being careful of his bandaged arm. He kissed my ring reverently as I stroked his toned chest with my fingertips. “Won’t be getting away now.”

“Leisure Travel, this is Hilary Monroe,” I answered, now using my new last name every chance I got.

“Well, if it isn’t my daughter-in-law. I don’t know whether to threaten you or offer you a kidney if you need one.” I chuckled into the phone as Jayden’s mother, still sore from not seeing her only son get married, scolded me.

“I’ll take the kidney if needed. Lord knows with having your son for a husband when I
might
need it.”

Her answering laugh warmed me. “Good thinking. Listen, honey, I can’t talk long, but Stephen asked me to call Jayden to let him know he couldn’t be at his session this weekend.”

“Session?” I moved my ring around with my thumb, a new habit I’d formed when I’d gotten it.

“Yes, this weekend. Stephen usually goes to the family sessions in my place when I have to work, but I thought you might want to step in seeing as how you are his new life partner.”

I sat up in my chair, immediately on edge. “Family sessions? I thought they were going fishing.”

“Oh...oh shit. I didn’t mean to...I was wondering why Stephen was still front and center. Honey, it’s really not my place to tell you this.”

Heat ran throughout my body as I thought of all the ‘sessions’ they had attended in the year Jayden and I had been together. Instead of reacting badly, I countered with a question.

“Jayden has a shrink?”

“He likes to be called a therapist. Jayden’s opted to use his childhood doctor in lieu of someone more suitable for his age group. He was comfortable with him. Dr. Sawyer agreed, but agreed only to weekend sessions once a month, and family sessions every other month.”

“I’ll make sure he knows,” I said in the most even voice I could muster.

“Oh, honey, I’m sorry. I could have just called Jayden, but I wanted to say hi. Hell, I’ve screwed up.”

“I see,” I said, completely blown away. Jayden had been so forthcoming these days about everything. I couldn’t imagine why he would keep it from me.

“Mallory, I’m not going to be able to hide that I know. Please allow me this.” Her hesitation put me on high alert. “It’s just...he can’t keep this stuff from me. It’s a different dynamic now that we’re married.”

“I’ll take the fire if it comes my way. Just know that he loves you. He’s been more faithful to these sessions than ever since he met you. Please try not to be too hard on him.”

“I’m hurt, and a little angry,” I admitted freely. “I just don’t understand why he wouldn’t tell me.” I was asking her for answers only my husband could give me and decided to leave it alone. “Don’t worry, Mallory, really. I’ll get over it.”

As soon as he told me the truth, I’d get over it.

I left work that day with a hefty commission check and what was supposed to be good news of a raise. My heart sank as I thought of how elaborate he’d gone to back up his lie. He’d come home more than once with fresh fish in a cooler.

“Mr. Monroe,” I called when I walked through the front door. I could always tell when he was home. Candles were lit sporadically and music was playing. I listened for the song to read his mood and heard Imagine Dragons’
It’s Time
.

I wasn’t sure what category to put that one in. “In here, Mrs. Monroe.”

Following his voice to the bathroom, I was determined to get the truth out of him. If he told me freely, I wouldn’t have to throw his mother under the bus.

I took in my husband soaking in a steaming tub and kept my eyes on his face to avoid any weakness. Jayden had been doing more physically all around and was peaking everywhere, and completely covered in muscle. From top to bottom, the man was irresistible.

“Hi,” I said, taking a seat on the toilet cover, peeking around and seeing Jayden’s face only partially showing behind the curtain.

“What, no kiss? Bah, and only after a few months of marriage. What a pity. I had high hopes for you.”

“So, your Mom called,” I started in, completely ignoring his banter. “Said Stephen won’t be able to make the trip.”

“Oh,” Jayden said, picking up a washcloth and rubbing his face. I leaned over. “Now we have each other all weekend. I know you look forward to the fishing trips. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” he replied, picking up a bar of soap.

“We can go together. I mean, you can teach me. I’d love to go,” I offered, my voice still even. “Where is this place?”

“Near Columbia.”
Truth
. That was the truth he was telling me and I could tell by his quick answer and his tone. “I was going to cancel, anyway. I’m not up for it.”
Lie.

“Oh really?” My temperature began to rise as I studied him keeping busy with bathing himself.

“You know I’ll do anything with you, Jayden. Anything.” He looked up at me, a deep sea of blue surrounded by thick wet eyelashes.

“Well, you can start by assuming the position when I get out of the tub. What do you have on there, Mrs. Monroe? It doesn’t seem to have easy access.”

I stood up, looking down at him as he noticed my frown. Pushing my shoulders back, I decided to give him one more chance.

“I’d really like to go. I mean, fishing is not exactly my thing, but I want to know this side of you, too. Just this once?”

“Nah, we can go another time,” he said, putting the washcloth over his face. That was it for him. The subject was closed. Escaping the bathroom with my temper in check, I rounded the corner, walking into the kitchen. And just as suddenly as I had convinced myself that he would tell me in his own time, I thought of how long he had been lying to me. Thinking quickly, I pulled out two empty water pitchers from the cabinets and began filling them with ice. Stomping my way back to the bathroom, ice grenades in hand, I tossed the arsenal of ice cubes into his hot tub. Big blue eyes greeted me in surprise as he screamed out, looking around him as if he had been shot. Wincing and cursing in disbelief, he stood in a bath full of ice.

“What the hell is your problem?”

“I don’t know. It seems I have some anger issues. Maybe I should call Dr. Sawyer!”

Jayden’s face went blank as he stepped out of the freezing tub and wrapped a towel around himself.

“Mom told you?”

“She assumed I knew, and why wouldn’t she? Don’t you think I have a right to know this?”

He walked past me toward the bedroom, and that’s when I saw the huge bruise on his back.

I rushed behind him to inspect it. “Oh my God, what happened?”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said, pulling on some shorts and a t-shirt.

Anger surfacing again, I moved in front of him. “You may not like it that I know, but now I do. Let’s talk about this. And I
am
going to worry about why it looks like you got kicked by a horse in the fucking back!”

Jayden’s face twisted slightly before I saw resolve pass over his features. “Typical, even as perfect as these last few months have been, and the fact that I’ve given you nothing to bitch about, you still manage to find
something
.”

“Not fair, and I’m not the one who was lied to. Talk to me. Why wouldn’t you just tell me?”

Jayden took in my posture, my hands firmly on my hips, and what I was sure was clear agitation on my face.

“This,” he said quickly, gesturing to my face. “This shit right there, I can’t stand it. The way you are talking down to me, looking at me. I don’t need you to look after me.” He walked out of the room and I followed him, not at all willing to drop it.

“Well, tough shit. You gave me the job,” I said, thumbing my wedding ring in a circle around my finger. “And I refuse to sit on the sidelines while important decisions are made concerning you. That’s not how this works. I’m not an afterthought, I am your wife!”

Jayden sat down and picked up his Xbox remote. It took everything I had in me not to take it from his hands.

“Jayden,” I addressed him as he ignored me so casually it stung the deepest part of my chest. “Jayden!” I stood looking down at him in complete disbelief as he shut down on me. “Way to act like a fucking grown up!” I marched over, gathered my purse and keys then walked out the door.

Hours later, I walked to our front door feeling excited, shopping bags in hand. It was just a fight, an important fight and I would have to stand firm, but I knew it wasn’t damaging. I knew he would eventually tell me about Dr. Sawyer. At least, I hoped he would. What I did know was he did not like discussing his issues or his therapy. He’d made that clear from the start. But I wasn’t about to ruin our entire weekend. I hoped we could talk it out and enjoy the rest of our night.

When I took in the scene in front of me after walking through my front door, I dropped my bags. Men were gathered on my couch, drinking heavily and laughing as Jayden scanned my face. His company took a shot of tequila and Jayden, shot in hand and eyes on me, followed behind them. I felt the danger of the situation in that moment. And in
that
moment somehow I knew Jayden shouldn’t be drinking. I decided the battle could wait because I sure as hell wasn’t ready for war.

“Hey, Mrs. Monroe,” Jordan, Jayden’s best friend who had recently come home from overseas, greeted me. “Sergeant,” I said back in polite reply.

There were a few other guys in the room I didn’t recognize and Jordon quickly introduced me. “This is Tye and Gary. These are my tour buddies, and this is Mrs. Hilary Monroe.”

“Nice to meet you guys,” I said, my eyes never leaving my husband’s. “I’m just going to put this stuff down. Pour me a shot, would you?” I made my way to the bedroom with my bags and dropped them on the bed then lay back. I had two choices: be the nagging, bitchy wife and hold a grudge, or try to be good company and play along with Jayden’s attempt to avoid our argument. I opted for option two and quickly started changing my clothes when Jayden walked in.

“Jordan called and asked to hang and I didn’t want to be rude,” he said simply with his hands in his pockets.

“It’s cool. It’s not like we have company all the time. I mean do you want me to make myself scarce? I could call Gerri and find some trouble to get into.” I pulled a t-shirt off a hanger and slipped it on.

“You are so fucking beautiful,” Jayden said from behind me as he stood at the closet door. “Baby, do you know how pretty you are?”

I paused before zipping up my jeans. “So are you,” I said honestly. “But I’m still upset. Just promise me we will talk later.”