I know what I am looking at but I don’t believe it. Tanner would never do this to me. I throw the pictures, grab the lamp on the end table next to the couch, and hurl it across the room. As it shatters into a million pieces, I scream, “I’m gonna kill that fucking whore.”
Tyler pulls me in tight and says, “I’m so sorry.” I try to break free because I feel like I’m going to throw up. He holds me close to him and says, “Dylan, breathe.” I fall to the ground and pick up one of the pictures. She is naked and fucking my fiancé. Tears are falling like a leaky faucet. I crumble the picture and scream, “Where the fuck is Tanner? This is bullshit, Tyler, he’d never do this. He hates her. That’s my Tanner, I know him. There is something so wrong.” I reach for another lamp but Tyler pulls me back.
My phone rings and I jump to get it. It’s Mom. I answer but cannot speak through the crying.
She says, “Oh, honey, I guess you already saw?”
I mutter out the words, “Saw what? Mom, saw what?”
She quietly asks, “Why are you crying then?”
I feel embarrassed to tell her. She repeats the question. I say, “That fucking bitch Jennifer sent me pictures in the mail. Disgusting pictures with her and Tanner.”
Mom says, “That’s what I just saw on the news. It showed a picture of them kissing, calling them the new ‘it’ couple.”
I double over and ask, “Mom, do you think it’s true?”
She quickly says, “No I don’t. He loves you too much and would never do anything to hurt you. I didn’t raise him to be an asshole. This isn’t Tanner. Something is not right.” Tyler is uncomfortably sitting on the couch, glancing at me.
I tell Mom, “I have been texting him all morning and he hasn’t responded yet. Have you spoken to him?”
She quickly says, “No, I haven’t, honey.”
I say, “I’m going to call Chip right now. I’ll call you back.”
Tyler softly says, “Dylan, do you think it’s a great idea to call people trying to chase him down? The pictures are right in front of you, and God only knows what’s on that thumb drive.”
My heart sinks. “Where is that thumb drive?” He shrugs. I frantically search for it around the table and don’t see it anywhere. I lift up the couch and it is right there on the carpet. I look at Tyler and say, “I need you to leave, please.”
He steps toward me and says, “Dylan, you shouldn’t be alone right now. I suggest you don’t fucking watch whatever is on that thumb drive. It’s not going to be something you can un-see once you see it. I can stay here with you.”
Those images keep popping into my head and I feel like crumbling onto the floor in a ball. I say, “Thanks, Tyler, I want to be alone right now. I’ll call you later.”
He gives me a hug and says, “You deserve better.” He can’t say those words to me. Tanner is the best. I know what I’m looking at but in my gut, I am certain something is not right.
I wipe the tears away from my face and place the thumb drive into my computer. Tanner is lying on some bed and Jennifer is sucking him off. I run to the bathroom and throw up. My whole world is crumbling before me. Almost like it’s a mission for me, I stumble back to the computer and continue watching. Through my tears, I notice that Tanner hasn’t moved even one inch. I rewind it and watch it again. Fear instantly overwhelms me. Oh my God, he’s dead. She killed him because of me. I will kill that bitch. I will fucking kill her if she hurt him.
I fumble through my wallet and find Chip’s number. I call him and he answers right away, “Dylan, I was just going to call you. Something is wrong with Tanner. Jennifer text me this morning that Tanner told her that he is sick of this shit and he was leaving. She said he went to the airport. Then I saw the news that showed pictures of them and how they are a couple. He fucking hates her. Dylan, we need to find him. I’ve been calling Jennifer all day and she hasn’t returned my call yet. I’m telling you, hun, this is not true. I’ve never seen a man as in love as he is with you. Jennifer did something. I mean she’s been a horrible bitch for the past four months, threatening to get even with you.”
My head is in a fog. I say, “What? He told me she was being decent and not starting anything with him.”
Chip quickly blurts out, “He lied. Probably didn’t want to worry you.” My heart feels like a vice grip is around it. I knew he wouldn’t do this to me. I tell Chip to call the local police and I will find a flight and be there tomorrow.
I pull myself together and call mom to fill her in on what Chip told me. She immediately says, “I’m going too. Find two tickets.” A relief comes over me knowing that Mom will be there with me. I pull up the airlines on my phone and use Tanner’s card to book two flights. I gather the pictures and put them with the thumb drive into an envelope. I want to burn them but something tells me we’re going to need them as evidence.
I text Mom the flight information and she replies, “I’m on my way to your house right now.” God, I adore this woman. I text Chip and tell him the time we will be there.
He texts back, “That’s good, I’ll have a car there for you. I called the police and put a missing person report out for Tanner. What worries me is that when I was walking through the hotel, I swear I saw two big guys carrying Jennifer’s luggage out. I tried to stop them but they got in their car and left before I could reach them. She’s a sneaky evil bitch. We’ll find him. Don’t worry. I promise. I knew I shouldn’t have left him alone last night at that damn club. I’m so sorry.”
I am so overwhelmed. I just text him back, “It’s not your fault, I’m sure. We’ll talk tomorrow when I get there. Thanks.”
I race around gathering a few outfits and shove them into a duffle bag. I can’t wait for Mom to get here. I feel like I’m having a nervous breakdown. I try to shake the images out of my head but I can’t. I walk over to the pictures of us growing up and the tears begin to pour again. I don’t want to live without him. I can’t even imagine my life without him.
End of book #1.
Book #2 will be released shortly.
Chasing Lyrics (Music & Lyrics #1) Page 15
