Promise Me Always Read Free

“I called Jared this morning after my portfolio class and asked him if he wanted to catch dinner after he got off work. He told me he was working late tonight on some new building contract and that he would be home around eleven. He told me to go ahead and eat without him and to just come over later and we would watch a movie. I thought it would be a nice surprise for him if I was waiting in his bed when he got home. I went over to his house around ten thirty with a bag full of candles and champagne.” I couldn’t help the tears—it was like a dam broke and they just started falling. I took a deep breath to try and control them. “When I unlocked the door, I heard talking and a high pitch giggling coming from his bedroom. I thought he had left the TV on again like he always does,” I paused, trying to find the stomach to say what happened next. “When I went in to turn it off, boy, did I get to see a show.”
    “Oh, Tess! I’m so sorry you walked in on them. Was it Pamela again?”
    “No! It was Monica, his assistant! I am so stupid. God knows how long this has been going on,” I cried. “Palmer, why would he do this to me again? Do you think he was ever faithful to me at all?”
    “I don’t know, doll, but who cares now if he was? He isn’t worth the tears,” she said, brushing the tears from my cheeks. “Does he know you were there?”
    “Yeah, he knows. After I walked in and saw them, the only thing I could think to do was chuck the bag of candles I was holding right at them.” I giggled at the memory of the candles hitting Jared in the head and then falling to hit Monica, as well.
    “Has he called you yet?” Palmer asked with concern. She looked at me with those big hazel eyes and I knew she was worried that I would take him back again.
    “Yes, but I didn’t answer. He sent me some text messages, too. I replied, telling him I was coming here and that if he stopped by—Cole would beat his ass. Pretty sure he won’t be calling me until tomorrow now.” Her face relaxed a bit when I said that, like she was relieved that I hadn’t let him talk me into forgiving him.
    Palmer started to laugh. “Well, Cole isn’t the only one that would beat his ass. All the guys are here tonight. They are all drunk and pissed as hell that he did this to you again. I almost had to chain them down to keep them from going and kicking the shit out of him.”
    “Who are all the guys?” I asked, confused.
    “You know the usual—Cole, Devin, Blake, Matt, Shane and some other people I don’t know. Lexi, Avery and a few other people should all be here soon, too. Apparently there is a party here tonight and, of course, I was the last to find out.” She put her arm around my shoulder and pulled me to her side. “Come on. The boys are all inside and there is a shot or two with your name on it.”

The moment Palmer got off the phone with Tessa, something inside me snapped. I had known Tess for four years and that prick Jared did not deserve her. At all. It took everything I had not to get in my car and go find him when I heard what happened. It was probably a good thing I had already started drinking. Maybe it was the alcohol that had me so fired up…
    “I’ll kill that fucker!” I shouted, cracking my knuckles.
    “Blake, calm down. Can I please just talk to my sister before you and the rest of guys go all ape shit crazy on his ass?” Palmer barked back.
    “No! That douchebag should have had the shit kicked out of him the first time he did this to her! She took him back and now he has the nerve to do it again? What a fucking dumbass!” I was so pissed that I was pacing back and forth across the living room like a madman. What the hell is wrong with me?
    “Well, well, well—someone is getting a little upset over here,” Palmer teased. “If I didn’t know better, Blake, I would say you may have a little crush on my baby sis.”
    “Uh… I do not. I just never liked Jared and he crossed a line. You and Tess