Tyler folds his arms on top of the desk, leaning in to give me his undivided attention. He still looks skeptical, but at least he’s listening.
“I tried calling her cell phone, but Stacey said she didn’t want to talk to me. I didn’t question her at that point because I wouldn’t have wanted to talk to me either,” I admit sheepishly. God, I still can’t believe what an arrogant, controlling prick I had allowed myself to become. I only partly hope the time comes when I can ask Melanie why she put up with me as long as she did. “Day after day, I tried to call and every day Stacey told me Melanie was trying to move on with her life.”
“You should have tried harder,” Tyler says bluntly. “If you loved her a quarter as much as you claimed to, you should have been kicking in her front door, crawling across the room and asking what it would take for her to forgive you.”
I can’t dispute his statement because it’s true. I was too much of a fucking coward to be the man she needed me to be back then. It was easy to justify my actions by saying I was abiding by Melanie’s wishes. Once she was gone, I berated myself for crossing the line from being a Dominant male into being a controlling asshole. It was a time of experimentation in my life that cost me the woman I loved and I will never be able to make her see how sorry I am for what I did.
“You’re right, I should have.” I wring my hands as I decide how much I want to share with Tyler. By the time I open my mouth again to speak, I decide that there will be time for full disclosure, if that’s what is needed, but not today. “And I can’t change that now. But I need you to know, I’m not the same man I was back then and I have made a promise to myself and to Melanie that I will do everything I can to make sure I do everything possible to keep her from hurting in the future.”
In an effort to change the subject, Tyler pushes a stack of papers in front of me. He points to various sections of the lease, asking me to confirm that he has explained it by placing my initials in the margins. I sign the last page and he makes a copy for my own records. Perhaps I was a fool to think there is any reason for conversation that isn’t completely business related.
Side by side, we walk to the end of the parking lot so he can show me the mail boxes, outdoor pool and recreation center. I have to admit, I’m impressed by the facilities here. It would be nice if there was more green space or a playground for Jacob, but it will do quite nicely while I figure out where I want to go from here.
Once the tour is complete, Tyler follows me back to my building. “Xavier, I’m not going to say you didn’t fuck up royally. That stunt you pulled dragging her out of the club was just about enough to make me want to kick your ass,” Tyler says, never looking in my direction. The thought of him getting into any sort of fight other than a cat fight is amusing, but I do know he was fiercely protective of Melanie, so anything is possible. “You crushed her when you left. If you had walked in off the streets, I probably wouldn’t have rented this place to you. But, Melanie forced me to listen to what really happened after that night and I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt. Stacey is a vile, jealous bitch and I don’t doubt what you and Melanie claim she did. But you need to know, if you do anything to hurt her again, you’re not going to like the results.”
“I hear you, Tyler. Again, thank you for being understanding.” I give him a firm handshake before walking into the building, expecting him to head back to his office. When he follows me up the stairs, I’m tempted to ask what he’s doing, but I figure better of it. I’m not going to be stupid enough to risk offending him right now.
“I hope you like it,” Tyler says as I reach to open the door. I can’t imagine this place is that much different from any other apartment out there, but it’s nice to see that he takes pride in the units he’s responsible for.
I’m a bit confused as I walk into the living area, wondering if this was a furnished unit. The furniture, while perfect for this space, isn’t anything I’ve seen before. “Melanie said you had called movers to move my things,” I say, confused.
“Yeah, about that…” Tyler’s voice drifts off as he goes to find Melanie. It’s not hard since she and Jacob are both laughing hysterically inside one of the bedrooms. I follow him into Jacob’s new bedroom and I’m amazed. Planets and stars hang from the ceiling and there’s a mural on one wall, complete with a very detailed rocket ship. Sadly, I’m a bit jealous of my son’s private space. “Mel, did you have something you wanted to tell Xavier?”
Chapter 13