Loyal

Chapter 55

Vera's POV

"Vera," Colin is standing right inside. I feel my legs get weak beneath me at the sound of him calling my name. "Vera," he says again, coming closer to me. His brown eyes look down at me with so much emotion. He's still in his training clothes. He comes closer to reach for me but sees Cam in the doorway. 

"What the fuck are you doing here!?" Colin's voice rises; I've never seen such anger and disgust on his face before.

"He brought me home," I say.

Before I can react, Colin lunges at Cam, his right fist connecting with Cam's jaw.

"Colin!" I scream. Cam is on the ground, clutching his face. He jumps back up, and I stand between them, trying to keep them from coming at one another. Two large NFL sized men being held apart by someone half their size.

"When I fucking leave you think you can just come up in here after my girl? Fuckin bitch ass," Colin reaches over me to grab Cam but I get in the way.

"Leave him alone Colin!" I yell, feeling myself at the edge of tears again. "Just stop!"

Colin backs down.

"Get the fuck out of here Cam!" He yells, his voice shaking in anger. I turn to Cam, who's lip is bleeding. I reach out for his face, this is all my fault.

"Cam, are you okay?"

"I'll be fine Vera," he says, wiping his bleeding lip.

"Please go, I don't want you to get into the middle of this," I let go of Cam's face and he nods, but looks angrily back towards Colin.

"Cam, I'll be fine, please go," I say, looking at him with concern. Cam hesitates but finally turns to leave.

"What are you doing in my apartment?" I snap, turning back to Colin, trying to sound angry. I'm upset to see him, but my heart flutters at the same time. Stop it Vera, remember the sex tape, the lingerie in the drawers. I try to silence the butterflies in my stomach; Colin has such a strong effect on me.

"And how the hell do you think its okay to just fucking punch one of my friends in the face like that?" I yell. Colin shakes his head.

"Vera, you don't know him!"

"Get out," I exclaim, pointing towards the door. My voice breaks and I can feel myself on the about to break down again. Fuck, it's hard to look at him.

"Vera, don't hang out with this punk, you don't know him like I do!" Colin is pointing violently towards the doorway.

"Colin, I don't even fucking know you!" I exclaim.

"Vera, please, just give me a chance to explain myself, there's so much you don't understand.."

"How the hell are you going to ask me to marry you and hide so much from me?"

"Vera, please.."

"I trusted you! I gave you everything and hid absolutely nothing from you!"

"I can explain.."

"And then I find a fucking sex tape of you in my purse? And I watch the fucking thing! And then Lauren fucking comes over to your apartment to ask for her stuff and then shows me a drawer full of fucking lingerie in your damn apartment? What other fucking drawers are you hiding from me Colin!? You know at the fair Nate's dad told me there was a settlement. Is that what this was about!?"

Colin is silent.

"Do you know how fucking insecure I've been throughout this entire relationship? Do you know how fucking hard it is to think of all the other women you've been with, and who want to be with you? But I fucking sucked it up because I love you and I believed everything would work out!"

"Baby girl...I promise it will.."

"Don't fucking call me baby girl!" Tears are streaming down my face now.

Colin falls to his knees in front of me, he pulls me to him, his face at my navel. It is the ultimate surrender.

"Don't throw this away Vera. Don't give up on us. You are my everything, you are the reason I live now. I mean that with everything! You are my everything. I can't live without you," he holds up the engagement ring I left in his apartment.

"Please, please, let me explain everything," he pleads, looking up at me, holding my legs close to him. The quarter back for the San Francisco Forty Niners is on his knees begging me to forgive him. It's too much for me to handle.

"Colin, get out." I say quietly, pointing towards the door.

He looks up at me, before burying his face into my legs again. I love him so much, I can't bear it. The tears blur my vision, but I stand stalk still, refusing to move. Refusing to put my arms around him the way I want to, stopping myself from kneeling down to kiss his soft lips.

"Get out," I say finally. Colin looks up at me, and I look away. For a few moments he doesn't move, but finally he stands up.

"Vera, Vera baby. Baby girl," I hear his voice break a little and it makes me cry even more. "I love you, with all that I have. I would give up everything for you, the money, the cars, the Niners...I just want you."

"Get out," I say, turning away. I stand with my arms folded across my chest. It seems like an eternity before I finally hear the door close behind me. When I do, I fall to the ground, crying.