Betrayal
Chapter Fifteen
Chris decided to try for distraction. "Huh? I don't know what you're talkin'
about." Chris then bent his head down and pressed his lips to Ezra's. Ezra let
the soft kiss carry on for a couple of minutes, before he pulled his head away.
Ezra raised an eyebrow and asked, "Do you always think that form of distraction
will work?"
Chris allowed a slight smirk to grace his face and shrugged, "It usually does."
"True as that may be, Chris, I want the truth. I know that you all are
trying to keep something from me. And, all of you know that I detest being kept
in the dark about anything. So, spill."
Chris sighed and knew that Ezra wasn't going to stop until he found out what was
going on. "Alright, there is something that you need to know. But, I don't want
to tell you here. Let's wait until we get you home." Chris could hear the slight
pleading tone in his own voice, but he didn't care. He didn't want to tell Ezra
what had happened while he was in the hospital.
Ezra shook his head, "I would prefer to know now. What can be so bad that all of
you are trying so hard to keep it a secret? Does it have something to do with
the Mounds case?"
Chris nodded, "Some of it, yes."
Ezra's face turned determined. Chris knew that look well. It was the look that
meant Ezra was going to find out what had happened. One way or another. "Then, I
think that I deserve to know."
Chris sighed, tightly squeezing Ezra's hand. Looking into Ezra's eyes, Chris
started speaking. He just prayed that he wasn't about to lose everything. "Ezra,
I love you. You know that, right?"
Ezra nodded, "Of course, Chris. Why do you ask?"
Chris could see the confusion written on Ezra's face. He knew that Ezra was
wondering what the question had to do with the Mounds case.
Chris paused as he took a deep breath. After exhaling, he continued. "While you
were undercover, a few days before your cover was blown, something happened.
Something terrible, something I would take back in a heartbeat if I could."
Ezra's expression turned wary and a little fearful. 'Maybe I should not have
asked. Maybe I should put a stop to whatever Chris is going to say,' Ezra
thought to himself. A second later, however, he squashed that thought. His
curiosity wouldn't allow him to stop Chris from explaining. He had to know what
Chris was talking about.
"This is hard for me to say, Ezra. Just remember that I love you. I love you
very much, with all of my heart and soul." After another short pause, Chris
added, "I... slept with Mary."
It took a couple of seconds for Ezra's mind to process what he had just been
told. But, when it did, Ezra jerked his hand out of Chris's. "What? Please tell
me that I heard you incorrectly."
"I wish you had. But, I went to The Saloon with the guys and had a few too many.
Buck took me home to sleep it off, and Mary showed up. I invited her in, to see
what she wanted, and it just happened. And, she showed back up a couple of days
later and demanded that I keep her happy, or she would blow your cover. I'm
pretty sure that she did."
Ezra's emerald green eyes turned stormy as he looked at Chris. "It just
happened?! What do you mean it just happened? Ms. Travis just happened to trip
and fall into bed with you?" Ezra struggled to keep his voice down, aware that
he was close to yelling. His mother had taught him to always be in control of
his emotions. To never let anyone see any weakness in him. He just didn't think
he could control his emotions this time. The pain was too great.
Chris reached for Ezra's hand, only to have Ezra move it out of reach. Chris
felt his heart breaking. He was seeing his worst fear come true. And, what was
worse, was he knew that it was his own damn fault. "Ezra, please, I'm sorry. So
very sorry!"
Chris could see the anger and hurt in Ezra's eyes. He could also see the feeling
of betrayal, and he felt like crying and screaming, knowing that he had caused
it. He had promised Ezra that he could trust him, and he had thrown that all
away one drunken night.
"You're sorry? That makes it all alright, then?"
"No, I didn't mean that. Just, please, let me fix it."
Ezra shook his head, "I don't think it can be fixed. You promised me that you
wouldn't ever drink so much that you lost all common sense again. You knew that
Mary was wanting you. Hell, she pretty much threw herself at you every time you
two were in close proximity together! Why did you let her in?"
Chris helplessly shrugged, "I don't know! But, please don't throw away what we
have!"
Ezra's eyes turned hard as he looked Chris straight in the eyes. "I'm not. You
did." After a pause, Ezra said, "I would appreciate it if you would leave. Now."
"I can't do that. You need protection. And, if I walk out that door, I'm losing
another chance to fix my mistake."
"Either leave, now, or I will call the nurse and have you escorted out," Ezra
replied in a flat voice.
"You need someone to stay with you."
"Not you. I will be perfectly safe in the hospital."
Chris sighed, and decided that it might be good to give Ezra some space. He
could always talk to him tomorrow. "Fine. But, I'm calling Josiah to stay with
you." Ezra didn't reply, so Chris took that as acceptance.
After staring at Ezra for a moment, he turned and walked out the hospital room,
with tears sliding down his face. Ezra just watched his lover leave the room
with a blank face. 'Former lover,' he corrected himself.
Numbly, Ezra realized that he had commented on finding out that it was most
likely Mary that had blown his cover. 'Oh, well,' he sighed, 'I'll take care of
that later.'
He reached with the hand that didn't have the IV in it, and picked up the phone.
Dialing a number, he waited for someone to pick up. A minute later, he heard,
"Hello?"
"Mister Travis, I am sorry if I woke you. But, I need to speak to you, Sir."