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had picked up from there and summed it up in one sweep . “ You slept with my aunt ...”
“ Nothing happened , Tori ,” Dallas said , his voice shaky . “ I didn ’ t sleep with her .” “ So , my mama is lying ?” Tori asked . Dallas shifted uneasily , and the man was never one to lie . “ Hell no . I know what I saw ,” Bernice snapped . She had moved from the dining room table to the end of the staircase , right next to her daughter , poised as if she was ready to go to battle . “ Both of you were in bed butt-ass naked .” She jabbed a finger in her sister-in-law ’ s direction . Alicia hadn ’ t moved from her spot at the top of the staircase . Probably , because she knew what was best for her . “ She was butt-naked . And he was nut-naked ,” Bernice yelled . “ Wasn ’ t an inch of space between them .” She flickered a gaze at Dallas . “ Look at him . You can tell he just got dressed .” Dallas reached for Tori ’ s hand . “ It ’ s not what it seems .” She snatched away , parted her lips to give him what was left of her mind . “ How could you do this ? You ’ re my fiancé .”
“ You ’ re Tori ’ s fiancé ?” Alicia finally spoke out . She eased down the stairs , looking first to Tori then to Dallas . Her panicstricken expression gave Tori pause . Could her aunt really have not known ?
Alicia turned back to her niece . “ Oh , my , God , Tori . I had no idea . I ’ m so , so sorry .” She didn ’ t give Tori time to reply as she brushed past Dallas , slipped into the nearest pair of shoes and ran out of the front door , oblivious to the fact that she barely had on enough clothing to protect her from the chill in the room , let alone the sub-zero temps of a Chicago winter .
The whole crowd gasped in disbelief as Dallas grabbed his leather coat from the foyer closet . “ She can ’ t go out there with nothing on ,” he said as he stepped into his Timberlands . “ I ’ ll be right back .”
Tori was ready to spit fire . “ Are you kidding me ?” she screamed as he quickly laced up his shoes , then darted toward the door . “ You ’ re going after my aunt ? My aunt ” she yelled , following him . “ My heart is bleeding all over the carpet and you ’ re going after her !”
The front door slammed and Tori stood frozen , unable to believe what happened in the last ten minutes . Bernice ’ s voice snapped Tori out of her trance . “ Girl , I taught you better than that ,” Bernice yelled , gesturing to the door . “ You ’ d better go get your man and that money .”
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