“But we’ll never be defeated,” Mike finished. “I can’t give up. I won’t.” He said it more to himself, but his teammates all nodded in agreement.
“Good, now let’s finish this meeting and you can go get your girl.”
He’d rather leave now, but Destiny wasn’t going anywhere. She was probably at work and wouldn’t be off for several hours yet. He had some time.
Chapter 23
Destiny headed home after work. She left early, after turning in her work, so she could get some groceries. She’d been like a zombie the past four days. Hardly sleeping. Hardly eating. Barely functioning. Her heart hurt too much. Her mind played their last time together in her head on a constant loop. Each time drove a knife into her heart more and more. She could hardly function. Except at work. That was the only place her mind finally quieted and she could focus on the world around her.
Now she was shaking off the last of her heartbreak and was ready to get back in the world. Grandma was worried about her and had been begging her to visit, but Destiny had put her off, claiming she was neck-deep in work. She couldn’t put her off anymore. Grandma knew something was wrong and Destiny needed to put in an appearance before Grandma decided to send someone to get her.
With fresh groceries, she headed home so she could prepare something to take to Grandma’s. A small peace offering for ignoring her the past few days.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket, but she didn’t bother checking it. She had a feeling she knew who it was. Mike had been trying to get ahold of her almost nonstop for four days, but she ignored him. She’d almost caved the first day he showed up at her house, but then she remembered why she’d left him, and her resolve was reinforced. He left a voicemail every time he called, but she deleted them immediately. Eventually he’d stop. He’d already gotten what he’d wanted from her.
It didn’t stop the heartache. If only her heart could be convinced like her head.
“Destiny,” a very deep male voice called out. One she would recognize anywhere.
Destiny groaned. She couldn’t deal with this right now. So she chose to ignore him and hasten her steps. It was childish, but she didn’t want to see him. Or talk to him. He broke her heart. He just needed to get through his thick skull things were over between them.
“Destiny.” He was right behind her now. She knew better than to think she could outwalk him. Even with her height, his stride was longer than hers. There was no avoiding him now.
“Mike,” she replied coolly, still refusing to look at him.
“I need to talk to you.”
She didn’t want to talk to him.
“Unfortunately I’m running late so it will have to wait.” Like forever. “Goodbye.”
She should have known it wasn’t that easy to get rid of him. Mike elongated his stride and stepped in front of her. She quickly had to stop before she bumped into him and crushed her grocery bags. This close, she could smell his earthy scent. Dammit, she finally managed to get that smell out of her house. Had been starting to forget it.
She kept her gaze on his chest, she didn’t want to get caught up in his hypnotic eyes. She feared if she looked into them, she’d fall under his spell again. How easy it would be that the past four days hadn’t happened. That with an apology and a few whispered words she would forget all the pain, all the sleepless nights. She couldn’t cave. She wouldn’t be treated like that again.
“I’m not moving until you talk to me.” Damn that man was stubborn, but so was she.
Destiny stiffened her spine she refused to appear small and weak in front of him. She didn’t want him to see what the past few days had done to her. “I have nothing to say to you, Mike.” She tried stepping around him, but like he threatened, he slid in front of her again.
“Just hear me out, please. If you still want me to leave when I’m finished I will, but please just let me talk.”
Destiny refused to respond. Her throat was clogging up, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She hated how weak he made her feel. She had survived break-ups before, men using her for their own gain, but none had hurt as much as when Mike told her not to bother with the barbeque and just spend all their free time in bed. It had made her feel cheap.
“I realize now I messed up. I didn’t treat you the way I should have. I wasn’t thinking about your feelings but only my own. I wanted to keep you all to myself, selfish I know.”
He wasn’t going to get any argument from her on that score.
She wanted him all to herself, too, but a relationship needed more than just sex to keep going. It was like a garden, it constantly needed tending and nurturing.
The fact he kept her a secret from his friends was the worst.
“I am so sorry.”
The desperation in his voice almost did her in. Destiny felt her knees weakening, but she locked them in place. She did finally steal a glance up at him. His eyes were filled with pain and sorrow. He did regret hurting her, but that didn’t fix anything. He said he was sorry, but there was nothing spoken about what he’d do to make it right.
Destiny hardened her heart to his heartfelt plea. “Thank you for the apology, but it doesn’t fix anything. Goodbye, Mike.” This time he let her pass and she all but ran to her house, hot tears tracking down her face.
By the time she made it into the house she felt a little more composed, but the wound in her heart was torn open anew, bleeding freely. To distract herself, she unpacked her groceries. He was her first real love, that would take time to get over. She briefly debated requesting a transfer, but she didn’t want to leave her grandma when her health was only just starting to improve again. What if she had a relapse? She’d be too far away to help.
