My chest tightens, pulse throttling. Everything hurts as I speak, “Did you see–” I pause, swallowing roughly. “Did you see what they did to me?”
He drops his chin, his eyes following as he sucks a shuddering breath into his lungs, and when he flicks his eyes back to mine, they’re heated. Not with lust,no, those flecks of gold light are now billowing flames, darkening with revenge. “Yes,” he confirms, and my blood turns to ice.
He left me too…like that.
“Why?” It’s one word, one question, and he knows exactly what I’m asking when I start to shake my head, whimpering, “Why did you both leave me?”
The thick rubber of the tires crackle over asphalt, the body of the car tilting as we begin an incline. “Please, give me something. I know now there’s more to this, but I still don’t understand. I just need to know. Anything,” I almost beg, and I hate myself for it, crying for answers. “I’m scared, Chase. I’m scared I’ve made a huge mistake. Please, help me understand.”
Chase’s rough hands squeeze mine, his thumbs drifting over the frail bones of my knuckles.
“He didn’t want to leave,” he says so quietly, breathlessly, painfully. “That’s all I can tell you, Cherry. The rest has to come from him.”
The car slows, the blinker ticking in harmonic rhythm, and I find my eyes drifting toward the front windscreen. A tall black panel gate stares back at me, shrouded by leaves that sit off muscled limbs and thick bodies. There is a dark gray mansion perched in the distance, perfectly manicured lawns at the front, with bordering crimson roses.
“What is this place?” I ask, as I allow my eyes to continue exploring the feature wall of gray stones at the entrance and thick pillars of timber that sit incredibly high for what one would call a home.
This place is huge. Everything about it is loud,a statement of strength.I cut my gaze back to Chase’s when I recall him asking his driver to take us“home.”
“This is your house?” I ask, shock evident in my tone as my eyebrows push their way to my hairline.
Chase nods, though his eyes stay fully focused on mine. “Yep, and those answers you deserve are sitting right behind those walls.” The car comes to a stop at the extravagant gray-tiled stairs, and Chase is instantly unbuckling his seat belt. When I just sit there, staring in pure shock, he unbuckles mine. “Come on.” He jerks his head. “I’ll show you where to find him.”
Ididn’t want to walk away.
Truthfully, I wanted to throw her over my shoulder and carry her ass right out of the stadium with me.
It hurt watching flecks of realization spark in her eyes.
My intention was never to make her wrong. Her feelings toward me, her anger, her frustration, and pure hatred are all valid. She only knows what she saw, and that was the back of someone she hadhopedto trust.
A shiver renders my sweaty flesh when my fist connects with one of the large black boxing bags hanging off its chrome chain in the huge gym at Chase’s.
“Fuck,” I breathe.
I shouldn’t have left her tonight. Not like that. Not again. She tried to stop me, grabbed me, but I kept walking.
She needed me.
And I turned my back on her,again.
I’ve fucked up.
In a frantic wave of motion, I bend down, snatching my phone off the padded black flooring, navigating into my message thread with Chase. I start to type, my thumbs shaking as they tap across the screen.
Me
Can you bring her to the house, man?
Not even a minute passes before three dots appear at the bottom of the screen, and as they wave from left to right, I find myself holding the breath in my lungs captive.
Chase
Turn around ;)
I spin around instantly.
Guilt crushes my windpipe, the hairs at the back of my neck rising when a chill burrows itself deep within my limbs.
