You Chose Her..

INDIEGO

Everyone was staring.

I could feel their gazes burning into every inch of my being but I couldn't bring myself to tear my eyes away from the open space where Brax had stood just a moment before.

Something akin to a sob forced its way up my throat and I tried to force the tears away—willed myself to keep from breaking down in front of everyone.

Suddenly, the realization hit me like a freight train—I was fighting a lost cause. He wasn't mine. He had never been mine.

And he had just fucking made that clear.

Pain seared through me as I forced myself forward, feeling my knees buckle in those stupid heels I had worn. I needed to be alone. I needed—oh God.

Panic flared in my veins as I took several staggering steps forward, avoiding everyone's gazes as I made my way down the hall, my expression blank.

My legs moved fast against the polished floor as I longed for one thing—lock myself in, curl up, disappear.

Just as I rounded the next corner, a hand shot out from the dim passageway and curled around my wrist.

Before I could process what was happening, someone pulled me into the dim corner and I slammed into something hard. Or rather, someone's hard chest.

My head whipped up almost immediately. “Slade…” The name rolled off my tongue breathlessly as I tried to calm down.

His gaze slid over me, a dark glint in it as he frowned. “Are you crying?” he questioned, his voice low and dangerous.

It wasn't something I was sure I'd seen in the few days of knowing this bastard. I hated the way he reminded me of Braxton—darker looks but still a reminder of him.

“None of your fucking business.” I struggled to wring my wrist out of his grip but he held firm, nails slightly digging into my skin.

Suddenly, he grabbed my other wrist and in a swift movement he had both my wrists pinned by one of his hands above my head. “Such a pretty little thing…” His other hand swiped over my bottom lip, his eyes darkening again into the Slade I knew.

Twisting my head to the side, I glared at him, struggling in his grip. “Let go of me!” I bit out.

A slow smirk curled his lips. “You're chasing the wrong thing, Indigo.” My name rolled off his tongue like sin, the sound sending a shiver down my spine.

For a moment, I couldn't seem to remember the cruel pain of Braxton's betrayal. All I could think about was how Slade's hands felt hot around my skin and how a stupid part of my mind wondered if that was how he'd feel if he touched every part of me.

“You could have it all…” he continued, a finger going up to swipe a big fat tear rolling down my cheek and then he did something shocking—he withdrew his hand, his gaze still locked on mine, and popped that finger into his mouth, licking off my tear while watching me with that same intensity. “Everything…”

I was stunned for a moment and could only stare at him with wide eyes. Oh God. This man was crazy. “Let go of me right now!” My voice rose an octave and, surprisingly, he let me go immediately and stepped back with a mocking bow, his eyes glinting with mischief.

“Fuck you,” I spat at him, rubbing at my wrists.

His hands slid into his pockets as he smirked. “Not tonight, princess.”

Fuck him.

I didn't wait for anything else. I scrambled back to my room and slammed the door.

I ran a hand through my hair, tousling it as I tried to think of Braxton. I tried to think of the pain I'd felt just a few minutes before but all I could keep remembering was—“You could have it all…”

Slade was bad for my mental health. He was bad for my very being.

Struggling to my feet, I collapsed onto my bed, sniffling gently as memories of Brax and me running around the open field as kids filled my mind—the way he chased me around, my fingers grazing grass blades while my sides ached with laughter.

What had gone wrong?

How could he pick…her?

I didn't know how long I lay there, trying to make sense of my life, but when I finally came back to my senses the sun was already below the horizon, painting the skies in hues of pink and gold.

The whole day had passed. Somehow. Somewhere deep down, I had wished Braxton would come look for me. Apologize for all he'd said. But he never came to check on me once.

Forcing the thought from my mind, I dragged myself to the bathroom to wash my face. I stared long at my reflection in the mirror. Stared at the woman who had left this very room with a bright smile on her face and now bore the look of defeat etched across her like a scar I couldn't get rid of.

Fuck it.

I shook the thought out of my head and dragged my feet back into the main room, prepared to grab the towel lying on the bed to wipe my face when I spotted a broad figure at my table, fingers tracing the spine of my makeup box.

Slade. Again. Not really what I needed right then.

My heart thudded in my chest and my eyes widened in horror. How had he gotten in here?

“You!” I hissed, my voice feeling like sandpaper against my throat.

He didn't look back—didn't bother to acknowledge me with his gaze. He just kept tracing his fingers over the makeup box, his touch light. Almost deliberate.

“I waited for you, Indigo…” he finally bit out, snapping the lid of my box shut before turning to look at me.

His jaw was tight as he stared at me. Really stared. His brow was raised and I could feel his gaze rake over my body, stopping just short of my bare pale legs—I'd changed into comfortable shorts a few minutes earlier.

“Get out!” I hissed, scrambling for my towel which I tried to use—and failed woefully—to cover up my legs.

His gaze slid back up to meet mine and he took a slow step forward, each step feeling predatory. “Why are you in here crying for him…” He stopped just short of my face and his fingers reached up to graze the side of my cheek, the same light manner he'd used on my makeup box.

My eyes squeezed shut and my breath stuttered. He was close. Too close. I could feel his breath hot and demanding against my face. Any closer and we would be touching lips but he didn't move. Neither did I. I should have moved.

He grazed a slender finger against my skin again and this time my legs buckled against my will as he leaned to the side to whisper in my ear. “Why are you in here, wasting your tears on him…when you can be moaning my name instead?”

His breath was hot against the side of my face and I shuddered. “You fight too much, Indigo…let me help you forget he even exists.”