Page 61 of Fame & Chaos

By everything we were before it all went to shit.

I think about the stupid things we did as kids…

Sneaking around together.

Laughing until we couldn’t breathe.

Finding her parents dead in that house and the way it changed her forever.

The first time we kissed.

The first time we made love.

The way she shattered my heart when she disappeared without a goodbye.

By the time I pull into the underground parking garage at my condo, I barely remember the drive home at all. I tighten my grip on the steering wheel and force myself to breathe. Closing my eyes only makes things worse, because I instantly feel her lips on mine again. Soft, warm, and oh so familiar. Then I think about the way she shut me down without even giving me a chance to explain myself. Anger twists through me so quickly my pulse spikes hard in my throat. My hands clamp tighter around the wheel until my knuckles turn white.

I’m pissed she dismissed me so easily after all these years.

But more than that, I’m furious with myself.

Furious that I didn’t search harder for her. Furious that I let her disappear without tearing the world apart trying to find her. Furious that now I finally know where she is, I still walked away from that hospital instead of fighting for her.

I squeeze the steering wheel harder. “Fuuuck!” I roar into the empty car, the sound loud enough to startle even me.

Breathing heavily, I finally loosen my grip and drag my fingers through my hair. “Indi,” I whisper brokenly.

After climbing out of the car, I slowly make my way toward my front door with a hollow ache sitting in the middle of my chest that refuses to ease. I need something to dull the edge. Something to distract me from the fact that seeing Indi again has completely wrecked me.

I lock the car with my keys and shove them into my pocket before pulling out my phone.

If I can’t have the woman I want…

Then maybe I can at least forget her for a few hours with the angel I missed out on last night.

Chapter Ten

Caleb

An hour later, I’m full of caffeine and feel rejuvenated. Angel was asleep when I rang, but perked right up when I told her it was me. She put her flirty voice on, but I cut right to the chase. I wanted her to come over, and she was all for it. Now, I’m waiting in my living room for her to show up, and, to be honest, I feel a little on edge. It might be from the lack of sleep, but more likely it’s because of Indi. I need to get the fuck over it ‘cause this love-sick puppy shit is starting to really get under my skin.

If Indi doesn’t have the courage to make a go of us, then neither do I!

I pull my shirt off and toss it onto the buffet. My skin feels overheated, even though rain lashes the windows and the air outside is as cold as the South Pole. I don’t even know what I’m feeling right now. I’m wound tight, restless, edgy, and all I can think about is needing a hard fuck to wipe Indi from my head for a little while.

A knock sounds at the door, and I move toward it quickly, wearing only my jeans. Pulling it open, I find Angel standing there trying to shield herself from the pouring rain. Her brunette hair is damp and sticking to her shoulders.

“Hey,” she says with a smile. “I’m glad you called.”

I smirk faintly, knowing the tension twisting through me might finally ease for a few hours. “Come in.”

I step aside and gesture her in. She’s wearing a trench coat cinched tightly around her waist.

“This weather is miserable,” she mutters, shaking her head as droplets of water spray from her hair.

“Yeah,” I reply dryly, shutting the door behind her. “Miserable’s definitely one word for it.”

Her eyes slowly drag over my bare chest before a smirk curls across her lips. “So you work out then?”