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I wavedat her before making my way inside the lobby, and if the outside appearance of the building screamed money, the inside screamed class. Still, as much as a part of me wanted to take in the classy décor of the slate blue, marbled greys, and reflective glass, I wasn’t here to tour the place.
I quickly found the elevators, got in, then pushed the button for the tenth floor. When Stone had given me his address, he had told me the building boasted of ten floors with the first four floors housing the amenities to living there. The first floor was made up of the lobby and mailboxes in front, and a gym and pool housed in back. The second floor was an actual game room with big screens, pool tables, and that kind of stuff. The third floor was split in half with a common room on one side and laundry facilities on the other. The fourth floor was a storage level where each condo had an assigned storage cage for anything that needed storing. The fifth through tenth floors were condos; two to each floor.
When the elevator came to a stop, I got out, then headed straight towards 10A. My heart was beating a mile a minute, but even though I was anxious as hell, I needed answers. Even if Stone didn’t want to explain his sudden change of heart, I needed to know where this left me and my family. I needed to make sure I wasn’t going to pay for this somehow.
I knocked on the door and waited. When no one answered after a minute or so, I knocked again, only this time, louder.
Anotherminute later, I was about to knock again, but the door finally swung open, and in the doorway stood a shirtless Stone Lexington. In only his jeans, I noticed that he was barefoot, too.
Christ, he was breathtaking.
He didn’t say anything. He just stareddown at me like I was contaminating the entire building by just being inside it. And though his stance looked casual, the white-knuckled grip he had on the doorknob suggested that he felt anything but casual.
I quickly got to the reason I was here. “What doesthis mean now?” I asked. “Since you’re the one who…called it off, am I still held responsible?”
Do not make this emotional, Rylee.
Isaw fire flash in those dark orbs of his, and I could tell my question angered him, only I had no idea why. As electrifying as the chemistry between us was, and as much as I was coming to care about him over these past few days, I wasn’t here as that clingy girl who couldn’t take a hint. Was I curious about why he called it off? Of course. Was I hurt? Yes. However, I had to prioritize here. I could deal with my heartbreak later.
“What doesthis mean for my fam-”
Have you ever been kicked in the chest? Have you ever fallen off a swing set and had the wind knocked out of you? Have you ever been hit with shock so hard that it pushed you back physically?
“Oh, sorry,” she said, grimacing a bit. “I was just going to grab something to drink.” She pointed towards, what I presumed, was the kitchen. The pretty brunette was also only dressed in an oversized men’s t-shirt, her smooth legs and bare feet on display.
That’s why it’d taken Stone so long to answer the door.
My eyes flew to his face, and the heartless sonofabitch had the nerve to smirk at me. To be fair though, she looked absolutely lovely. She didn’t look the type who would show up to an initiation in jeans and a hoodie. She lookedexactlylike the type of girl someone like Stone Lexington would make his girlfriend.
I couldn’t stop the hate dripping from my voice. “You’re a bastard,” I choked out.
With no apology anywhere in his tone, he replied, “Never said I wasn’t.”
I lost it.
Thisguy pulled me into a world that I never wanted to be a part of by threatening me and my family. He subjected me to the likes of Alexander George, that awful display with Arlene, Jacob, and Donovan, and more threats to me and my family. Then he blindsided me with a marriage contract and declaration of feelings for me, only confusing me further. He forced me to admit my feelings for him and the undeniable chemistry between us, further manipulating me into marrying someone I hardly knew. Then he insisted on flaunting our engagement, only to dump me with no explanation, and now this.
Not an hour after telling me that he was done with me, he had another girl in his bed.
I. Fucking. Lost. It.
My fists started raining down onhis chest, even though I knew I couldn’t cause any real damage, but I didn’t care. The alcohol in my system probably wasn’t helping the situation, but I was far from drunk now.
I was raging mad.
“You fucking asshole!” I screamed,and I didn’t care if the cops got called. “You cock-sucking motherfucker!” When Stone reached for my hands, I jumped back. My chest heaving with rage, my eyes burning with hate, I stared up at him. “Stay away from me,” I spat. “You’re nothing but a piece of shit.” I turned and raced back down the hallway towards the elevator.
Pushingon the button, the doors should have swung right open, but when it occurred to me that someone else must have called it after I’d gotten off, I looked around for the stairwell. Located at the end of the hallway, I ran towards it, not willing to wait on the elevator. I was determined to get out of this building as quickly as possible.
My hand hadjust swung open the door leading to the stairs when a pair of strong muscular arms wrapped around me from behind. It was not a problem for Stone to lift me, but that didn’t stop me from kicking and failing with all my might.
His hold on me tightened and desperation threatened to choke me. “Let me go!” I screamed. “Get your hands off me and let me go!”
“Not on your life,”came a snarl against my right ear.
Istill fought, though.
Even thoughit was a losing battle, I fought with all my might. I also did my best to scream the building down.
