No one paid me any mind as I eyed the crowd beneath the shadowed bill of my ball cap, even despite the fact that I towered over every single one of these fuckers gathered around to watch and bet on illegal fights that would hurt more than help.
I wondered idly if Elodie would try to deny what she'd been planning on doing tonight.
Her breakdown the day before was illuminating, if her reasons she listed for it were the truth.
Stress and anxiety was like a domino effect, after all, and the fact that she'd let it all pile up on her before it finally collapsed around her was a testament as to how strong she'd been, and hadn't needed to be.
I needed to be better at telling her she could unburden herself with her problems onto her, I'd gladly carry them for her.
Maybe she just needed someone in control for her, someone to take charge and for her to take a backseat and just breathe, just simply follow instructions instead of having to deal with the mental load that came with everything she was going through.
Her entire family save for Eli and V were all against her, actively working to sabotage her image in the media, to slander her name and to guilt her and manipulate her into giving them more money despite the abuse she'd endured at their hands.
Yes, Elodie was probably the strongest woman I'd ever met.
And still despite all of what she'd unloaded onto me yesterday and last night, despite her spending the night wrapped up in my arms and cuddled against my chest like she was really mine—still, she'd left.
She'd lied.
Directly to my face.
I understood her reasons, I really did, but that didn't make it okay, especially considering the self-sabotaging nature of her actions.
I flinched as the lights in the warehouse flashed and flared, strobing white and red and purple, loud sirens screaming overhead as new techno music blasted through the air slightly scented with cigarette smoke and sweat.
The energy in the room was palpable, like the people gathered round were all one living entity, each person holding their breath and desperately waiting for the next fight to happen.
Elodie entered the makeshift ring, and my god she took my breath away.
She didn't have any protective gear on her, just those tight shorts and sports bra, her body so on display that I wanted to rip out the eyes of each and every person there salivating over her.
I wanted to scream at them, to yell in their faces and use my fists instead of standing silently in the back, a predatory watcher waiting for my chance to pounce on her before she could get away.
My eyes languished over her frame, over the swells of her chest and the sultry curve of her hips over her ass.
Her braided hair made my dick twitch idly in my pants at the thought of wrapping them tightly around my hand while guiding her mouth over me, in and out, over and over—
To read this chapter in full, please continue on and purchase the next story part!
YOU ARE READING
Rebound
Romance*FREE WITH PAID BONUS CHAPTER*After being dumped by her boyfriend, Elodie Shepherd resigns herself to loving her older brother's best friend from afar, just like she always has, even though he only sees her as his best friend's immature kid sister. ...
