Page 29 of Choose Me

"You enjoyed it." She spat at me. "He let me kiss him. He's been leading me on for weeks."

My eyes widened as shock coursed through my veins. Brock glanced over at me with confusion written all over his face.

"That's not true. This is the second time I've turned her down." I defended myself to him.

"Then how do you explain your hard dick pressing against my leg." Fumes of rage and hatred curdled on her words.

"Jesus Christ." I scoffed, my voice filled with disbelief and disgust. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Take the hint and fuck off."

"Agent Scarlett, if you know what's good for you, I suggest you leave immediately. We will discuss your behavior tomorrow when your head is clear." Brock warned with a menacing tone.

She stepped back, a twisted smirk forming on her lips, a frightening promise of revenge. I felt Brock tense beside me, ready to intervene if needed. But she glared at us momentarily before turning on her heel and striding away.

When she was out of sight, I released the breath I had been holding. My heart raced erratically in my chest, and my skin burned from where her nails had dug into it.

"Are you okay?" Brock asked, his voice laced with concern.

I nodded but couldn't bring myself to look at him, "I'm fine," I muttered. "Can we just go home?"

Brock gave a slight nod before putting an arm around my shoulders as we walked outside and hailed a cab. Neither of us spoke until we were inside the car, but he spoke up again.

"What happened?"

"When I first got here, she flirted with me, and I turned her down. She's made little comments here and there, but I ignore her. She showed up tonight when I was drunk and pulled me to the dance floor. I did my best to push her off, but she just kept coming back. When she kissed me, I shoved her, and she snapped. She started attacking me. That's when you showed up."

"You always did attract the crazy ones." He said with a wry chuckle.

My lips curved slightly upwards at his joke despite the fucked up situation I was in. "Oh shit! I need to call Ava."

"Why don't you wait until we get to my place, sober up a bit, and then call her," Brock suggested calmly.

I nodded reluctantly and fought the urge to drunkenly grovel at her feet for forgiveness.

When we arrived at Brock's, he made me some coffee and left me alone to call Ava as promised, but I just stared at the phone, unable to call her number. I felt sick, not from the alcohol, but from my guilt and shame.

What had I done?

How was I going to explain this to Ava?

I had betrayed her and her trust in me. My body wanted Sydney, and I felt repulsed with myself. After everything we had been through together, I couldn't keep my hormones in check. I couldn't bring myself to tell her what had happened, fearing her reaction to hearing that I let another woman kiss me.

I was a coward.

My stomach sank as the guilt in my chest intensified. I jumped up and vomited the contents of my stomach into the trashcan, and my vision went black.

17

SEVENTEEN

AVA

I reached for my phone and saw James' name flashing across the screen, and my heart leaped into my throat.

"Hey babe, are you okay?" I answered with an anxious breath.

"Uhm...hey Ava, this isn't James. I'm sorry. This is Brock. I am working with James here in Miami."

"He's told me about you. What's going on? Where's James at?"

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