Out of Left Field

Chapter 20 - Just Help Me (Sloane)

I concealed the rage boiling within me, not at all interested in playing his games. But my hands were tied. "What exactly did you expect, Stu? I mean, honestly," I softened my voice and relaxed my shoulders, trying to appear genuine, "did you expect that I'd come running back to you after locking up my boyfriend?"

His eye twitched at the mention of Chris, the muscles under his blue button-up shirt tightening as he fought for control over the demons that haunted his mind. "He took you from me."

"We didn't start dating until long after we broke up. You know that."

"That's not–" his teeth clenched together to quiet his voice, "That's not what I mean."

Somehow, I knew exactly what he meant. I knew that with his delusional thinking, he was beginning to believe that the stalking was starting to work. He truly had himself convinced that I was just a surprise visit or two away from falling back into his arms before Chris "showed up".

The fucker probably thought he was being chivalrous.

"I've sacrificed so much for you, Sloane. And then you throw it in my face by trying to fuck him in some hallway like a common whore?" He spat, his mouth twisting in disgust as his eyes flitted over my body.

I was starting to lose it.

The hard exterior I erected was slowly crumbling with each hateful word and clench of his hands. I'd been the victim one too many times when it came to Stu, even after I packed my things and left.

His words and insults floated freely through my mind until Chris proved every single one of them wrong. He spent three months kissing away every last hateful remark from Stu and I had no intention of letting all that work go to waste.

I am no longer the same woman that backed down from this fight all those months ago. Not when Chris was at stake.

Before I could collect my thoughts and stop my mouth from running faster than my brain could think, words were pouring out.

"You wanna call me a whore because I finally found someone that worships my body and makes me feel wanted all hours of the day? Fine! I will not be ashamed of that. Chris loves me for who I am, all you ever wanted to do was morph me into some spineless, scared little girl. You wanted me weak and begging for your approval, and you fucking got it before I realized my worth and left your sorry ass. And once I'm finally fucking happy, you frame him and have him sent to fucking jail?! Are you kidding me? You couldn't stand the fact that Chris is ten times the man you will ever be so you STOLE from the fucking evidence locker and planted it on him?! You're a fucking coward, Stu!" I was seething, my chest heaving as I clutched the bag closer to my body.

Pure, unaltered rage flickered through his eyes as he stood, my heart almost stopping when he closed the distance separating us, shoving me back against the door, and knocking the air from my lungs.

I hadn't even realized that I had taken a couple of steps toward him during my explosion. I gasped for a breath, my bag dropping to the floor when Stu crowded in front of me.

"Have you learned nothing?!" Stu roared, his face only inches from mine.

My hands clenched into fists to stop them from trembling, my fingernails digging painfully into my palms. His eyes locked onto me, searching for the weakness he spent months drilling into my brain.

But I wouldn't give him anything.

I couldn't.

The door to his office was still open. Sure, his office was a little off the beaten path, but if he didn't get control of his temper, someone would overhear and there was no way a building full of cops wouldn't investigate this level of screaming from his office.