Hateful obsession

Chapter 18

Now fr...see you after 2 weeks.😅

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Melissa
"Desires, Jealousy and Choice."

Turbulence rocked the plane just as I opened my eyes. The dim cabin lights barely illuminated Dean next to her, looking far more at ease than I felt. As we approached Las Vegas, I couldn't stop replaying my decisions in my head-how had it come to this? Flying with Dean to a city of temptation, gambling, and secrets. And especially since we'd arrive just when it would be time to go looking for two half-baked tempters in the casino.

Dean looked at me and quickly smiled, his calm demeanor was in sharp contrast to the chaos brewing inside me and I was still angry that he had been silent all this time, but at least he had told the truth in time so that at the last moment I could do everything the way I wanted.

I turned away, my thoughts spiraling. Why did I even care if Roman was touching another woman? We weren't together anymore. We had a history, yes, but we'd never defined anything even when we lived together. Still, the thought of him being with someone else-especially some rich bitch-took me in a way I couldn't explain. I clenched my fists, trying to suppress the rising tide of emotion.

The plane was getting lower, revealing a neon-lit city through the tiny window. Las Vegas. It seemed like the perfect backdrop for my heart to spill. Dean had tried to talk me out of it until the very end, insisting that we didn't need more trouble, but I wasn't a coward to give up on my dreams over some stupid problem. He knew Roman would be there with Lyn the whole time, so he was lucky I was nice to him because otherwise his head would be the only one sitting next to me. I wasn't sure if Dean was trying to help or make things worse.

"Are you ready for this?" Dean's voice cut through my churning thoughts.

I turned to face him, blinking a few times to collect my thoughts. "To what exactly? To the trip? To the casino? Or to meet my husband who decided to seduce Kate?"

He leaned back in his seat and looked at me thoughtfully. "All of this. You're acting... distant and I can't figure out why because two weeks ago you were doing exactly the same thing."

Detached isn't the word. It was closer, but I didn't admit it out loud. Instead, I tried to deflect. "How do you feel about Lin being there with Roman. In Sin City?"

Dean's expression changed, his jaw tensing for a split second before he exhaled. He ran a hand through his blond hair, clearly hesitant. "Lin and I... well, we had something once. It was intense, but it didn't last. We were both chasing something that wasn't meant to last."

I raised an eyebrow, feeling the tension between us grow. "What happened? Why did it end?"

Dean's eyes softened, as if the memories were weighing heavily on him. "We realized we weren't right for each other. She wanted something different, and I wasn't willing to give her what she needed. It wasn't toxic, but it wasn't healthy either. It was like addiction to want each other."

I felt his honesty, but part of me felt guilty for even asking. I had no right to ask him about his past relationships when I was still tangled up in my own issues with Roman.

"That sounds complicated," I said, but my voice became quieter.
Dean shrugged, giving me a half-smile. "Love is usually like that."

The plane landed, and moments later the hum of the engine faded as we taxied toward the gate. The weight of what lay ahead seemed to settle in the pit of my stomach. Whatever I felt for Roman, tonight would be my greatest test.