Ignite

Prologue

Angel

"Wait! It's not what it looks like," I plead, holding onto Ezra's arm. His eyes blaze with rage as he looks down at my fragile hand and pulls free from my grip, flicking his gaze between Kane and me. My fate without him now sealed with a kiss.

"No! I asked you if there was anything for me to be worried about and you lied to my face. Your lips just told me the truth that you wouldn't. We're done."

I begin to weep when he turns to leave without hearing my explanation. "Don't go, Ezra. Please, stop!" I cry after him, looking over my shoulder at Kane behind me and up to the sky that is pouring down angry rain on Ezra getting on his motorcycle, ignoring my pleas to not leave. The gravel kicks up behind him and my heart sinks to my stomach. Oh, my God. What did we do?

"Do something?" I yell at Kane, waving my hand in front of him. He's stone cold.

"Haven't I done enough, Angel?" He runs his hand behind his neck and looks to the ceiling as though the solution to our fuck up will be there. I stare at the red lipstick on his neck, on his lips and down to my disheveled blouse. I die slowly on the inside.

How could I do this to Ezra? I love him. I love him. He hates me. My hand slaps over my mouth and I fall to my knees with tears in my eyes. I feel sick. Sick.

"He just needs to cool off, Angel. We'll explain that this was-

"A mistake," I snap as I push myself up to stand. "This shouldn't have happened, Kane. I never should have kissed you. I... I... he is... I'm so sorry. Please, just go!" I plead with a watery voice.

I see the pain in Kane's eyes, the remorse mirrored from mine, but it morphs into something else as a chagrin frown is left on his face. Angry. He's angry with me and he should be. I just ruined everything. Everything.

He flexes his fingers and scowls at me. "I'll go, if that's what you want, but don't for a second think that this is over, Angelina. I know what you and Ezra are, but I also know what you and I are meant to be."

"He's your friend, Kane. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"Yes, you know it does, but when you're involved I just can't seem to give a fuck."

He steps forward to touch me and I pull away. "Don't say that."

"Say the truth? Let's not forget that you were mine, Angel. I had you before you were even a thought in his mind."

"And you left," I choke out.

"I shouldn't have. If I could get a do-over I'd... I would," he breathes through the words he can't say because he wouldn't have done it any differently even with a do-over. A simple pitch of an idea to the right person and the Kane I knew was gone.

"You'd what? Choose me? You know that isn't true and I'd never ask you to," I whisper and cast my eyes down. "I'm not enough for you."

"That's not true. You're everything to me."

My eyes lift and I see the sincerity in his. "I wanted to be, but I can't compete with the characters in your head and I don't want to." I turn away because I can't. I just can't look at him and his beautiful eyes that hold everything I once had. I was stupid tonight to get lost in them, not when they belong in another world where I don't exist.

"Look at me, Angel." I don't at first, but meekness washes over me when his gentle touch on my chin guide my eyes to meet his.

"I never meant to choose one way or the other," he says low and deep. "I took a chance and now..."

"Now, you're an amazing screenwriter and your movies are loved by the world."

"Are they loved by you?" he asks, stepping in close to me.