Choose Me

Chapter 16

"Welcome to my lovely abode," Dex greets us as he opens the door to his apartment for us. "Mi casa es tu casa," he adds for my benefit and gives me a wink.

"What's gotten into you?" Elsie responds as she walks in and gives him a quick hug.

"Nothing. I'm just happy to finally have my own place," he says with a big smile.

"It's nice," Elsie comments, looking around before turning back to look at her brother. "Dexter, I want you to meet my boyfriend," she tells him. He shakes Marcus' hand and they quickly get past the awkward first meet and then it's my turn to greet him.

Dex opens his arms to me and I roll my eyes and laugh as I walk into his arms. He pulls me tight against him and lowers his head to my ear. "You look stunning," he whispers so only I can hear. I smile and press the side of my face to his and am so tempted to just move my head the slightest bit to the left so I can kiss him, but I resist the urge and just stay there, enjoying the little skin to skin contact.

He holds me for longer than necessary and someone clears their throat from behind him. He pulls away from me and turns to the side. I expect to see Elsie standing behind him, but instead, it's some random girl I've never seen before and she looks pissed. It doesn't take a genius to put two and two together. It's the girl he's been dating and from the looks of it, she's not happy with me. Not one bit. And I don't blame her, not when Dex holds me the way he does, but it's not my fault we have a connection that she and him don't.

"Hey babe," he tells her and I feel my heart drop instantly. It doesn't matter that I knew who she was without introducing her. It still hurts. "This is an old friend," he explains to her and she smiles but I can tell it's fake. "Rey, this is my girlfriend Bianca," Dex tells me and my heart just breaks in two. Girlfriend? I thought they weren't official yet.

Liar.

I smile at her but it's anything but genuine. "Hi, I've heard so much about you," I lie and extend my hand towards her.

"Only good things, I hope," she says and shakes my hand. She squeezes it a little too tightly but I don't make a fuss over it and squeeze her hand back just the teensiest bit harder. She grimaces and I smirk. I pull my hand out of hers and watch her not so discreetly rub her hand. How sad. She can't even handle a little bit of pain.

"Of course. Dexter...I mean Dex would never speak ill of anyone," I correct myself and she smiles for Dex's benefit but it's still not genuine. "I'm gonna go see what Elsie is up to," I tell them, wanting to get away from all the tension that is so thick between them it could be cut with a knife. "I'll see you around," I say to the both of them but hold Dex's gaze while I say it. He smirks and his girlfriend scoffs.

I peel my gaze away from him and start walking towards the other side of the room where Elsie is standing. I turn back to see them arguing. I sigh, knowing full well I'm partly to blame for that, but if she gets mad over one hug, I can't imagine how angry she'd be if she knew Dex and I have done more than just kiss since they started dating. I doubt he'll tell her though. For whatever reason, he's trying to make things work between them and I don't get why. Am I suddenly not good enough for him?

I face forward and approach Elsie. "Hey, Elsie. Why are you all by yourself?"

"Marcus is off getting a drink," she mutters with a shrug and takes a sip of her drink which I'm guessing is her usual jack and coke.

"He'll be back soon. I'm sure."

"Take this," she says, handing me her drink and takes off.

"Where are you going?" I whisper yell over my shoulder and turn to see her making her way towards the kitchen where Marcus is. I see another girl chatting him up and get her sudden departure. She approaches them and Dex quickly intervenes, getting the girl far, far away from Marcus and Elsie. He leaves them to talk and looks around the room in search of someone or something when his eyes finally land on me. I raise Elsie's cup in his direction and take a sip. I choke and immediately regret taking a sip. I see him laugh from across the room and flip him off before turning my back to him to compose myself.