Chapter 11
Chapter
Eleven
Selah
Press Day One
In Briar, everything of any importance always took place at The Oak. It wasn’t the only hotel, but it was the biggest and most modern. Not only that, everybody knew where it was, because it was a pillar in the city, proof that even though old money owned the city, it didn’t control everything.
We were in a small room, waiting. I didn’t know much of what we were waiting for, but I couldn’t keep my eyes off him. Indiri was quieter than normal, in his head, every so often bobbing his head to the music in his headphones. He was in his zone, mind sharp and mute.
“This is how he normally is. Quiet and brooding.” Jordyn’s voice interrupted my thoughts. “It’s his normal process.”
I nodded, finding it extremely intriguing. Shoot, who was I kidding? I found everything about this man intriguing. He was a silent giant. The type of man who didn’t have to convince anyone of his power with his words because it was felt. In and out of his presence, his power was weighted and felt.
“It’s interesting to see him like this, quiet and focused.”
Jordyn nodded. “He’s like a machine.”
I was about to respond, but there was a knock at the door. “Mr. Jones, we’re ready for you,” a feminine voice outside the door requested.
Jordyn got his attention, then nodded when he finally looked at her.
His nod matched hers before he was on his feet. I was shocked when he held his hand out for me.
I looked at him, then at Jordyn, who had a smirk on her face.
She walked out of the now open door and I accepted his hand.
We walked out of the backroom hand in hand, then entered an extremely crowded room.
There were flashes and cameras everywhere and I was nervous.
Why was I nervous? I wasn’t the one fighting.
He ushered me up the four stairs to the side of the stage where Remy, Jordyn, and Journee were already standing. When we got there, what I saw made my heart drop and a chill raced down my spine. On a massive backdrop, bold red letters read:
INDIRI JONES VS. NATHANIAL “KNOCKOUT” COLLINS
My movement halted and I stood there motionless. Had I read this wrong? The noise around me dulled and I blinked several times, hoping my eyes were playing tricks on me, but they weren’t.
On another sign was the actual image of each fighter in their fighting stance with only the VS between them. Clear as day, there was Knockout. I could have passed out right here.
Indiri stepped in front of me, his presence felt heavier than the panic in my body. This shit couldn’t be possible. How?
My eyes jumped between the stoned expression on his face back to the sign. The words hadn’t changed. Indiri was fighting Nathanial… Knockout.
“What’s wrong? Why do you look like you see a ghost?” Indiri’s voice quieted the panicked thoughts traveling through my mind.
“You’re fighting Knockout?” His name was dry on my lips.
He nodded, concern clouding his irises. “Why?”
“That’s my ex.”
Concern left and something else clouded his expression. His jaw tightened and his eyebrows bunched together. Indiri was pissed. He was about to say something but was interrupted before he could.
“Indi, they’re waiting on you,” Remy said from behind.
He didn’t turn to address Remy but instead ducked his head and pecked my lips.
Then he moved toward the stage without another word.
The entire conference I was on pins and needles, my chest tight and palms itching as I asked myself how in the hell I had missed this.
Indiri was his same calm and collected self, sitting back in the chair, only leaning forward to answer direct questions he deemed important enough to respond to.
On the other hand, Nathanial was his same obnoxious, childish self.
Between childish snorts and fake sneezes where he interrupted Indiri, he trash talked from the beginning of the conference to the final words.
He didn’t see me, but I saw him. I saw all of him, including the timid nigga who was actually petrified of the man he shared a stage with.
When the press conference was over, Indiri stood near me again. He still had yet to speak, but he damn sure grabbed my hand.
In the midst of accepting his hand and turning to leave the same way we’d come in, I locked eyes with Nathanial.
Then I physically saw when his eyes traveled to where Indiri and I were connected.
I wanted to fucking die in that moment, but I had to be a big girl.
I had to assure the man I was building something with that I hadn’t known he was fighting my ex. Because honestly I didn’t.
When we made it back to the room, Indiri was silent. He stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows peering out of them while I sat on the couch peering at him.
“Say something, Indiri.”
“What do you want me to say?” he asked, still not facing me.
“Anything, say something.” I felt like I was begging. Shit, maybe I was.
“Did you not think it was important for me to know your ex was also a fighter?” He finally turned and looked at me. His eyes held irritation.
“I didn’t think about it. I don’t know much about any of it, so I always assumed you and he weren’t on the same level. I don’t know anything about the sport, who the main players are or anyt—”
“Either way, Selah! You should have fucking told me.” He raised his voice. “Damn.”
I stood, my own frustration simmering. “Maybe I should have, but what does who he is and how we were connected do for you? What does it matter, Indiri?”
He huffed. “It fucking matters, Selah.”
“Yeah? How?”
“Because now it looks like I’m fighting over pussy and I ain’t never done that shit in my fucking life.”
Gut punch.
His statement knocked the wind out of me. I wanted to cry. I didn’t though. Instead, I nodded and walked away. I grabbed my purse and duffle from near the door and left. I was on the elevator when the first tear fell.
He didn’t fight over pussy.
Well, who said he had to?
Was I truly just pussy to him?
I wiped my tears when I made it to the lobby. Then I exited the hotel and waved down a yellow cab. The walk to my place from here was only about ten minutes, but I had bags. Once I told the cabbie where I was going, I sat back in the seat and allowed the tears to flow.
How was I supposed to know Knockout was who he was fighting?
Indiri had never said his name, and once again, I wasn’t a social media person.
My life was so private that someone would’ve thought I was CIA.
I didn’t like people in my business nor did I like people thinking they could pass judgment or comment on my life.
So, I didn’t post anything and lived silently, which was how Nathanial had successfully cheated on me for God knows how long.
That was also how I knew nothing about this fight that included the man I was falling in love with and my ex.
Shit.
Instead of stopping by the bakery like normal, I bypassed and went straight to my place. I needed a moment to sit with this…all of it.
I wasn’t home for five minutes when there was a knock at my door.
Reluctantly, I moved to the door. My heart was in my stomach. I glanced through the peephole and my heart leaped.
“Open the door, Selah.” His voice was heavy and demanding.
“Why?”
He sighed. “Selah.”
I opened the door. Weak ass.
I stepped back, allowing him in.
I turned my back on him, moving to grab a drink of water. “Why are you here?”
“Because we’re grown as fuck. We don’t run off in the middle of a disagreement. Sure, you needed your space, but that fucking penthouse was big enough for you to find the furthest fucking corner. The fucking hot—”
“Indiri, you said I was just pussy.” I crossed my arms over my chest, heart still in my stomach.
“No, I didn’t. I worded that wrong at the moment and I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry? So that’s just it? We sweep it under a rug and go on like it wasn’t said.”
“Selah, you know you ain’t never been just pussy to me. You've been more since the day I saw you crying in that damn hotel. Should’ve minded my fucking business, but I couldn’t. I didn’t know anything about you but I knew you weren’t just pussy.” He stepped forward.
I put my arms out to stop him. “But, Indiri.”
“But nothing, Selah. I have never fought over a woman in my life, but the moment you told me who he was, you sealed his fate. I’m beating his ass for hurting you. For hurting mine.”
“But you don’t have to do that.” I now moved toward him.
“It doesn't matter.”
The conviction in his eyes had me rushing into his arms like a flying monkey. My legs wrapped around his waist and our lips locked. Shit, there was that connection, the one that had me feeling like I could breathe through him, like he was my fresh air.
“Wait, when you say yours. Does that mean?” I pulled away from our moment to ask the question burning inside me.
Lust lived in his eyes as they went from my lips to my eyes. “Yeah, we together, don’t make me re—”
I mashed my lips against his, not up for the warning. He had a better chance of hurting me than I ever did him.
My back was against the sofa about five seconds later, with him unfastening my jeans and helping me out of them. I was already out of my shirt and it was across the room.
“Why are these jeans so fucking tight, Selah?” he complained as he wrestled them down my body.
“They’re not tight,” I argued back, watching him snatch them off my body and toss them. He was between my legs quickly, pulling me to the end of the couch before he picked me up.
We were in my bedroom not a second later, him lying me down on the made up bed and forcing his pants down.
“You don’t leave me no more, Selah,” he said the moment he snaked his thickness into my center.
“Hmm.”
“You heard me.” He pulled back then drew forward roughly, his massive hand holding me in place so I couldn’t run if I wanted to. Shit, I was stuck.
My chest felt like it was caving in the best fucking way possible, then, as if he read my mind, he leaned down and licked my chest, setting my skin ablaze.