Descent (Black Heart Romance presents Heaven & Hell)

Chapter Six
Calvin
It was a bold move to bring a date to a thing like this.
I’m not sure what to even call the occasion—a surprise, certainly, but that word generally
carries positive connotations.
Judging from the way Hallie turns white and then a particularly fuming shade of red as she
processes my presence and then Kira’s, it was the right one.
The opposite of love isn’t hatred, after all, it’s indifference. If seeing me here with someone else
didn’t make her angry, I would have a lot more work to do.
She’s definitely not indifferent to me. When the ceremony ends and the bride and groom parade
down the aisle, Hallie’s gaze returns to me. She’s a vision in pink, clutching her bouquet like it’s a
lifeline.
As she makes her way down the aisle in my direction, I spread my thighs a bit. When she walks
past, the flowy fabric of her long dress brushes my leg.
It’s an absurd thing to make me smile, but it does. It’s exhilarating being so close to her. Close
enough to touch, even if I can’t right now.
I really didn’t plan to see her again after last night. I hadn’t even made it all the way home
before I started to realize that wasn’t going to work. All I could think about in the car on the way
home was which part of the seat she had touched. That’s where I wanted to sit, just to be close to her
essence.
Even though I hadn’t planned to see her again, I told Hollis to look for her invitation while he
was in her apartment. I figured she would have at the very least a wedding invitation pinned to the
front of her refrigerator, maybe even a more elaborate setup since she’s the maid of honor.
The moment he showed me the picture he snapped of Charity’s invitation pinned beneath a
painted heart magnet, I knew I would have to see her. I wasn’t sure if I would crash the wedding or
just hang around outside until I caught a glimpse of her, but by the time I undressed and climbed into
bed, I’d made the decision to attend the wedding.
It’s downright dickish to make her see me today, but my need to see her overpowered common
decency. I suppose I could have stayed away, but I didn’t want to.
Once Hallie isn’t in the room anymore, I remember how much I hate weddings. I stand as soon as
the last members of the bridal party have made their exit and leave Kira to fend for herself.
I hear her voice behind me. “Calvin, wait.”