21

As the music played, Gage watched Isis elegantly float across the room as if her feet never seemed to touch the floor. More beautiful than anything he had ever seen; he felt his body tremble with the goosebumps. She was the most amazing dancer he had ever seen. More importantly, she was the most amazing woman he had ever met.

Beauty and pain collided as her expression was that of a broken angel. With even note, her body swayed in rhythmic perfection, as if she and the music were one. His heart felt like it skipped a beat as he watched her dance. Taking in a slow breath, it was like she was breathing in new life for him he never thought possible.

Gage sat ever so still so as not to distract her, while he continued to watch as her body moved in perfect harmony with the soft music. He was in a trance from the motions of her hips, her lovely curves, and the way her arms swayed like a willow tree blowing in the breeze. Mesmerized at the graceful elegance of his goddess, his heart pounded against his ribcage and he wanted every inch of her as his own.

Isis danced to the music as if it were holding her body from crashing to the ground. The song spoke every word she was feeling; heartbreak, pain, and love she could never fully have. How she could love him after everything he had done, she didn't know, but she knew he would never feel the same. All she ever wanted was to have Gage to want her the way she had always dreamed in her fantasies. To have him hold her in his arms and make love to her, being his forever. She knew now she never stopped wanting him in all these years. She had been lying to herself for far too long and the pain was more than she thought she could bear.

Gage made his way into the room quietly as not to disturb her. Her eyes were closed as she danced, but he could see she was crying. He watched as tears trailed down her rosy cheeks while she moved around the room, leaving little droplets across the floor in their wake. Her body became heavier with every sweet, heartbreaking lyric that came from the speakers, making it harder for him to escape her spell.

It was like every move - every word of the song was expressing how she was feeling. It was only the music that kept her from falling to the floor, from her overwhelming state of emotion. As for Gage, it was the same. yet he dare not admit it; to himself or her.

As the song ended, she collapsed to her knees, covering her face with her hands, softly weeping. Seeing her broken on the floor was like a dagger to his already breaking heart.

A soft but gruff familiar voice came behind her as if reaching out to her very soul. “That was beautiful. I’ve never seen anybody dance like that before. I didn’t know you were here. I came to clear my head, and I guess you had the same idea. But... I... I just can’t. I can’t get you out of my mind no matter how hard I've tried.”

Isis slowly raised her eyes to meet his gaze. “Gage, why are you doing this? Why can’t you just let me go?” Isis pleaded.

“I can’t, and I won’t. I made my choice. You stay. You’re mine and I’m not letting you go, ever.” He stood there motionless, just looking at her broken body. He wanted to hold her, but his mind and body were too far beyond exhaustion to move to his will.

“You don’t own me, you know. I’m not your property,” she breathed.

He lifted her from the floor to face him. “No, I don’t. I want every part of you, and I will have you. However long it takes to make you mine, I'll never give up. Don’t you understand?”

He looked in her eyes, searching for whatever gave her this hold on him. His perfect chiseled pained expression looked as if his heart was tearing apart, mimicking her own painful need.

“You just want someone you can control. You want me because, for the first time in your life, a woman isn’t falling all over you. I’m not like that. I may be shy. I may not have confidence in my body or myself, but what I do have is my self-respect. I can’t let you take every part of me away. I can’t allow you to keep hurting me. I needed you to... love me —” She swallowed hard, and her voice fell to a whisper, “And you don’t. I can’t make you feel something for me other than the lust I see in your eyes. All I see is a man wanting a woman to feed the ego. Just like every other woman who I’ve seen you with since your divorce. You just want to own me like your property. To bow to every word and every demand. I can’t let you take over me. I won’t.”

She turned and quickly rushed to gather her things. Gage rushed to gently grab her arm and Isis raised her hand, suddenly stopping him.

“No. I can’t let you do this to me. Set me free, Gage. You know I won’t quit IWX. I worked too hard for this. You must be the one to let me go. It was my dream to be in that ring with you. But this... I can’t do this. I’m not strong enough.”

Gage dropped his hand to let her leave, feeling defeated. He had never had to work to win over a woman. This was the first time he had experienced rejection, and it made him want her even more. He grabbed his head, wanting to scream as he watched her walk away. The fear and realization hitting him hard. She could walk away forever, and he’d pushed away the best thing that ever happened to him.

He had only himself to blame.