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At the same time, I worried he’d recognize my voice. All the other times we’d met, we both wore masks.
A few moments passed before he looked up in my direction. It didn’t even last a second. “That’s not a question.”
Christ.
“Is it true that your mother is forcing you to marry by the end of the yea?—”
“I wish to play in silence.”
I buried my knuckle into my temple, hoping to relieve the building pressure. “And then you’ll let me leave in peace?”
“And then I might let you leave inonepiece. That’s my best and final offer.”
“That’s not much of a bargain for me.”
“I think it is. Unless you’re fond of prison food.”
“I’m not picky.”
At the very least, I’d no longer have to fork over rent to live in my own childhood home.
“Neither are the people who will corner you in the showers.”
“Are you imply?—”
“I do not imply things. I outwardly say them. And right now, I am outwardly saying, ‘Make your move. Without a word.’”
I obeyed him.
For the next two hours, we lost ourselves in the game.
Every twenty minutes or so, someone would knock on the door and attempt to lure him back to the party. They were all met with lazy waves, a wordless instruction for them to leave.
Zach’s full attention remained on our game, which was why I tried hard to prolong it as much as possible. I didn’t want him to start interrogating me again.
But dammit, he had skill.
If he told me he competed at the Majors, I’dbelieve it.
Sweat beaded at my temple. We entered our third hour with flourish.
Me—with burning feet, ready to sprint out the door as soon as he’d let me.
And him—with a perpetual frown etched onto his lips.
His frown morphed into a full-blown scowl when our stalemate became evident. We’d reached a dead end.
The music and chatter subsided downstairs, indicating most guests had left. The host had spent the entire party here. With me.
Sure enough, we hadn’t talked.
Not a single word.
I broke the silence first. “I’m going to have to think about my next move.”
I rubbed my cheek, jutting out my lower lip. I hated losing. Plus, I wasn’t even sure what getting out of the lion’s den would look like.
This afternoon, before I’d arrived, I’d parked my car two blocks away from his mansion with the intention of strolling to it, prized pendant safe in hand.
