“Just like that?”
“Just like that.” A strange look clouds her eyes. “At least he was no longer in pain.”
“And you got less competition.”
“I suppose,” she says with a smile, but it’s forced. “Do you know why X was used and died?”
“Because Dad is a piece of shit?”
“Well, there’s that. But he also lacked power.”
“He was a kid who spent his childhood strapped to a hospital bed. Where could he have come up with power?”
“He should’ve found a way.” She pats my arm. “Don’t be another X, Marcus.”
She walks to the door, the sound of her heels echoing in the silence before she stops. “Oh, one more thing.”
“Yes?”
“Congrats on the game last night. I know you have that sadistic streak like all of us, but don’t give our boys at the Vipers a hard time, all right?”
She winks, and I narrow my eyes, which makes her laugh in that knowing way.
There’s no way she’s aware of my little game with Preston. Though calling it a game feels off.
What is it anyway?
After that night in the locker room, I’m not so fucking sure. Is it a game if I felt like bursting out of my skin just because I wastouchinghim?
Because heallowedme to touch him.
I could tell he was uncomfortable at first, but he gradually fell into it and let me coax him into accepting my touch.
Until he backhanded me, that is.
I tap my thumb against my middle finger as I leave the arena, my muscles bunching up.
No, I shouldn’t correlate that backhanding with Dad’s rejections throughout my childhood, but tell that to my brain.
I scroll through my exchange with Preston, but there’s nothing new. Radio silence.
Well, I haven’t texted him either, but I have a reason. What’s his?
Pretending nothing happened.Preston’s favorite hobby, which comes right after pissing people off for sport.
Doesn’t matter anyway, because there’ll be another game next week, and after his performance last night—yes, I watched a replay—he’ll believe in the ritual and come crawling back to me. I’ve already got him hook, line, and sinker.
So why does it still bother me that he’s ignoring me?
Go figure.
Apparently,I don’t need to wait until next week, because that same night, Dahlia invited me to a club in the heart of Graystone Ridge.
What am I if not the nicest gentleman?
I mean, not quite. Dahlia asked if I wanted to participate in some drama, and I agreed.
Said drama includes making her current fling, Davenport, jealous. And what’s the best way to do that? Bring her sort of ex—me—into a literal den of vipers.
