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She did. She really did.
Crazy fey.
Against all odds, he began to laugh. And when he did, she smiled at him in such a way that made him believe she was smiling becausehewas happy.
“Gods, I feel like I’m losing my mind.”
“Why do you think that?”
Because despite his misery, he was happy. And despite his heart tugging him in Sophia’s direction, he’d never follow its pull.
He was already destined to be with someone else, and he needed to stop forgetting that.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Antonio Payne
Antonio rubbed a firm hand along his face, frustrated with himself over his recent behavior. It was as if he had been hiding from the world for so long he forgot how to behave.
“Antonio, why do you feel like you’re losing your mind?” Sophia repeated her question, but it was another question he didn’t want to answer. He didn’t want to remind her of his mate so soon after engaging in such an intimate act together, but he couldn’t see a way around it. Sophia needed to know why their actions could never be repeated, not for as long as a future with Giselle was possible.
“I’m thinking about my mate.” He didn’t know why those words felt like ice on his tongue.
Sophia was quiet for a bit, giving him nothing to listen to but the sound of their breathing. The longer the silence continued, the more his heart twisted. After what felt like an eternity, she finally asked, “Why is that making you lose your mind?”
He shut his eyes, inhaling deeply. “I’m competing in this tournament to save her, my mate. Sophia, I can’t… I’m so close to getting her back. We can’t do that again. It was a mistake.” This was turning out to be one of the most uncomfortable conversations he’d ever had. But it shouldn’t be uncomfortable.Sophia knew he had a mate before this. This wasn’t news to her. Thinking rationally, it was only right that she accepted this.
Then why is this so fucking hard?
“Oh.” The disappointment in her voice gutted him.
“I’m sorry.” He didn’t know what else to say because he could hardly make any sense of this himself. If he was having difficulty understanding where his head was, how could he expect her to?
“Sorry? Hmm.” She jumped to her feet beside him, focusing her attention ahead of her. He watched as she began stretching out her arms as if she had just woken up from a long nap. “So it’s my understanding that we’ll be a team for the next few days, working together.” She wasn’t looking at him as she spoke.
The tone in her voice altered as dramatically as the conversation’s course did. “Sophia…” Didn’t she want to talk about what happened?
It was probably better that they didn’t talk about it. But the lack of emotion in her voice didn’t sit well with him.
“And do you plan looking out for my safety even after these team rounds are over?”
Antonio hoped more than anything that Casper would find a loophole in that contract before the team rounds came to an end. He didn’t want to imagine Sophia fighting in that arena without him. “Yes, I do.” He knew he’d do everything in his power to keep her from harm in any way he could.
“I’m sure you understand how little sense that makes to me.”
She continued speaking in the same manner, her tone resembling the one someone would give another in a business meeting. It was like she was telling him,I understand now, this is only business,without actually saying it.
“Why doesn’t it make much sense to you?” He kicked at a pebble at his feet.
“Why would you think itdoes?Only one of us can win this thing, Antonio. Onlyone of uscan make it out of this alive. You’lldo anything to bring your mate back, and I’ll stop at nothing to save my parents. Youdoknow we may be forced fight each other at one point, don’t you?” Did she not know Casper was working on getting her out of this tournament? “Who am I kidding, that’s a ridiculous question.Of courseyou know this, you’re not stupid. Which makes me wonder why you’re acting so fucking stupid right now.”
There was her fire. Though he cringed at the sound of it, he was glad she was angry.
Because I’d rather her be angry at me than feel nothing for me at all.
“I decided we’d just cross that bridge when we got to it.” He answered her question the best way he could. If she didn’t already know Casper was working on getting her out of this tournament alive, it meant Casper chose not to tell her. He must’ve had a reason for keeping this a secret. Considering Antonio didn’t yet know what that reason was, he decided it was best to keep Sophia ignorant for a bit longer. At least until Antonio could discuss it with Casper.
Still refusing to look Antonio’s way, Sophia said, “Good idea, let’s ignore our inevitable fate for now. If we’re lucky, one of us will already be dead before the other even has to worry about it.”
