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“You’re a part of the team of participants,” Nico explains.
“That sounds like a technicality.”
“It is. The worst thing for you both is that you can’t enter separately, but the physical should rule Harlow out,” Nico bargains. “I don’t have to use you two for any of the rounds. You’re an option, and I’ll try to keep it that way. Signing up for the Seconds is an honor for a lot of people, so there’s a surplus. Hopefully you two can lie low.”
“That’s not the point and you know it,” Ezra tells him, and he nods.
“Wait,” Harlow says, from where she’s been quietly listening. “Why are you so sure the physical will rule me out? What are the standards they’re looking for?” Ezra and I look at each other over the table, and out of the corner of my eye, I can see Nico looking between us. Harlow’s brow furrows as she takes it all in. “What’s going on?”
“I think we need to talk,” Ezra says softly, looking down at her.
“I’ll leave you to it,” Nico says as he pushes his chair back, but she holds her hand up.
“Wait a minute, I still have questions. Someone answer my first one,” she demands, not happy to not be included in our silent conversation.
“We know,” I tell her gently.
“Know what?”
“We’re pregnant.”
“Who?” she asks, sounding confused.
“Well, technically, you,” I concede. “But—”
“Since when?” Her tone drips with sarcasm, which confuses me.
“We saw the photo on your phone.”
“The photo on my phone?” she repeats as a question, but slowly, her frown makes way for wide eyes. “The photo I took for Fleur? For her to keep once she’s processed the fact she’s pregnant?” She looks back up, moving her gaze between the three of us. “That test wasn’t mine. It was Fleur’s.”
“Fuck,” Nico mutters from the end of the table. “The physical won’t rule her out.”
“Uh... sorry I’m not carrying a secret baby to get me out of your fucked up plan,” Harlow says sourly, and his face softens.
“That’s not what—”
“You said we didn’t have to enter properly anyway,” she interrupts, and he sighs at his fuck up, running a hand through his hair.
“That’s right. I won’t use you for any of the rounds,” Nico bargains. “Any of you.”
“So what’s the catch?” Ezra asks.
“There’s no catch. I’m not lying to you.”
“Makes a change,” Harlow mutters. She doesn’t even look at him, so she misses the way his face flinches.
“I should go. I’ll text you where to be and when.”
“One last question,” Harlow says quickly, and Nico stills. “What happened to me while I was out?”
“Nothing, I swear it.” His hands fists on the tabletop. “I know my promises mean little right now, but on my life, Harlow, no one touched you beyond carrying you into the house, and I carried you out again.” They don’t break eye contact for a long moment, silence between them until she nods in acknowledgment. She believes him. Thank god. With that, Nico stands and leaves, Harlow’s eyes softening as they follow him the whole way.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Nico
I drive away hating myself more than I ever thought possible. The way her eyes show every emotion, even when she tries so hard to hide them, destroys me. For a second, I thought it was all going to work out—something might actually go right—but no. There’s no baby, which means Harlow will undoubtedly fly through the physical. I know I’m asking her to do the very opposite of everything she stands for, everything she would ever want to do. Except I’m not asking, I’m telling her she has to. Because I couldn’t bring myself to leave her. I should’ve left The Grind the second I realized what she meant to me. I should never have offered to teach her about The Games in the first place. I was stupidly blinded by my need to spend time with her and didn’t think of any of the consequences. Well, Nico, meet consequences—they’re currently beating the shit out of you.
