Page 42 of Out of Bounds

"Tell him not to send anything," Adam said. "All of that just sounded desperate. He might as well be throwing rocks at her window. Asking for a crumb of pussy."

"Nothing?" I asked, dumbfounded. "But how do I—what am I—not that I—"

Adam sighed. "This is painful."

King didn’t say anything, but I could practically see his face, eyebrows raised in surprise.

"I have important work to do," I told both of them. "Meetings and paperwork and shit. Stay out of trouble. And Adam, I’m still pissed off."

Before either of them could say anything, I ended the phone call and stretched back on the couch. The fake relationship was supposed to be an easy way to get the media off my back. Nobody said it was going to be like this.

16

Kassie

Got In All By Yourself

Not one thing could put down my first day in the graphic design department. Not the first-day jitters or the tiny hangover I was sporting or the second blouse I had to change into after my first one became a casualty in my roommate’s spray paint experiment—nothing. Nothing could ruin my good mood.

"You got this, bitch," I murmured under my breath. "They’re going to be like—oh my god? What did we do without her?"

Walking past the gym, I slowed down just enough to sneak a peek. But I didn’t have to. My phone buzzed in my back pocket, right on cue.

Mr. Intense:GOOD LUCK TODAY.

I bit back a grin, walking down the hallway. Hestillhad the caps lock on. I was fake-dating a caveman. There wasn’tanything that Ryan despised more than technology. I’d read that enough in his memory packet. Favorite video game? No. No, with the little period written right after it. Hilarious.

Typing up a thank you message, I wasn’t quick enough before his other messages came through.

Mr. Intense:REMEMBER THIS IS JUST A FRONT

Mr. Intense:YOU’RE NOT ACTUALLY WORKING THERE

Mr. Intense:WEARING A MARRS SHIRT IS ALSO OPTIMAL

There went all my good grace towards the team captain. I rolled my eyes. There was no way in hell I was wearing some university merch for my first day. It just wasn’t happening.

What is this man’s obsession with seeing me in dark blue?

He didn’t need a response, not after that. Besides, I’d see him tomorrow.

Sliding my phone into my back pocket, I pulled open the door to my new job. It wasn’t sleek and pristine like the rest of the training center. Bright-colored notices were tacked up on the corkboard, people lounged in their chairs close to the glass walls, and the coffee machine looked used and abused.

Mykind of people.

When I met Henry Miller again, it wouldn’t be for some silly essay. We’d meet as colleagues.

At the closest desk, I gave a little wave. "Hey, hey, hey. I don’t know who to talk to, it’s my first day."

"First day?" The guy behind the desk grinned and started sifting through papers in a filing cabinet. "Wow. Welcome! What’s your name?"

"Kassie Ragar."

His fingers stopped flipping through files comically fast and he stilled over the filing cabinet, like his system needed a reboot.Quickly, he shifted back in his chair. A big smile crossed his face that didn’t meet his eyes.

"Welcome," he said slowly, still giving that weird, creepy smile.

I hesitated. "Is…is something wrong?"

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