Page 59 of All Our Secrets

King’s brows furrowed. “Excuse me? I wasn’t asking for permission, Theo. I wanted to tell you before I did.”

“You’re not saying a word. It’s too late. She hates you—her gaming pal—for ghosting her.”

He flinched. Good. Maybe he’d put this to rest.

“Do you think she’ll be happy knowing you lied to her for all these years?”

“She won’t be happy at first, but she’ll know. If she wants someone to game with her again—”

“Peyton doesn’t game anymore.”

His eyes widened. “That’s… but she loves gaming.”

“She outgrew it.”

King snorted. “There’s no way.”

“What do you mean?”

“That was her favorite thing to do. She can’t just up and stop.”

“You did,” I pointed out. Then a ball of fear lodged itself in my throat when I pieced it together. Fuck. Peyton quit because King ghosted her. She probably lost interest because he left. King was wrong. It wasn’t the game as much as it was…

Shit.

“She might miss gaming.”

She didn’t fucking miss you.“Don’t pretend to know her.”

“I do know her,” he breathed out.

“Not anymore. Don’t bring this up again. So help me, if you say a word to her, King…” I stopped there and stalked to my motorcycle. Ignoring him as he called after me, I started the engine and sped off…

Right into the doom I felt crawling through my bones.

“I remember now,” I seethed. “I’m dead because ofyou.”

His forehead crinkled as he flung his hand forward. “What?”

“Our argument. I sped off and fucking died because of it!” I yelled.

“Your recklessness got you killed.” King pointed a finger at my chest. “It makes more sense now. I always wondered why you didn’t look more surprised when I told you. I came to you first, Theo. All I wanted was my friendship with your wife back.”

I scoffed. “We both know that’s not how you see Peyton.”

“No,” King agreed, which burned my stomach with rage. “But her friendship was something I needed, and I never would have betrayed you by asking for more than that.”

“You could have befriended her. You’ve had five years.”

“She can barely look at me. Maybe—”

“Because you’re an asshole. You never acknowledged her presence, and now you’re saying you want her friendship?”

“I was a coward!” King shouted, veins protruding from his forehead and neck. “I couldn’t look at her while she smiled at you.”

“You were jealous?”

“Of. Every. Fucking. One. Anyone who made her smile or laugh.”

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