Page 75 of Kings Against the World

My body rings from all the intense pleasure, my cock throbbing and balls empty, but it’s a consolation prize in the end.

It doesn’t compare to the good things we had. The feelings I had started to develop…

The sunlight the next morning is enough to sober me up. Though I hardly drank at all, it still feels like I need it. I squint sitting up in bed, memories of last night trickling in. I’m not the first awake. Zoe’s sitting on the edge of her side of the bed, her back turned to me. She’s already dressed in a t-shirt and jean shorts, which tells me she’s also already showered.

I scrub a hand over my face and sigh. The mood in the air contradicts the Vegas sunshine outside. The energy between us is toxic and tense, no better than it’d been last night.

We’d gotten caught up again and sought to express ourselves the best way we knew how—aggressive, passionate, carnal sex.

But now that morning’s here, reality’s come knocking again.

“We need to talk,” Zoe says, her tone clipped.

She still doesn’t turn for a look at me. I guess she figures it’s best if we don’t set eyes on each other.

My head’s pounding like I’ve got a hangover, but the real reason is the dread and frustration that it’s come to this. That things have broken down so bad between us that we’re practically enemies. We’re worst off than when we first came here for the tournament.

How could things get so… fucked up?

“Yeah,” I rasp. “Alright. Speak your piece.”

“We’ve broken up,” she says. “We’ll let Boone and everyone else know. You can blame it on me. Tell them I was sick of being tied down to you. That I wanted to explore my options at the club.”

“So that’s what you and Boone talked about last night, huh? You going for it, Special Agent? You gonna go that deep undercover?”

“It’s none of your business.”

“And if you can’t get out in time? Then what?” I press. “You know once you agree to it, they’re not letting you outta that room ’til they get what they want. So unless you’ve got your fed pals right in the building, you’re fucking screwed.”

“Then I’ll deal with it when it happens. But make no mistake, this isn’t your concern. Which is why this is over. I’m getting my own room and you no longer have to pretend you’re some caring boyfriend. I’ll handle the rest on my own.”

“That’s just the way you like it, huh?”

“Gallagher, I’m not discussing this?—”

“Just the way you prefer to keep things!” I interrupt loudly, drowning her out. “Push everybody away. Handle everything on your own. Suffer alone. Put yourself in risky situations that are damn near suicide missions.”

“And even if that’s true, it’s still none of your business!” she yells, popping to her feet. “I’mnone of your business. Get that through your thick, tattooed skull.”

I’m so disgusted with the situation, so frustrated with her that I can only laugh. Laugh at the fucking situation she’s putting herself in and the fact that she’s pushing me away.

“Alright,” I say. “Got it loud and clear, fed. We’re done here. All because we got too close and I learned too much about you. Things you’re ashamed of. Things that actually make you vulnerable and human. Cool. But I’m not sticking around for it—I’m not gonna hang around while you self-destruct. I refuse to fucking watch it happen! I’m gone.”

It’s my turn to jump out of bed. I snatch my Dickies pants off the floor and quickly slide into them, not even bothering with a shirt.

Zoe’s eyes round watching me grab my shit and stuff it into my duffel bag. “Gallagher, what are you doing?”

“I’m out! I’m going the fuck home! You said we’re done?I’MDONE!”

I stalk toward the door, wrenching it open, and doing what I’ve said I would.

I get the hell out of there.

19

ZOE

“Strauss,I’m hoping you have better news than last time,” comes Duchovny’s matter-of-fact tone. “Were you able to gather something more substantial for the investigation? Might I also add that we have the update briefing in three days. The board is going to expect some type of results. What do you have so far?”

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