Page 50 of Tamed (The Courtside King Duology 1)

“Scott. What’s up.”

“Hey, man. How’s it going?” He sounded off.

“Good.” Kai strode back to the mirror. Back to his dragon.

“Nice. Happy Friday.”

Kai grinned. “Same to you.” Scott didn’t reply. Kai frowned. “Everything cool?”

“Yeah. Yeah, of course. Yup, everything’s good.”

But Kai detected a hint of ‘sad’ in his tone. Scott was bummed about something and trying to shake it off. Which didn’t surprise Kai. Scott was just that kind of guy. Never dwelling on the bad or focusing on himself. Always keeping things up beat.

“So, listen,” Scott started again. And just like that, he already sounded lighter. “I’m dragging Max out to a club. He needs a drink. I need a drink. Figured I’d see if you did, too.”

Kai smiled. It’d been a while since he and Scott hung out. “Sure. Why not.” He was due for some fun. Plus, people-watching at clubs on Friday nights was always top notch.

“Awesome. We’ll swing by around nine.”

“Sounds good.”

Kai disconnected the call, his gaze still lingering on his majestic dragon.The last time he’d seen Scott had been three days ago, at the fitness facility, when Scott had wanted to talk. Namely, about his ‘Sean proposition,’ the sub he suspected might be in the market for a brand-new Dom.

Kai had considered it in the days that followed. Had thought about it.

A little.

When his brain wasn’t preoccupied with a certain someone he’d much rather dom. Someone who, ironically, sauntered back into his life just minutes after Scott had brought up Sean.

Crazy timing.

So much so, it made it hard not to wonder.

Was it a sign? Some cosmic cockblock?

A fated interception from the universe?

Because in truth, had Breck not shown up, Kai probably would’ve accepted Scott’s proposal. Why not? His life was quiet. Too quiet sometimes. To have someone around that genuinely appreciated him would probably be nice. After all, it’d been over three years since he’d been intimate, truly intimate, with another man.

Of course, back then, he’d thought that kind of intimacy was love. Live and learn. Because it wasn’t. Ryan hadn’t loved him. The only thing he cared about was his blind ambition. His hunger to reach the stars. Stars that, evidently, he could only reach solo. Meaning a life partner didn’t fit the equation. To Ryan, partners were good for one purpose. Proverbial steps for him to push off from in order to rise.

Kai hadn’t been his partner. Not even his friend.

He’d merely been a rung on the guy’s golden ladder.

He frowned as his thoughts came full circle. In many ways, Breck reminded him of Ryan. The way his aspirations were his only concern. His focus on fame, on fortune, and how he looked in the public eye.

Which saddened Kai, because Breck had traits that could make for an amazing partner. Brains. Wit. Fortitude. Strength and stamina. Not to mention that smile. Or that heavenly amber gaze that always reached in and caressed Kai’s soul. Unfortunately, going by Breck’s behavior during the last few weeks of class, it was obvious he put little importance on anything but fame. All Breck cared about was prestige. Adoration of his peers. Securing his spot in the limelight.

Being a star.

God, the way he strutted around as if he were wearing some honorific crown. No question, he thought himself superior. Above the rest.

Except, that is, when he’d been with his friends at the gym. Kai had noticed it immediately, the way Breck had genuinely appeared different with them. Like—as impossible as it seemed—he actually considered them his equals. Even more so than Charlie and Jegs. Which Kai found curious since those guys at the gym had seemed totally normal. What made them different to Breck?

That question gave Kai a twinge of hope—one that, in all honesty, he didn’t want—because it implied that maybe Breck wasn’t like Ryan after all. That maybe he did care about others. That maybe he wasn’t just another steamroller of blind ambition.

Admittedly, Kai had detected that vibe from Breck several times, in hindsight. Subtle hints that maybe the athlete had a heart. They never lasted long, though. Were always drowned out by yet another bout of Breck’s cockiness.

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