Page 56 of The Strike Zone

I was about to agree with him, but it was only when I heard Alice’s voice among the din that I really paid attention. As I hurried forward, Pablo turned. “Here she is. Now you can see her, then you can fuck off.” He thumbed out.

I frowned, there’s no way Pablo would be telling Alice to fuck off. But then the security wall parted and in the middle was one person I’d hoped never to see again, at least for a very long while.

“Mark?”

I barely noticed Parker tense next to me, because Mark pushed through the two security guys and rushed toward me, only for Parker to step in front and block his way.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Mark snarled.

“I’d ask the same question. But first I want to know who the fuck you are.”

“I’ve come to see Scout,” Mark replied, attempting to sidestep around Parker, only for Parker to move too.

In the split second Parker turned to me and back to Mark, he’d realized exactly who this guy was demanding to see me.

“Did you make an appointment?”

“I don’t need to make a fucking appointment.” Mark tried again, only now Alice had arrived and flanked his other side. “Jesus. Scout, c’mon, talk to me. Call the dogs off.”

Parker looked over his shoulder, where I was standing, 50 percent shock, 50 percent annoyance. Though the shock was waning into anger.

I’d had a couple of weeks of peace from Mark; I’d almost forgotten about him. I’d been having fun with Parker, enjoying my days without being bothered every hour by a whiney message. It hadn’t in a million years occurred to me that blocking him would result in this.

Him, here at my work. With Parker, Alice, Pablo, and two security guards staring.

At least it was early enough that the players hadn’t arrived. And we didn’t have filming scheduled for this morning.

Parker turned back to him. “Doesn’t look like she wants to talk to you, buddy.”

“That’s what I’ve been telling him,” bit out Alice.

Mark’s jaw clenched, and his fists balled. “Move out of my way.”

Before Parker refused, or before Mark attempted to punch him and got punched back, I stepped to the side, summoning as much of Pablo’s murderous expression as I could. “What are you doing here?”

Mark’s eyes sliced to Parker and back to me. “I want to talk.”

“I don’t know what gave you the impression I wanted to talk toyou, or that it was okay for you to show up hereat my work,” I seethed, “but I don’t.”

“You haven’t replied to my messages.”

“Because I blocked you.”

I couldn’t decide what was more strange: that he was surprised that I’d blocked him, or that he hadn’t realized I’d done it in the first place. But he stood there for a good ten seconds before he said anything, until he did.

“I’m sorry.”

I wish he’d stayed silent. “Cool. Can you leave now?”

His eyes dropped, into what I guess he thought was a pleading expression. “No. I want to explain.”

“You already did. Why can’t you get it through your thick skull? We are over.”

Mark stepped closer, or as close as he could get with Parker still half blocking me while Alice looked on venomously, and lowered his voice so at the very least Pablo and the two security guys couldn’t hear him. “I want to make it up to you.”

If I wasn’t still holding onto my coffee, I’d have crossed my arms, instead I moved back.

“And you thought coming to my place of work was the best way to do that? This is so embarrassing.” I glared at him. “You need to leave.”

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