Page 129 of Zero Chance

“Son of a bitch,” I growled, shoving out of my chair before I even knew what I was doing.“Over my dead body.”

From the moment I’d learned Waverly was my mystery girl, I’d been experiencing a lot of tight, reined-in pressure, very similar to the agony of having to take a massive leak yet knowing you had to hold it until you found a bathroom.

This feeling for her had been adamantly corralled into the inner depths of my chest, where I’d been determined for it to never see the light of day.But a person could only hold shit in for so long.And watching that asshole sniffing around her made all my beloved denial burst wide apart.

It came spraying out of me in such a hearty flood that the relief of letting out all that pent-up misery actually feltgood.

I no longer cared about how determined I’d been to keep it inside in the first place.It no longer mattered why I’d even held it in for so long.It was out now, and there was no putting it back.

Light switch flipped.Whoever I’d been before was now gone.And a new Keene emerged.

One who had to unalive a motherfucker for daring to talk tomywoman.

Gaze latched on the idiot standing way too close to Waverly, I stalked toward him with murder in my veins.

29

KEENE

Ireached the pay line just as Xander was purchasing her lunch.Behind her, Waverly was turned toward the guy who was talking to her, listening to the question he was asking.

When I heard the tail end of his invitation to meet for drinks some night this week, I snapped, “No.She wouldn’t like to go,” just as Waverly opened her mouth to answer.

Both she and the asshat glanced at me in surprise.

The guy sized me up with one look and sniffed.“I don’t recall askingyou, buddy.”

I smiled darkly.“Well, that’s too bad.Because if you had, I would’ve told you to not evenbother.I’m not letting you do shit with her.”Hitching my head away from the line, I commanded, “Get lost.”

The look in my eyes must’ve convinced him I meant business because he didn’t even glance at Waverly to see whatshewanted.He lifted his hands, admitting his defeat, and immediately backed away.“Damn, man,” he muttered, taking off.“Sorry.Didn’t realize she was already taken.”

“Well, now you do,” I said, glowering after him.When he tossed me one last dirty look over his shoulder, I flipped him off.“Keep walking.”

When I felt secure enough that he wasn’t going to return, I finally shifted my gaze to Waverly, only to realize what I’d just done.

Holy shit, whathadI just done?

Her eyes were wide with shock and outrage and nothing at all that was pleased, impressed, or appreciated.She just gaped at me, unspeaking and unmoving, letting me know she couldn’t believe my actions.

That made two of us.

Huffing out a calmer breath, I lifted both hands as if I was fully planning on explaining myself, except, yeah, there was no explanation for this.I’d fucked up.Majorly.

Next to her, Xander demanded, “What the hell, Keene?”

I glanced at my roommate and snarled, “Oh, butt out.You and I are still feuding.”

But then I noticed everyone else in line—and great.All eyes were on me.Which meant all eyes were also on Waverly.

Which I already knew she wouldn’t like.

Attention shooting back to her, I swallowed in doom as I watched the color drain from her face.She was utterly mortified, and I—well, I didn’t exactly feel all that comfortable with this either.

All my careful avoidance to keep from digging myself in too deep with her had just blown up in my face, and now we were shit-deep in the mess.

“Waves…?”I tried to say, but my voice broke.

Shaking her head to signal that she couldn’t handle me oranyof this, she shoved her food tray into my gut, making me oomph in pain and scramble to catch it before it fell.

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