Page 149 of King of Pain
His back is still to me, shoulders tight. I can tell his chest is heaving as I draw closer.
“Chance,” I say, softer this time, my voice catching in my throat. “Turn around.”
Slowly, he does. And when he’s finally facing me, the look on his face guts me.
He’s wrecked. Absolutely shattered. Eyes wild and wet—not from the rain. His jaw is clenched so tight I swear I can feel a molar crack at the back of my own mouth.
“Chance,” I whisper. “What are you doing here?”
He barks a bitter laugh, one that sounds like it hurt coming out. “I wish I knew,” he says. “This was a bad idea. You should just go back in there with your boyfriend.”
My stomach drops.
“What?” I say, blinking. “It’s not—”
“Don’t fucking lie to me,” he snaps, eyes blazing. “You don’t owe me anything, but don’t start lying to me.”
“I’m not fucking lying!” I shout back, rain pelting both of us. “That’s Jason Ciccone. He’s the rookie pitcher for Atlanta. He’s a client, Chance. This was a business dinner.”
He shoots a glance back toward the window, eyes narrowing. “Do you hold hands with all your clients?”
I throw my head back with a groan. “No, of course not. Look—you didn’t misread that. He flirts. Every time. I just—I haven’t known how to shut it down because—” I break off, shaking my head. “Because I’ve been confused.”
Chance storms closer, and suddenly he’s right in front of me, eyes blazing as he jabs a finger toward the restaurant window. “Has he kissed you, Ant?”
I blink, startled. “What?”
“Has. He. Fucking. Kissed you?”
That sets me off.
“Why? Why does it matter, Chance?” I yell back, unleashing three years of pain on him. My voice fights the rain, escalating to a scream. “Why do you care? Why are you here? Why did you come back, Chance?”
“Because…” he starts to shout back, but stops himself and shakes his head.
Fuck that.
“Because why, Chance?” I push, voice still near a scream.
“Because I fucking love you, Anthony!” he shouts, eyes wild, arms spread wide. “Everything I’ve done is so we could be together—so you could be safe.”
I just stare at him for a moment.
I’m too stunned to speak.
“Oh.” I stammer, finally. “No, we’ve never kissed.”
He takes another step, and I feel the heat rolling off him despite the cold rain soaking us through. The tension in his jaw eases a bit, and for a second, he just stares at me like he’s drowning and I’m the only lifeline he has left.
“Hasanyone, Beautiful?” he asks, voice lowered to barely above a whisper now. “Hasanyoneever tasted those lips?”
I don’t answer.
Can’t.
The rain gets heavier, roaring around us like static, but all I see is him.
All I feel is the electricity crackling between us.
