Page 112 of Watched

Retrieving the ball from the back of the net, he dribbles it toward me. “You think I’m pretty?”

He is, but I won’t directly admit that to him.

He lets out a long sigh, kicking the ball to me. “I know how hard this is on you. The stress of your career, worrying about your family, everything in the media.”

Kicking up the ball, I snatch it mid-air and stalk back toward a house I feel incredibly uncomfortable in.

“Hey.” He snatches my bicep, spinning me back around. “Don’t walk away from me when I’m talking to you.”

“Fuck you.” My voice strains despite my fight to keep myself in check. “You could’ve left me alone.”

“I’m glad I didn’t. My father had plans for you, and if I hadn’t sought you out, I… Fuck, Rome, I don’t want to think about what he would’ve done.”

“Why did he push you toward me? Why not just kill me?”

“Business. Having me close to you was his way of getting insider information. He’d grill me, hoping I could pass on knowledge about problematic staff or players to determine whether the team was going downhill. Your colleagues are also worth millions, and he’d offer them a VIP card that allows them luxurious amenities should they stay at a Weston & Myer hotel. He will make vast connections through the elite sporting world. Rome, I will end this so you aren’t forced to live in a state of constant fear.”

“You don’t help that.” Pain tugs at his face. “From the moment we met, I was scared of you, and learning what you actually do has only made that worse.”

“I would never hurt you, Rome.”

“You already have.” Tears clog my throat, my words cracked and weak. “I understand the King you left me now. Life is nothing but a fucking game to you, but you’re so goddamn smart, Rain. I know you understand that you’re nothing but a pawn to your father.”

His eyes pain as I retreat with his step closer. “I love you, Rome.”

I continue retreating, very aware of the eyes on me from behind. “You professing that doesn’t fix anything.”

“I know you feel something for me.”

“Did,” I lie, turning to walk away.

“You’re the one person in this world I don’t want to put on a façade with.” The emotion flooding his confession halts me halfway up the staircase. I don’t turn to look. I can’t. “It’s easy to play prince charming. To put on a mask. I-I couldn’t do that with you. I wanted you to see me. I am broken. I’m far from ethical, far from moral. You are. You’re good, you’re bright, but I have done what I set out to do: to help others.” There’s a stinging in my eyes, but I refuse to let the tears fall. “Being moral to all others is immoral to oneself. I learnt that the hard way. It will destroy you.” The first tear falls when his voice cracks. “I know I am selfish when it comes to you. I will fight to be a better man for you, because all the money, the societal status, fucking nothing of it means anything. All I have are the values I gave up as a child that I am fighting to get back and you.”

I tighten my arm around the football, my skin scraping across my cheek with the forceful removal of the tears as I continue walking.

Chapter forty-four

ROME

Sweat glides down my hairline, my aching body screaming for me to stop, but I blow out a breath and force the exhaustion away as I push the barbell from my chest and lower it for another. Then another. Halfway up the next rep, my depleting strength threatens to give out completely.

Shit.

I strain myself, fighting the weight to re-rack it. Two tattooed hands curl beside mine to take some of the weight and guide it for me. “You shouldn’t be lifting that much without a spotter.” Xander smiles down at me.

I let my heavy arms fall to my sides. “I’m sure Blade would be happy if that bar did his job for him.”

“Nah, he wouldn’t. He enjoys killing people.”

The weight of Xander’s words don’t affect him like they do me. Killing people. Fucking killing people. They all say it so casually, like taking someone’s life is just another part of their day.

I move out from underneath the bar and sit on the end of the bench, Xander taking the one opposite me.

One upside to this house is the large gym with state-of-the-art equipment. “Thanks,” I breathe, swiping my water bottle from the floor to soothe my dry throat. “Sorry I haven’t seen you much.”

He smiles and shakes his head, looking out the floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of the backyard and lilac sunset. “You’ve had a lot going on.”

“And you?”