Page 39 of Ice-Cold Obsession

“Sure. Whatever you want.”

As he makes sure I’m comfortable, checking my ankle and bringing me water, I keep thinking about what game he’s playing.

But I’m playing it too.

And I’m going to win.

So what if I enjoy myself a little during my mission?

Chapter 23

GABRIEL

AS SOON AS WE STEPoutside holding hands, people stop mid-conversation and stare. Some have their phones out immediately. Someone whispers something to their friend, and they both turn to look at us. Even though I posted about my relationship a while ago, I had to wait for Scarlett’s ankle to heal so we could go out together, and now’s the time.

She squeezes my hand, and I squeeze back.

“Are you okay?” I ask quietly.

“Yeah. Are you?”

“Yeah.”

We head to the dining hall where the team usually meets for lunch. When we walk in, the conversations quiet down. Everyone looks at us. Zyair, Taj, Cory, and the rest of the guys.

I lead Scarlett over to the table and pull out a chair for her. She sits down, and I take the seat next to her.

“Hey,” I say to the table. “In case you didn’t notice, Scarlett’s my girlfriend now.”

Taj raises an eyebrow. “For real?”

“Yeah,” I say.

“Since when do you do girlfriends?” Cory asks.

“Since I met Scarlett.”

She smiles at the guys, but I can see the tension in her shoulders. She’s mostly good at hiding it, though.

“Look,” I say, addressing the whole table. “I know things have been rough lately. And I’m sorry. Again. I thought I was being helpful when I should’ve just asked first. It all spiraled, and I’m trying to be a different person.”

Zyair’s watching me closely, his expression unreadable.

“I mean it,” I continue. “I want to do better. For the team and all of you.”

Taj glances at Zyair, then back at me.

I look directly at Zyair. “Can you give me another chance? I promise I’ll work for the benefit of the team, and I’ll never do anything without consulting you guys first. I saw you were tired, and I thought you needed some time off. But I took it the wrong way and misunderstood a rumor, which wasn’t about you like I thought. I should’ve talked to you first, and I know that now.”

Zyair’s quiet for a long moment, and then he nods. “All right. You get another chance.”

Relief washes over me. “Thank you.”

“But if you pull that shit again—”

“I won’t. I swear.”

The tension at the table eases slightly. People start talking again. Taj asks Scarlett about her photography, and she launches into a long explanation about something. Cory jumps in with questions about cameras, and soon, she’s laughing. I guess she’ll have no trouble fitting in, but then again, they already know her and like her. And luckily, her becoming my girlfriend didn’t change that.