Page 128 of Save Your Breath

An unthinkable melancholy slid through me like a bucket of snakes.

It was about to be over.

This thing I’d thought was so ridiculous, this scheme that had been laughable from the start… why did it feel like such an integral part of my life now?

Why was I holding tension in every muscle of my body at the thought of no more fake appearances, fake hugs, fake kisses…

That kiss on the elevator wasn’t fake…

But was it just to make me feel better? Was it just to smooth things over? Was it his way of saying, “Hey, kid, last night was fun. We’re still friends. All good.”?

My stomach roiled.

“Alright, then,” Isabella said, her brow inching up as she watched me. I had a feeling she was going to have questions for me after this, and I needed to think up answers fast.

She kept on with the plan, her and G launching into action, all while I stared at my shoes and went numb.

On the outside, I was calm.

Inside, my heart was breaking.

Aleks was silent, and that silence was confirmation of all my worst thoughts.

He didn’t want anything past what we had that night in his condo.

It was just two people stuck together, horny and emotional and bored. I knew it was great for him, just like it had been for me.

But what a fool I’d been to think it meant more to him than that.

My blood pumped loud in my ears as I dragged my gaze back up to the laptop screen, to Aleks. My heart stopped at the sight of him, at how he looked almost as numb as I felt.

Was he upset he was about to have to play the part of the bad guy?

Was he annoyed he had to deal with this when he had games to focus on?

Was he just…over it?

I swallowed, watching him, searching for any clues I could find that would tell me what he was thinking.

His eyes lifted, and I wondered if he was watching me, too. I felt that gaze like he was right there in the room with me.

“Aleks, what do you think?”

The question came from Giana, and my heart fluttered on the wings of hope as all eyes turned to him.

Say something, I silently begged.

Tell them you don’t want to do it.

Tell them we want more time.

Tell me it meant more to you, thatImean more to you.

Tell me this isn’t all in my head.

Tell me…anything.

Aleks was quiet for so long, I wondered if he’d heard the question. His jaw was set, hard as stone, his expression absolutely unreadable.