Page 21 of Wristlocked

“Two.”

“Do you love me?”

I love her. I hate her.

“One.”

“Now, Lyot. Come for me.”

I hear a sharp intake of breath—Gale—as I shatter and fall forward, my hands hitting the floor. Gia is kneeling in front of me, her hands on my face, and the world comes slowly back into focus. My shirt is a mess, and I rock back on my heels to peel it off over my head. She helps me, gently, and uses it to clean us both, then kisses both my eyelids, a blessing from a fallen angel. I refuse to look at her, even as she whispers, “Thank you. Thank you. You’re amazing.”

I can’t help glancing at Shepard as I climb to my feet. His eyes dart back and forth between the two of us, one white-knuckled hand grippinghis cock, and he looks strangely innocent, stripped of all his arrogance. The word he used earlier echoes through the hollow silence in my brain, somehow perfect.Undone. I turn away from Gia’s hands and leave the room without a backward glance.

She catches up to me before I’m out of the building.

“Lyot, wait.”

I keep walking.

“Lyot, I’m sorry.” She’s breathless, pleading. “I didn’t mean to make you—”

“You ignored our safeword.” I round on her, livid. She startles back, the hand that was reaching for me falling limply to her side. “And don’t tell me you didn’t fuckingmeanto.”

“We’ve never used it…” Her voice is small.

“We’ve neverneededto.” I can’t believe she doesn’t understand.

“I know. Iknow. I can’t explain it. I—” She makes a helpless gesture. “Had to make him see us. Want us.”

“And did he?”

She looks away.

“Did he want us, Gia? Did he put us in the act?” I don’t need her flinch to know the answer.

“No…”

“Did he putyouin the act?”

“Yes,” she whispers. Some last pathetic part of me flickers and dies.

“There you go. You got what you wanted.”

“This isnotwhat I wanted. I’m not doing it without you.” She’s crying now, her words tinged with hysteria, and for the first time ever, I don’t care.

“Yes you are. I was never meant to be a part of this thing you have with him anyway, was I?”

She has no answer, and I leave her there alone in the hallway.

13

Gale

“Jesus, Laurent, haven’t you ever done doubles before?” I’m being an asshole; I’ve seen her and Chace training duo in the aerial gym. At least I had before I fucked him over at the tryout. As far as I can tell, they’re back to barely speaking to each other. I touch my lip, and my fingers come away bloody from the latest collision with Gia’s stubborn head.

“I’ve done it withLyot,” she shoots back, “but you said you were better.” She’s flushed, bruised, and I can’t pretend it doesn’t turn me on the way she calls me on my shit, but we’ve been at it for half an hour and we’ve barely made it past a basic entrance.

“Do it again,” I say, not rising to the bait. I toss her the second strap, and she snatches it out of the air and wraps her right wrist. I hold out my arm, and she glares at me for a second before closing her fingers around my forearm and lining her shoulder up with mine. “Too close.” I push against her grip, creating distance between us. “It’ll be different when we have the lift, but you still need to be at full extension.”