My ears perked up, heart racing, stomach in knots.
“But what exactly did he say?”One pressed desperately.“Banks always seemed like the charming type.”
“Some of his teammates were making fun of him during warm-up, saying he had unrequited love for her. So he told them he wasn’t into her like everyone thought.”
I had an inkling before. But still hearing it made my heart sink.
“He said.”The girl continued.“I just wanted to taste her. See if what the other guys said about her pussy was true. She was supposed to be easy, but with me, it’s been hard luck. Maybe she doesn’t like my skin.”
My grip on the drumsticks tightened, then I felt the deep and sharp slice across my heart. This one hurt indeed. It shouldn’t have been Banks.
I already knew I was disposable, not worth a lifetime of thought. I was only a moment of appetite, something to be tasted but never stayed with. I already made peace with that.
But it hurt more coming from Banks.
He had been better. Kinder. He always said nice things. Bought me chocolate milk sometimes. Trailed after me like I was interesting, like I mattered.
At least other guys never wore a mask. They walked up to me and told me what they wanted. I was the one that kept hoping they could somehow see that I might be something more.
They didn’t deceive me like Banks did. They didn’t paint me a picture that wasn’t true.
Banks lied to me. He didn’t want me. He wanted the proof of me. Something to boast about. Something he could say he’d had, too.
Was this really what I would ever be? Something to whet the appetite for a moment? To use and discard.
Just like toilet paper.
16
ZAGHAN
Who was she? That nameless, faceless thing?
“Three.”
Click.
“Two.”
Clunk.
“One.” I announced, tossing the golden zippo in my hand into my pocket.
I uncrossed my legs and gently rose from the wooden chair I was sitting on.
Two long strides and I was towering over the familiar soldier bundled up on the floor, closing in on him like a predator sizing up a prey.
The man’s breath quivered as he cowered in fear…just the way I liked them.
But he could run if he chose to, dig a hole in the middle of the earth and hide there. That still wouldn’t save him from death today.
Investigation on who stole the ledger pointed at too many angles. I needed to eliminate every suspect until I caught the real mastermind. And this soldier here was one of them…at least, that was what the theory insinuated.
“Again, I believe you have something to tell me.” My arched brow raised expectantly.
“I don’t know anything,” he uttered the same phrase he seemed to have rehearsed. I guessed we didn’t make any progress after all. And that alone caused anger to spark like wildfire in my chest.
What was really happening? I had retraced Callan’s steps over and over again, visited the drawing board, carved out clues, pointed out possibilities, black spots, and yet, no lead?
