“So no, Nora, I won’t fucking calm down. I am sick and fucking tired of people not listening. This is about me,me,” I snarl, “and my future. I don’t give a fuck about the team or him.” My finger jabs towards Cowan. “I only care about me!” My voice has broken past calm, it’s loud and bounces off the walls.
“Royce.” Athena’s voice floats towards me as I turn to look at her, and just for a moment, the anger that is bubbling so close to the surface begins to simmer.
She moves towards me, cupping my face as she holds me so I have no other option but to look at her. “It’ll be okay, your dad will sort it, you’ll be put back in your position.”
I snort a laugh, batting my eyes down.
“It’ll work out.” Her optimism makes my stomach coil, the rage climbing up my throat.
Letting my eyes settle on her calmly, I spot she is still smiling at me, a softness to her eyes that would normally calm me down.
“This isn’t one of your silly romance books, Athena.” My words are slow and vicious, my lip curling as I snarl. “This is the real world. You can’t just magic up words and make everything okay.” The words taste bitter on my tongue, my heart banging in my chest, the blood thrashing in my ears.
“Go home,” I growl, gripping her wrist and dragging her hands from my face. “And I meanhome. I’m done with all of this. It’s over.” I wave my hand in the air and push through the doors ready to obliterate my next victims.
Pushingthrough the door of my private room, it takes me a moment to realise why Athena isn’t here.
“Fuck it,” I grunt, kicking off my boots.
Pulling my suit from me, I undress and walk for the shower. I needed to wash this cunt of a day off me, and that includes Athena. I scrub my skin until it is red raw before I dress in jeans and my oversized tee. Covering my eyes with my team flat cap, I grab my bag and phone and walk to my car.
I climb into the driver’s side of my Lamborghini Urus. Kai slips in next to me and I throw him a look.
“Fuck off,” I spit as I start the engine.
“Drive,” he orders me and I grind my back teeth.
“I’m in no mood.” I turn to look at him. “I suggest you get out the fucking car.”
“No chance,” he replies, a stupid smirk on his lips.
“Kai, I mean it, don’t push me. I am about to explode.” I exhale a slow, deep breath.
“About to?” He chuckles, strapping himself in. “Mate, you already did.”
I tighten my fingers around the steering wheel.
“You’re all everyone is talking about.” He scoffs. “I mean, they would have been speaking about the team, but no, angry little Royce had to put on a spectacular show.”
“Fuck off, Kai.” My voice is low, pressing my foot on the accelerator as the engine growls beneath us.
“No can do, my man. Drive the fucking car.”
With a defeated sigh, I push the car into drive and wheelspin out of the carpark. The car journey is literally five minutes in, if that, when Kai pipes up.
“Want to speak about it?”
“Kai,” I spit his name out.
“Okay, okay.” He holds his hands up. Silence screams around the car. “What about now?”
“Oh my God, Kai!” I shout at him and he chuckles.
I feel the corner of my lip curl. My chest aches, but maybe this was for the best after all.
Tossingthe keys to the valet, I drag my sorry ass up the stairs of the hotel and walk past the desk. Kai is hot on my heels. “What are you doing now?” He bounds up beside me, and he is like a lost puppy.
“No idea,” I grunt, “but I’m not really in the mood for company.”
