NOVGO.NET Chapter 78: Her Rules, His Game
Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Her Rules, His Game
The cool night air rushed through the narrow brick alleyway.
Jackson’s knuckles were still resting gently against Zoya’s cheek. The heat radiating from his skin sent a massive, terrifying jolt of electricity straight down her spine. His dark eyes were intensely focused, completely stripping away his usual playful, arrogant mask.
I am playing to win.
The words echoed loudly in Zoya’s head. Her heart hammered violently against her ribs. Every single logical instinct she possessed was screaming at her to run away, to rebuild her icy walls, and to walk out of the alley.
Zoya did not run.
She forced her breathing to stay perfectly even. She kept her chin lifted and looked him dead in the eyes. Her face remained a flawless, unreadable mask.
"Do whatever you want," Zoya stated smoothly. "The outcome won’t change."
Jackson’s thumb lightly brushed her cheekbone. "You sound very confident, encyclopedia."
"I am confident because I rely on facts," Zoya replied. She reached up and firmly grabbed his wrist, pulling his hand away from her face. She did not drop his hand immediately, though. She held it for a split second longer than necessary. "The fact is, I am completely immune to you romantically. You are wasting your time if you think this ends with us holding hands in the campus courtyard."
Jackson let out a low, rough laugh. He stepped back, giving her a few inches of breathing room.
"We will see about that," Jackson challenged softly.
"Yes, we will," Zoya agreed flatly. She adjusted the strap of her leather tote bag. She looked around the dirty, dimly lit street. "Now, are we going to stand next to this garbage dumpster all night, or are we leaving?"
Jackson grinned. The cocky, energetic football player instantly returned. "You are the one who proposed the deal. You tell me."
Zoya did not hesitate. "My place or your place?"
Jackson’s eyebrows shot up. He let out another loud laugh, clearly impressed by her complete lack of hesitation.
"You are absolutely terrifying," Jackson admitted. He shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his gray team hoodie. "My place is highly compromised. Leo is probably sitting on the rug right now, forcing Chloe to watch him play racing video games. He refuses to let her leave his sight."
"My place, then," Zoya decided instantly. "Audrey is asleep, and Chloe is with Leo. The apartment is empty."
"Lead the way," Jackson smirked.
They walked out of the dark alley together. They did not hold hands. They did not link arms. They walked side by side down the busy downtown pavement, keeping a very deliberate physical distance between them.
Zoya kept her eyes straight ahead. She treated the walk exactly like a business transaction. She was in total control.
But every time his broad shoulder accidentally brushed against hers, a sharp, undeniable spark shot through her chest.
The apartment was pitch black when Zoya unlocked the front door.
She pushed the door open quietly. She stepped inside and pulled Jackson in right behind her. The heavy wooden door clicked shut, locking them in the quiet, dark hallway.
Before Zoya could even reach for the hallway light switch, Jackson moved.
He closed the distance between them in a fraction of a second. He grabbed her waist with both hands, lifting her slightly off the floor, and pressed her back against the closed door.
He didn’t ask a single question. He just leaned down and captured her lips.
Zoya gasped softly into his mouth. Her leather bag dropped to the floor with a quiet thud.
All of her perfect logic completely evaporated. She reached up, grabbing the thick fabric of his hoodie, pulling him closer. The kiss was not polite. It was desperate, heavy, and incredibly demanding. It held all the pent-up frustration of the weeks they had spent ignoring each other in the library.
Jackson walked her backward down the dark hallway, his lips never leaving hers. He knew exactly where her bedroom was. He pushed the door open, guided her inside, and kicked it shut behind them.
He backed her up until the back of her knees hit the edge of the mattress.
"Wait," Zoya breathed heavily, breaking the kiss. She pushed her hands flat against his solid chest.
Jackson stopped immediately. His chest heaved. His dark eyes were burning in the dim light coming from the window.
"What?" Jackson whispered roughly. "Did you change your mind?"
"No," Zoya said. Her voice shook, but she forced herself to lay down the ground rules. "I am setting the parameters. Rule number one: No cuddling afterward. Rule number two: You leave before the sun comes up. My roommates cannot know you were here."
Jackson stared down at her. He let out a quiet, highly amused huff of air.
"Secret agent rules," Jackson nodded. "Got it."
"Rule number three," Zoya added strictly. "We do not talk about feelings."
"I am not going to talk at all," Jackson promised.
He reached down and grabbed the hem of his hoodie, pulling it over his head in one swift motion. He tossed it onto the floor.
Zoya looked at his broad, sculpted chest in the shadows. Her throat went completely dry. She reached out and pulled him back down by the collar of his t-shirt. She did not want to talk anymore either.
The next morning, the journalism office was entirely chaotic.
Audrey sat at her desk, typing furiously on her laptop. She was wearing a thick gray sweater, trying to block out the freezing draft coming from the window. She had dark bags under her eyes. She had barely slept.
The heavy wooden doors pushed open. Daisy walked in, holding her camera and a paper cup of coffee.
"Morning, Audrey!" Daisy smiled brightly. She set the cup on Audrey’s desk. "I brought you a vanilla latte. You look like you need it."
"Thank you, Daisy," Audrey sighed. She grabbed the warm cup eagerly. "I was up until 3:00 AM editing the track and field spread. Ben is going to owe me his life."
"Where is Ben?" Daisy asked, looking around the empty office.
"He went to the printing room," Audrey said. She took a sip of the hot coffee. "He left his computer unlocked again. He is an absolute mess today."
Daisy glanced over at Ben’s large desktop monitor. Her honey-colored eyes suddenly went wide in pure panic.
"Oh no," Daisy gasped.
She dropped her camera bag onto the floor and literally dove across Ben’s desk, slamming her hand down on the computer mouse to close the open browser tab.
But she was a second too late.
Audrey had already seen it.
The bright, glowing screen was displaying a major sports gossip blog. The headline was printed in massive, bold letters: FLORIDA ACADEMY’S TOP PROSPECT SECURES THE BAG—AND THE BOSS’S DAUGHTER.
Below the headline was a high-resolution, full-color photograph.
It was Mason. He was wearing a sharp, tailored black suit. He was walking out of an expensive Miami restaurant. Elena was walking right next to him. She was wearing a stunning red dress.
Elena had both of her hands wrapped tightly around Mason’s arm. She was leaning heavily against his side, smiling brilliantly for the paparazzi cameras. Mason was looking down at her, shielding her from the camera flashes with his broad shoulder.
They looked like the perfect, wealthy, powerful couple.
Audrey felt the air completely rush out of her lungs. Her stomach twisted into a violent, agonizing knot.
"Audrey, do not look at that," Daisy pleaded frantically. She clicked the mouse and finally closed the window, leaving the screen blank. "Ben is an idiot. We agreed to keep the Florida updates completely off this desk."
Audrey sat perfectly still in her chair. Her hands were completely numb.
He really moved on, Audrey thought. Her chest felt like it was cracking right down the middle. He did not fight the breakup text. He just replaced me.
"It is fine, Daisy," Audrey whispered. Her voice sounded entirely hollow.
"It is not fine," Daisy argued loyally. She walked over and knelt down next to Audrey’s chair. "It is just a stupid picture. The media always twists things. You do not know the real story."
"I know the story," Audrey said flatly. She stared at the blank monitor. "I broke up with him so he could focus on his contract. He is a tier-one prospect now. He is stepping into a massive, professional world. He belongs with someone like Elena. Someone who fits into that life."
"You fit into his life perfectly," Daisy insisted. "He fought guys in the mud for you!"
"That was on a college campus, Daisy," Audrey said. A single, hot tear finally spilled over her eyelashes. She aggressively wiped it away. "Florida is reality. He is moving on, and he has every right to. I am the one who sent the text."
"But he does not even look happy in the photo," Daisy tried to comfort her.
"He looks perfect," Audrey corrected quietly.
She turned her chair back to her own laptop. Her hands were trembling so badly she could barely rest her fingers on the keyboard.
She had sacrificed her own heart to make sure Mason got his dream. She thought she was prepared for the fallout. She thought she could handle the distance.
But seeing the actual, photographic proof that he was entirely fine without her was completely devastating.
"I have to finish this article," Audrey stated robotically. "The Sunday edition prints in three hours."
Daisy looked at Audrey’s pale face. She slowly nodded, realizing there was nothing else she could say to fix it.
"Okay," Daisy said softly. "I will be at my desk if you need anything."
Audrey started typing. She hit the keys entirely too hard. She built her protective wall higher and thicker. She was going to survive the next six months by throwing herself completely into her work, even if her heart was shattered into a million unfixable pieces.