Read Online Roll Against Discovery (3d20 Book 3) by Allyson Lindt - Free Book Online
Authors: Allyson Lindt
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morning. On a Saturday. The hotel guests had to be loving this. An invisible fist squeezed my chest, as I studied their faces through the glass, both twisted with fury.
Evan clenched his fists. “Because you’re not fucking listening.”
“Or you’re talking over my head.”
“I’m done here, until you pull your head out of your ass.” Evan spun away and flung the door open. He paused, one foot in the room, when he saw me. He clenched his jaw, then shook his head and strode past, floor shaking with each step. Seconds later, the door slammed shut behind him.
Concern flooded me. I was on my feet in an instant, not caring I still only wore a shirt. I blocked Trevor’s path when he came back inside. “What’s going on?”
Trevor stepped around me and grabbed a new T-shirt from a duffel bag on the floor, never looking directly at me. “Don’t worry about it.”
The casual brush-off stung. “Don’t do that. I obviously am worried about it.” It was easier than admitting the shrug-off left an empty pit inside me.
He met my gaze. “I have to leave the con early. Whatever happened last night at work isn’t fixed after all.” His jaw was clenched, and he wouldn’t make eye contact.
“So that makes the two of you shout at the top of your lungs, first thing in the morning?”
Trevor’s nostrils flared, and the corners of his eyes tugged down. “Don’t push this, Kathryn. It is what it is, and having a long, drawn-out discussion isn’t going to change that.”
Whatever happened between us last night, the shared moments on the balcony seemed to be non-existent now. The realization added a new sting to his dismissal, but I couldn’t help bargaining anyway. Even though I knew his going back to work wasn’t at the root of what had happened, it was all I had. “Can you fix it and come back? Get someone else to work on it remotely?”
God, I was pathetic. He already told me to let it go, and it wasn’t as though any relationship with either of them was going to last past this weekend. Why did I push so hard?
“No. That won’t fix anything.” He tossed his clothes in his bag. “Keep the shirt. You wear it better than I do. I’m sorry I can’t help you finish the game.”
“I don’t care about the fucking game!” My retort burst out louder than I expected, and I bit the inside of my cheek. “I care about…” I couldn’t force the word out, even though it was right on the tip of my tongue. All I had to say was you. Except something told me it wouldn’t make this better.
“Yeah. Me too. That’s the problem.”
My heart felt like it might crumple in on itself, and I couldn’t find a response.
He shook his head and hooked his bag over his shoulder. “We all knew what this was.” The fight was gone from his voice, as was all emotion. “I enjoyed every minute of it, but the weekend is over for me. If you run into Evan, whatever you say to him is between the two of you.”
He felt the same way I did. Defiance burst forward. I couldn’t let him leave like this. I wished Evan were here too, but I had to start somewhere. “Trevor, I don’t want—”
“Stop.” He spoke through gritted teeth. “Whatever you’re going to say, don’t. It’s been twenty-four hours. We don’t know each other, and in a few days, you’ll be glad you kept this to yourself.”
He was wrong. Keeping my mouth shut wasn’t the answer. Except, his certainty knocked mine off-kilter. They didn’t know me. I wasn’t some bold, outgoing, fun person. I wore a mask, to make the day more enjoyable. What if they did the same—either or both of them? Even if they didn’t, and if did actually had any fraction of the same feelings I did, it wasn’t for the real me. My protests died, choked off in my tight throat.
He turned away. “I have to go.”
****
Chloe emailed me with the next clue while I was showering, and I tried to ignore the unreasonable ache inside when I sent her a quick note saying, Sorry,
Evan clenched his fists. “Because you’re not fucking listening.”
“Or you’re talking over my head.”
“I’m done here, until you pull your head out of your ass.” Evan spun away and flung the door open. He paused, one foot in the room, when he saw me. He clenched his jaw, then shook his head and strode past, floor shaking with each step. Seconds later, the door slammed shut behind him.
Concern flooded me. I was on my feet in an instant, not caring I still only wore a shirt. I blocked Trevor’s path when he came back inside. “What’s going on?”
Trevor stepped around me and grabbed a new T-shirt from a duffel bag on the floor, never looking directly at me. “Don’t worry about it.”
The casual brush-off stung. “Don’t do that. I obviously am worried about it.” It was easier than admitting the shrug-off left an empty pit inside me.
He met my gaze. “I have to leave the con early. Whatever happened last night at work isn’t fixed after all.” His jaw was clenched, and he wouldn’t make eye contact.
“So that makes the two of you shout at the top of your lungs, first thing in the morning?”
Trevor’s nostrils flared, and the corners of his eyes tugged down. “Don’t push this, Kathryn. It is what it is, and having a long, drawn-out discussion isn’t going to change that.”
Whatever happened between us last night, the shared moments on the balcony seemed to be non-existent now. The realization added a new sting to his dismissal, but I couldn’t help bargaining anyway. Even though I knew his going back to work wasn’t at the root of what had happened, it was all I had. “Can you fix it and come back? Get someone else to work on it remotely?”
God, I was pathetic. He already told me to let it go, and it wasn’t as though any relationship with either of them was going to last past this weekend. Why did I push so hard?
“No. That won’t fix anything.” He tossed his clothes in his bag. “Keep the shirt. You wear it better than I do. I’m sorry I can’t help you finish the game.”
“I don’t care about the fucking game!” My retort burst out louder than I expected, and I bit the inside of my cheek. “I care about…” I couldn’t force the word out, even though it was right on the tip of my tongue. All I had to say was you. Except something told me it wouldn’t make this better.
“Yeah. Me too. That’s the problem.”
My heart felt like it might crumple in on itself, and I couldn’t find a response.
He shook his head and hooked his bag over his shoulder. “We all knew what this was.” The fight was gone from his voice, as was all emotion. “I enjoyed every minute of it, but the weekend is over for me. If you run into Evan, whatever you say to him is between the two of you.”
He felt the same way I did. Defiance burst forward. I couldn’t let him leave like this. I wished Evan were here too, but I had to start somewhere. “Trevor, I don’t want—”
“Stop.” He spoke through gritted teeth. “Whatever you’re going to say, don’t. It’s been twenty-four hours. We don’t know each other, and in a few days, you’ll be glad you kept this to yourself.”
He was wrong. Keeping my mouth shut wasn’t the answer. Except, his certainty knocked mine off-kilter. They didn’t know me. I wasn’t some bold, outgoing, fun person. I wore a mask, to make the day more enjoyable. What if they did the same—either or both of them? Even if they didn’t, and if did actually had any fraction of the same feelings I did, it wasn’t for the real me. My protests died, choked off in my tight throat.
He turned away. “I have to go.”
****
Chloe emailed me with the next clue while I was showering, and I tried to ignore the unreasonable ache inside when I sent her a quick note saying, Sorry,
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