Free Web NovelChapter 101: I Was Only Joking
Nico
Alaric’s eyes widened in immediate disbelief, and he used his free hand to shove my shoulder hard. "What the hell is wrong with you? Why do you keep making ridiculous, twisted jokes like this?"
I shook my head slowly, my face completely straight, keeping my eyes fixed entirely on him so he could see the lack of hesitation. "I am not joking, Alaric. I truly meant every word."
He stared at me, trying to find the punchline, but when my expression didn’t change, his jaw tightened. "Let’s say this isn’t a joke for a second. Why the hell would you kill yourself over a stranger? What kind of ridiculous, unhinged mindset is that? Are you completely bipolar?"
I let out a sudden chuckle, breaking character because the pure, bewildered expression on his face was just too funny. His eyebrows were raised practically to his hairline, his mouth twisted into a knowing, defensive smirk. "I am not bipolar, Alaric. I am just incredibly tired of the people I trust and cherish leaving me behind."
"Cherish?" Alaric scoffed loudly, shaking his head as if the word itself was absurd. "There is no way someone as cold and detached as you would ever truly cherish anyone, no matter what happened."
"Then why am I bringing you to my grandmother’s formal memorial service next week?" I asked suddenly, the heavy thumping in my chest growing louder with every single word that left my mouth. These were words I had been terrified to say, words I wasn’t even sure were part of a real plan or just a reckless whim born from the alcohol.
Alaric paused, the plaster halfway stuck to my skin. "Why?"
"I am bringing you there as my boyfriend," I said, looking him dead in the eye. "I’m introducing Sophia to the family as just a friend. I am completely coming out to my family at the event. I am done pretending, and I am entirely done hiding who I am from them."
Alaric’s eyes grew so incredibly big it felt like they were going to pop straight out of their sockets. He let out a sharp, harsh scoff that sounded so abrupt he practically choked on his own breath.
"Are you completely crazy?" he yelled at me, pushing himself away from me entirely. "We are nothing but rivals on the grid, Nico! What... what the hell do you mean, boyfriend?" He rolled his eyes aggressively as he stood up from the bed, pacing a step away. "All we are to each other is just rivals with benefits. That is it! What boyfriend?" He scoffed again, throwing his hands up in the air. "I see you are starting to speak absolute nonsense because of the alcohol, so I guess my job here is completely done. I am going back to my own room for the night. Excuse me, and get yourself prepared for the live broadcast tomorrow. And deal with the questions that comes when they ask you about your wrists and neck.’’
The rejection was sharp, but the reaction itself was entirely expected. I knew I shouldn’t feel anything over it—after all, Alaric and I had never defined this as anything more than a toxic arrangement between sex buddies—but I couldn’t stop the tight, painful knot from forming in the middle of my chest at his harsh words. He really didn’t want me like that. I had stupidly thought that by now, after everything, he might feel a tiny bit of real affection toward me, but to him, it was still just sex.
I heaved a deep, silent sigh as he turned around toward the suite door. To mask the sudden, heavy sadness of the rejection, I forced a loud, careless laugh from my throat, pretending everything was just a game.
"I was only joking," I said, forcing the lie out past the tightness in my throat to save face. "But I really am coming out to them, and I need you to be my pretend boyfriend at least until the memorial service is over. Please?"
Alaric stopped in his tracks, turning back around to look at me with a look of pure exasperation. "You are seriously, deeply insane."
"It’s only until the memorial is concluded," I pressed, leaning back on my elbows. "And after it’s over, I will do absolutely whatever you want me to do. Name your price."
That specific offer made Alaric freeze completely. He turned his full body back toward me, and a bright, incredibly calculating smile spread across his face. "Really? You will do whatever I want?"
"Oh, you had better not be thinking about anything completely illegal or crazy," I told him, pointing a warning finger at him as I noticed just how happy and satisfied he suddenly sounded. I could practically see the wheels turning in his head as he plotted something ridiculous.
"Well, who says I am thinking of anything crazy?" Alaric grinned, smacking his lips together in pure amusement. "It’s a complete secret for now. Since you’re promising to do whatever I want afterward, I suppose I can pretend to be your boyfriend just this once. So, if that’s all settled, I should really leave."
He took a single step toward the door, but before he could actually walk away, I reached out and caught his hand, my fingers wrapping tightly around his wrist. I didn’t want him to leave the room yet. The bed felt too empty without him.
"What is it now, Nico?" he asked, sighing as he looked down at our joined hands.
I didn’t give him a verbal answer. I just pulled hard on his wrist, yanking him back down onto the mattress until he was firmly seated right next to me.
"What the—" His words were cut short as I shifted my body and laid my head down flat across his thighs, using his legs as a pillow. "What the hell do you think you are doing, Nicholas?"
"Sleeping," I mumbled, closing my eyes and letting the heavy exhaustion take over. "I always sleep significantly better when you are around me."
Alaric said absolutely nothing in response, his body stiffening slightly beneath my weight.
Slowly, the darkness began to pull me under, and I drifted off into a deep sleep.
But right before I completely lost consciousness, I felt the unmistakable, gentle sensation of a hand slowly stroking through my hair. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
I smiled into the fabric of his trousers, knowing deep down that Alaric really did care, no matter how much he liked to fake his indifference.
