When I open them, I realize I need him gone.
“Go help the boy look at Surrender. It should be your decision anyway.”
Enzo steps back, giving me a silent plea to let him stay.
“But what if another attack happens?” he asks.
“Langston will be here to protect me.”
He nods. “Are you sure? I’d rather stay—”
“I gave you an order. I’m Black. You ensured that. Now go,” I say, my voice trembling with power.
Enzo’s jaw ticks, but he doesn’t fight me. He leaves.
And I feel broken without him near.
I need a plan.
But instead, I spend most of my day sulking that I don’t get to spend it near Enzo.
The team all comes back to the ship and surrounds me, waiting for orders. But I have no desire to boss any of them around. I just want a way out. And I don’t see the answer.
A large crowd has gathered by afternoon. Everyone is on edge, thinking about the looming attack. I’m surprised it hasn’t happened already.
“So what’s the relationship between you and Enzo?” a random voice in the crowd says.
My ears perk up, because although I didn’t see who spoke, the voice sounds very familiar.
All conversations in the room fall silent, and all eyes focus on me, waiting for an answer.
“We are both competing for the same job. We spend a lot of time together because of it, that’s all,” I say searching for the voice.
Langston makes his way over next to me. “Felix is here,” I whisper into his ear.
His body tightens.
“Go find him,” I say.
“I’m not leaving your side if Felix is here.”
I tense not sure what to do. I could order Langston to go find Felix, but he’s probably right to stay by my side.
“Bullshit!” Felix says in the crowd. My eyes search, but I can’t find him. “We all see how you act together. You can’t take your eyes off each other. You got married for goodness sake!”
“That was a fake marriage so I would have some authority in the company, people wouldn’t question it, and our enemies wouldn’t see us as weak while we compete in these games.”
“It doesn’t explain the sex then,” he says.
“Just because we fuck doesn’t mean we love each other. It doesn’t mean we mean anything to each other.”
“Prove it,” Felix says.
I finally spot him. He’s at the back of the crowd with a smug grin, darting quietly behind the scenes. I want to out him. To tell everyone he’s a weasel trying to make his way to become leader himself. But I’m not sure they’d believe me. I’ve only been their leader for a day myself. This is a test. One Enzo’s father set up. And I will pass it.
I fold my arms over my chest. Langston rests a hand on my shoulder, trying to calm me down, but I don’t need to be calmed down. I need to shut up the rumors about Enzo and me once and for all. Enzo may think the best way to protect our position in the company is to convince them us being together is a good thing. I disagree. It only takes one person to think it’s a bad idea for us to be together to corrupt the entire group. Felix is proving the point right now.
“Enzo is nothing more than a good fuck to me. I don’t love him. I don’t care about him. He’s my competition. And yes, he’s good looking, and the only person here who understands my position. So yes, we hate fuck each other. And yes, Enzo didn’t want me to die the other day. But it’s not because he loves me, it’s because he wants to win fair and square. And of course, us fucking has led to some level of feelings for each other. But it’s not love. We would never put each other before all of you.”