People in the stands were still cheering now that the game was over, voices overlapping into ambient noise over the reporters flooding their way down onto the court in hopes of landing an interview with one of the star players of the night while others wanted to congratulate the team on yet another victory. It was always a great feeling to win, still riding off of the lingering remnants of adrenaline and triumph, a high so natural and satisfying that it was hard to come down from it.
Zero was immersed in the thick of it all, the euphoria of the success putting bold and unwise ideas in his head the second a familiar brunet joined everyone on the floor. He had noticed the man in the audience earlier, watching the game intently and cheering along with everyone when a play was run successfully. His presence had spurred Zero on even more, making him throw everything he had into it, because it felt like there was progress between them.
This was the first game that Jude Kincaid attended in a long time. He may have been the Executive Vice President of Business Operations now, though that hardly equated a mandatory presence at the games. Jude had avoided coming to as many as possible since taking the position. The few times he had been present, Lionel Davenport had obviously been the instigator, and Jude spent nearly the whole time on his phone.
Something had changed though.
Zero was almost certain about that. He recalled how their last conversation ended, with a desperate, reluctant declaration of love that had been reciprocated, but it had not been enough at the time. Zero could not be enough, and for the first time in a long time, he thought he lived up to the name. But for Jude to be present now, engaged in the game and looking more relaxed than he had since that all too brief encounter in the coat closet, something had to be different.
Turning away from the nameless faces in the crowd, Zero concentrated on the one person in the world who meant anything to him. He approached slowly, trying to look casual about it, anticipation and elation churning in his stomach at the thought that something might have improved since their last encounter. He held onto that notion, clinging to it with hope that surprised him, but it felt good to acknowledge it.
Whoever would have thought that Zero would go from despising even the idea of a healthy, exclusive relationship, to wanting one so desperately, let alone one with a man? He would have laughed incredulously at the mere suggestion a few short months ago. Now it was all Zero could think of. He wanted it all to be like it was months ago and ten times more. He wanted someone to go out on actual dates with, to lavish with expensive gifts just because he could, to have someone who cheered him on at games. He wanted someone to come home to.
That someone was Jude. No substitutions or exceptions accepted. That man could get under his skin like no other, and Zero had been with plenty of men and women before, never once having the urge to take the relationship beyond carnal indulgence. It had been sex or business with no feelings attached and that was the way he liked it. He dropped anyone who got too clingy and never looked back.
Jude had been different from the start.
The man had been the first genuine friend Zero had since adolescence. He had proven time and time again that he was Team Zero, had bent over backwards trying to repair a damaged reputation, and had become a trusted confidant. Zero had tried to show appreciation the only way he knew how. He began subtly paying for things, trying to improve the way Jude lived—luxury items that had been denied in the past, such as expensive grooming products, suits and ties, and fancy meals at high end restaurants. He even went to the agency and demanded Jude be permanently appointed as his agent.
No one else had ever been subjected to Zero persistently trying to pamper them. He had actually enjoyed spending the money too, and by the time Zero had drove up in a dark, shiny, ostentatious car, Jude had simply accepted it as something he did and didn't even fight him anymore. Jude probably never even realized, once they had acknowledged and acted on their mutual attraction, just how right he was in saying that he hadn't been going off of nothing.
Jude caught sight of the approach and shifted nervously. "I can't talk now," he said, voice slightly rushed, head turning as if to avoid looking at him. "I'm meeting someone."
The dismissal should have stung, but Zero was done dancing around this thing between them. He was going to give Jude what he wanted, what they both wanted, because Zero was tired of denying himself that. He wanted Jude back and if that meant having a public relationship with a man that could potentially derail his career then so be it. He could handle the consequences; he would handle the consequences.
Zero was just about to speak up when the tail end of what Jude said registered. His mouth parted slightly and he blinked, trying to process the words, but it was difficult. His eyes then landed on Lionel, standing not too far away, waylaid by a reported, and tried to rationalize that Jude was probably just talking about her. His theory was shattered when someone interrupted them.
It was Lucas, the agent that had replaced Jude a few months ago, but it was not Zero the man was after. "Jude," Lucas said brightly, stepping up beside them. "There you are."
Lucas seemed completely unaware of the sudden tension emanating from both Zero and Jude at the interruption. Instead the agent reached out with a sure hand to grasp Jude's chin and press their lips together. It was chaste, barely even constituting as a kiss, but it may as well have been a bullet to the heart.
Zero could only watch the kiss, the exultation from the win suddenly turning to lead in his stomach. He was crashing down hard from the high, plummeting to the ground with nothing to stop him, blood rushing through his ears and making it impossible to hear. He dimly registered the way Jude pulled back suddenly, eyes darting around as if to make sure no one saw, looking so scared and unsure by the public display of affection.
"Relax, babe," Lucas said, turning to wrap one arm around his waist, pressing their sides together intimately. "No one cares."
The words almost hurt as much as witnessing the actual kiss had, because Zero knew it was true in that instance—no one around them really even reacted to it, the kiss going largely unnoticed or simply ignored. The only one who did react was that one blond dancer who had the sex tape scandal—and later married another Devil Girl, if memory served—and even then all she did was wolf whistle. Lucas was right, but he was also wrong, because someone did care.
Zero cared. He cared a lot.
Jude met his eyes uncertainly, remorse and something else lurking in those light green eyes. He seemed conflicted, but was clearly waiting for a reaction.
"Wow," Zero released a shaky breath disguised as a laugh. "When did this happen?" he asked, torn between actually wanting to know the question and walking away so no one could see just how affected he was.
Jude seemed to try and speak though no words came out.
"It was a long time coming," Lucas replied easily, looking entirely too pleased with himself, barely sparing a glance to Jude. "We tried once before, but it didn't quite work out because someone—" he drawled and rolled his eyes slightly "—was still hung up on an ex and never gave me a fair shot until now."
Zero only barely managed to contain the urge to sneer at the condescending words. He instantly recognized the fact that Lucas was actually referring to him. He was the ex. He gnashed his teeth together and tried to smile. He knew Lucas and Jude had been out together on more than one occasion—one of which he even interrupted—but those had been business meetings. He never even considered they might try for something more.
It was hardly a surprise that Lucas had been interested. Jude was a very attractive man, tall and muscular, but more lithe than bulky. He had soft skin and lips and nice, chiseled features that were just soft enough. He was gorgeous. Any sane person with a healthy sex drive would be enticed by Jude—the fact that Jude had accepted it was a surprise though.
Zero knew for a fact that up until their relationship moved beyond friendship, Jude had never been with a man and it had been the first time. Zero had been the first. It was a fact that Jude attempted to hide during the first time they had sex together, but Zero had known it even if he never said anything. He had liked it, feeling almost a possessive pride in knowing that Jude had never been intimate in that way with someone else.
The way Lucas was touching Jude now said it was no longer true.
"Really," he said lightly, lips pressed together in a slight smile. "Congratulations."
Lucas grinned. "Thanks. Congrats to you too, man! Another one won."
Jude cleared his throat. "I need to speak to Lionel."
"Now?" Lucas asked, dark eyebrows rising. "What about our date?"
"I…" Jude swallowed, pulling away awkwardly. "It should just take a minute."
Zero forced himself not to watch the retreat, instead focusing on Lucas—who eyed Jude the entire way across the court with appreciative eyes. His hands balled into fists so hard that he felt the sting of his nails digging into the fleshy part of his palms. He narrowed his eyes on Lucas and resisted the urge to punch that smirk right off his face.
"Damn," Lucas groaned, turning away from the sight and shaking his head. "The body hiding beneath those suits…"
Zero had intimate knowledge of what was beneath those suits. "Oh yeah?" he asked, the wound still too fresh not to be twisted a bit.
Lucas nodded. "Do you know how long I've been dying to hit that? I waited almost a year to nail him."
Zero felt strangely satisfied by that knowledge. Even as the words confirmed his suspicions that Jude had sex with Lucas, it was comforting to know that the asshole had to work for it; in contrast, Zero and Jude barely managed to keep their hands off one another for a week after the initial kiss that redefined their relationship.
"It was worth the wait too," Lucas continued. "I could have done without the insecurities and emotional baggage. Oscar Kincaid did a number on the guy, but…" He shrugged slightly and glanced back over at Jude, oblivious to the mounting anger gathering right in front of his face. "I can put up with it if it means I get another chance at that ass."
The words were nothing Zero had not said before himself. He had definitely said that and worse in the past about the people he slept with. It made disgust churn in his stomach to think he was anything like Lucas. Zero managed to maintain his composure though, mouth pressed together in a thin line, reining back the urge to punch Lucas in the mouth for the way he spoke about Jude—like he was some kind of score.
"You should probably get back to your date," Zero advised reluctantly, unsure he continue talking to the man without doing something he would regret. He couldn't resist asked though. "Planning on doing anything special?"
Lucas shrugged. "Not really. Jude is pretty easily pleased," he said carelessly. "I think we will probably just go for a walk down the beach and get some take out for dinner."
There was something sad about just how simple and true it was. Jude was so used to disappointment that almost any small thing pleased him. He might have been pushing for a normal relationship, but it was less about wanting to be normal as it was wanting to be accepted. He wanted to be acknowledged, for someone to not be ashamed of him, because Oscar had done everything possible to make Jude feel unwanted. A simple walk down the beach, even at night with no one else around, would probably be enough to elicit that awed smile that Zero enjoyed provoking so much.
Zero was unable to stop the tick in his jaw now, because while Jude would probably be content with something so unassuming he deserved so much better. "Hey… I'm in a good mood right now," he said, lying through his teeth. "Why don't the two of you go somewhere nice tonight on me? Go crazy and even rent a limousine or something…"
Lucas stared in surprise. "Really? I mean… I appreciate the offer and all, but like I told you, Jude is pretty easy to please."
Zero glanced away, catching sight of a reporter headed this way. Punching Lucas in front of the press would be bad publicity. It would also probably something Jude would disapprove of, considering just how often Jude used to tell him to bench his temper, let alone if he happened to punch the man he was seeing. He exhaled and shook his head, waving the woman and her crew over, a placid smile already in place.
"Yeah," Zero nodded, slapping him on the shoulder with perhaps just a tad too much force. "I'm positive. You have full access to my credit cards already, so go ahead and treat him to a good night out."
Lucas winced a bit and rubbed his tender arm, but shook his head with a wide smile of gratitude. "If you insist," he said. "Thanks man!"
Zero allowed the calm exterior to fade away for a brief moment once the man moved around him and disappeared into the crowd. He was upset and wrung out, but also pissed the hell off. He needed to unwind and think about a few things. He might not be in a mood to celebrate anymore, but finding a small corner in the Playground and having a few drinks to take the edge off sounded like a good idea.
"Zero! Zero!" The reporter came up, microphone in hand, an eager expression on her face. "Congratulations on another victory! According to our projections, the Devils seem to be well on their way on winning another championship this season—that could mean three rings for you. How do you feel after such a successful game?"
Zero forced an easy smile on his face and spread his arms out in a wide arc. "I can honestly say that I have never felt like this before."
Maybe more than just a few drinks were in order.