Total pages in book: 33
Estimated words: 30287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 151(@200wpm)___ 121(@250wpm)___ 101(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 151(@200wpm)___ 121(@250wpm)___ 101(@300wpm)
I stop near the animal enclosures, gripping the fence so hard my knuckles turn white. Zeus watches me, his calm gaze the only thing that keeps me from completely falling apart.
How could I have let him in?
I feel the tears burning at the back of my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. I’ve been here before—vulnerable, exposed—and I swore I’d never let anyone get close enough to hurt me again. But I let Alex in. I let him under my skin. And now, I’m paying the price for it.
I trusted him. And it’s destroyed me.
I take a deep breath, pushing back the tears, forcing myself to find some semblance of control. There’s only one thing I can do now—confront him. I need to hear it from his lips. I need to see the truth in his eyes, no matter how much it breaks me.
Because if I don’t, I’ll never be able to move on from this.
I find him near the trailers, his back to me, shirt off, preparing for his next act. The afternoon sun glints off the sweat on his skin, his muscles flexing as he checks his firebreathing equipment. To anyone else, he looks like just another performer—strong, confident, magnetic. But I know better now. I know the truth, and it burns in my chest like a fire I can’t put out.
Every step I take toward him feels heavier, my pulse pounding in my ears. The noise of the circus fades into nothing as I close the distance. My breath comes in sharp, furious bursts. My anger is a living thing, crawling up my throat, threatening to choke me, but underneath it, there’s something darker. Something that hurts more than I want to admit. Betrayal.
“Alex.”
He turns at the sound of my voice, and for a split second, I see that smile—the one that used to make my heart race, the one that made me feel like I was the only thing that mattered. But it fades quickly when he sees my face. His expression shifts, confusion creasing his brow as he straightens. “Sophia? What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong?” I snap, my voice cold, sharper than I’ve ever heard it. “You tell me, Detective.”
The word hits him like a punch. His eyes widen, and I can see the realization wash over him. He knows. He knows I heard everything.
I take another step forward, unable to keep the fury contained anymore. “You’re not just a firebreather, are you? You’ve been lying to me this whole time.”
His mouth opens, but no words come out. Good. He doesn’t get to explain himself. Not yet. I want him to feel the full weight of what he’s done.
“How long?” I spit, each word dripping with the rage and pain that’s been building inside me since I overheard him. “How long have you been playing me? Was any of it real? Or was I just part of your investigation?”
“Sophia, wait—”
“Don’t!” I cut him off, my voice trembling now. I hate how vulnerable I sound, how raw this makes me feel. “Don’t act like I’m overreacting. I trusted you, Alex. I let you in.”
His face pales, and for a moment, I think he’s going to deny it, but then he sighs, running a hand through his hair, his shoulders slumping under the weight of the truth. “You’re right,” he says quietly, and the admission slices through me. “I haven’t been completely honest with you.”
I scoff, the sound bitter in my throat. “That’s an understatement.”
“I’m an undercover detective,” he continues, his eyes meeting mine, steady, but filled with regret. “I was sent here to investigate the thefts. The missing animals, including Rajah. That’s why I’m here.”
I feel the ground drop out from under me. Every moment, every touch, every time I let myself believe there was something real between us—it all feels like a lie now. My chest tightens, and I can barely breathe through the anger and hurt twisting inside me.
“So, what? You just got close to me to make your job easier?” I step closer, my voice shaking with the force of everything I’m holding back. “You thought I’d be some easy mark? Some fool you could manipulate?”
“No, Sophia, it’s not like that,” he says quickly, reaching out, but I pull back, glaring at him. “Please, listen to me. I never wanted to hurt you. Yes, I came here for the investigation, but what I feel for you—it’s real. I swear it.”
I laugh, but it’s cold, empty. “Real? You think anything about this has been real?” I take another step back, putting more distance between us, because the closer I am to him, the harder it is to think straight. “You’ve been lying this whole time, Alex. To my face. How am I supposed to believe a single word out of your mouth now?”
He looks like I’ve just punched him in the gut, but I don’t care. I can’t care. If I let myself feel any sympathy for him right now, I’ll break. And I refuse to break for him.