King's Guard

Chapter Thirty Three

"Look, I'm sorry," Lorenzo sighed, once he realized what he had just implied. "I didn't mean it that way."

"Yes. Yes, you did," Kingsley's voice was cold.

After Lorenzo said he wanted to stop, Kingsley was ready to beg him to not end things. Something he had never done before. Not even when Cole broke up with him. But for Lorenzo, he was ready to not only keep his pride, but his self-respect aside.

But Lorenzo's last words cut through him like a knife. To diminish and belittle everything that Kingsley had ever done... this was something he never expected to hear from the other man. And he couldn't let that slide, either.

"I'm really fucking sorry for keeping some things from you, but you got into this with me fully knowing that it could get you into trouble," Kingsley said. "I'm not the only one to blame for this."

"I know," Lorenzo replied. "I was blind and stupid, but now that... that the danger of it all is clear to me. That I've been basically given a second chance. I can't risk it all again."

"Okay," Kingsley said as he got up, ready to leave.

"That's it? You're leaving?" Lorenzo frowned.

"What? You expect me to cry and beg?" Kingsley scoffed. "Do you think I'm some daddy's spoiled little rich boy who will throw a tantrum if he doesn't get what he wants?"

"Reece," Lorenzo sighed as he stood up as well, taking a step towards the other man. "I apologize for what I said."

"Don't," Kingsley snatched his arm away when Lorenzo tried to touch him.

"Fine, be like that," Lorenzo snapped. "If it hadn't been for who you are, then you wouldn't have a journalist following you around and clicking our pictures."

"It could've been anyone!" Kingsley said in disbelief.

"But you... being who are you makes the chances of us getting exposed even higher."

"You want to dive into hypotheticals with me?" Kingsley rose a challenging brow, making Lorenzo roll his eyes. "If I wasn't who I am, then you wouldn't have your fucking job anymore. You wouldn't have anything to protect in the first place."

"Wow," Lorenzo let out a dry laugh as he turned away, no longer facing the other man. "You should leave."

"I was about to when you stopped me," Kingsley retorted.

"We're both angry and we're already saying things we'll regret tomorrow," Lorenzo said. "We need some space."

"You can have all the space you want. I'm out of here," Kingsley replied, his voice and face both devoid of any emotion. He turned around and took a few steps towards the door when Lorenzo called out his name once again.

"Reece..." Lorenzo sighed. Kingsley stopped in his steps.

A part of him desperately wanted Lorenzo to stop him. To tell him that everything was okay. That they were okay. His heartbeat grew faster as he tilted his head, looking at Lorenzo from the corner of his eye to see what he had to say. Despite the hurt and the anger, his mind was constantly chanting the same words over and over again.

Please don't let me leave. Please ask me to stay. Please.

"What?" Kingsley asked.

"About the conference in San Francisco... I'll be requesting Anwar to accompany me instead," Lorenzo answered.

Kingsley let out a dry chuckle. Of course, even after the conversation they just had, Lorenzo still cared more about some stupid meeting.

"Sure, sir," the bitterness in Kingsley's voice and tone wasn't masked in the slightest.