𝐀 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐒 𝐑𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐘 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐋: 𝐙𝐞𝐫𝐨 ✔️

Chapter27.

"Thompson."

Kevin stiffened poised for a fight, just as Jude realized he recognized that voice. "Gideon" he breathed soaring with emotions he was fruitlessly running away from.

"Ah the infamous Zero, all-star athlete. I've been dying to meet you as the man behind the ring." Sophie's voice rang filled with awe. "Hi I'm Sophie. The brain and busybody of the Reynolds tree rolled into one package." She finished grinning.

The two exchanged a hug and shared few seconds of friendly banter of gassing each other up.

Then Zero focused back on the player with a scowl on his face and some jealousy.

"I take it I don't need to carry out introductions here?" Jude asked...well he stated not so much as ask really.

Zero replied, "I read the daily mail enough, the kid was nineteen." He said in reference to Thompson's newer scandal to his affair with a notorious socialite from YouTube, disgust evident under his voice.

"He told me he was twenty-one." Kevin defended.

"Did you check his ID?" Zero asked with genuity.

"Man you're uptight" Kevin mocked laughed hiding his embarrassment "I know you're retired but you should still exercise for stress. I hear yoga is legit right, Soph?"

"I'll keep that in mind," he said then turned to Jude, voice low "So you dated him really?"

Jude groaned "And who said I was with him?" because they'd talked plenty but they'd never discussed his ex-boyfriend or any of their other exes besides Sam.

"Again I read the papers."

"And do you believe everything you always read?" he tipped his head to the side waiting for a reply.

"He's got a point," Kevin interjected, swinging his hand over Jude's shoulders possessively.

"Stop," Jude muttered, shooting away the pompous athlete's arm.

Gideon pulled him away from Kevin closer to his side "I know better than to believe the rags but fact remains you two were an item, he hurt you and now if he doesn't stay the hell away from you I will hurt him bad."

Jude's eyes widened at the unexpected show of the primitive emotion from Gideon.

"Who are you exactly to Jude?" Thompson asked rubbing in his watch.

Jude caught glimpse of the jewel piece and fought an eye roll. He'd gifted Kevin that watch on their first year of dating. It had meant something then but now...it was whatever.

"C'mon" Soph said to Kevin Thompson "Time to get you a drink playa. We're still working on his foot in mouth illness" she explained. "Nice to meet you, Gideon, we'll chat later." she winked.

In Sophie-speak Jude knew that meant Sophie wanted to grill the athlete about his feelings for him. Jude glared daggers at his sibling.

"Or not" Sophie grinned and grabbed Kevin's hand. In fact, she laced her fingers through his in an intimate, comfortable way as she led him away.

"They look like an item, he's bisexual isn't he?" Gideon commented after they watched them leave.

Jude chuckled "Soph knows how to work men like him that's all."

Gideon met his gaze "But say they had something going on. An entanglement of some sort would you be jealous?"

"Heck no," he answered honestly as he placed his glass on the tray a passing waiter held. "Anyway hi, what time did you get here?"