Hunting The Mistress Chapter 2

I figured Luke would be at the game.

I didn't plan on hiding from him either. We went to the same university, so encounters were inevitable.

Still, the moment I stepped onto the court, a burning gaze locked onto me. It was so intense it made my skin prickle. I looked up, only to find him looking in the complete opposite direction.

"Babe, over here!" Tucker's voice boomed across the court as he waved at me.

In my memory, he had never been this loud or public about us. Was that burning gaze actually his?

Clutching the sports drink in my hand, I jogged over to him. A few guys on the sidelines started whistling and teasing.

"Damn, you're finally showing her off to the boys!"

"No wonder you kept her hidden, she's gorgeous!"

Tucker took the bottle, his eyes shining. "I'm really glad you came."

I couldn't focus on what he was saying. My back felt incredibly cold.

Stealing a glance over my shoulder, I saw Luke standing a few yards away, his face entirely blank.

The moment our eyes met, he casually looked away and snatched a bottle of water from a girl standing next to him.

"Keep my jacket for me, babe. I'll take you out to eat after this," Tucker said, pulling my attention back.

I blinked, slightly stunned.

Babe?

Was Tucker out of his mind? Had he always been this cringey? In my memory, our relationship had been quite distant and cool.

"Okay," I murmured.

The moment I agreed, a loud crash echoed from the nearby trash can. Everyone turned to look. Luke was calmly dusting off his hands.

"Just throwing away some garbage."

I stared at him. I knew that look all too well. He was throwing a fit. A massive one.

But right now, he had absolutely no right to be angry. In our past life, he could scream and shout at me. Now, we were total strangers who hadn't even been introduced.

I didn't actually understand basketball. Listening to the crowd cheer, I just stared blankly at the court.

Tucker was my current boyfriend. Yet, my eyes kept drifting toward Luke.

Sighing, I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache coming on, and just kept my head down.

After what felt like forever, a pair of sneakers appeared in my field of vision. I looked up to find Luke staring down at me.

Compared to the man he was three years later, his features weren't as sharp yet, but he was still strikingly handsome. His eyes were cold, and neither of us said a word.

"Excuse me," he finally muttered.

His voice was stiff and icy. Knowing him, he was probably vibrating with rage but forcing himself to play it cool.

Looking at the wide empty space around us, I silently pulled my legs in to let him pass.

A familiar, clean scent brushed past me as he walked by. My chest tightened. Luke had never treated me with such cold indifference before, and it stung.

But before I could even process the ache, he spun right back around.

"Excuse me again."

I was speechless.

I watched in sheer disbelief as Luke began moving sports drinks from the left side of the bench to the right side, one by one. He paced back and forth right in front of me. He did this about a dozen times.

Until Tucker's voice broke the silence.

"Babe, give me my jacket."

I looked up. Luke's knuckles were white around a plastic bottle as he watched us.

Tucker smiled warmly, taking the jacket and holding it close to his chest. "Smells so good. Since you were holding it, it smells just like you."

The loud pop of a plastic bottle collapsing under sheer grip strength startled us. We both turned to look at Luke.

He calmly threw the crushed, empty bottle into the bin. He pulled up the hem of his shirt to wipe his hands, entirely "accidentally" revealing a perfectly defined set of eight-pack abs.

"I prefer washing my hands with mineral water. Tap water is too dirty for me."

It was like watching a close friend try way too hard to flex. My lips twitched. I had to force myself not to laugh.

Tucker's smile stiffened for a fraction of a second. He quickly wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce you guys. Babe, this is Luke, my roommate."

I nodded. Tucker patted my head, his tone dripping with affection.

"And this is my girl, Mia."

The silence in the air became suffocating. Tucker dropped his hand and took my fingers in his.

My whole body went rigid. I felt like Luke's glare was slicing me into a thousand pieces.

"Let's go get some food," Tucker said.

Before we could even turn around, Luke spoke up.

"I haven't eaten either."

Tucker offered a tight smile. "Then go eat."

Something felt incredibly off. Did Luke and Tucker always have this much tension between them?