Page 60 of My Worst Pucking Enemy

“No, he did that to protect himself. If he can blame everything on me, then it takes some of the blame off him, and he has a better chance of getting out of trouble.”

I shake my head in sympathy. “But hey, you guys are still together and you won’t have to worry about all the other girls chasing him, because he’s not a star football player and nobody else is going to want him! You’ve got him all to yourself!”

She’s looking more and more horrified. Nick is staring at us, shaking his head at Becca, and mouthing, “What?”

“He wasn’t even pro, anyway,” I remind her. “What you really need is a pro hockey player. Look, there’s a whole gang of them here tonight.”

She nods to herself. “You’re right. I’ve been selling myself short.”

Then she marches over to Nick and throws her drink right at his crotch. He yells in outrage; now it looks like he peed himself and there is zero chance of him scoring with any of the girls here tonight.

“You liar! You loser!” Becca yells at him.

Nick turns a face full of rage towards me. Paxton and the other players and my sister are laughing their asses off. Nick balls his fists, but even he is not stupid enough to start something with five hockey players who are twice his size.

He turns and storms off.

Becca walks over to Knox, who’s talking to a brunette. She tries to shove the girl out of the way. The girl shoves her back. The next thing I know, the two of them are slapping each other and pulling each other’s hair, and a security guard is running towards them.

Paxton walks over to me. “Whatever you just did, you’re an evil genius,” he says admiringly.

The way he’s looking at me right now... I could get used to that. But Paxton has made it very clear that I’m his mortal frenemy. Paxton can’t be trusted. He disappeared from my life, just like my parents did.

So I take a few steps back and shake my head.

“Never forget it,” I say, arching one eyebrow. “Movie villains have nothing on me. I have a lair and minions too. Plus laser weapons. Listen, I’m tired now. I’m just going to call it a night.”

He nods. “I’ll see you home. Your sister would murder me if I didn’t,” he adds as I start to protest.

I nod in agreement, then walk over and hug my sister goodnight.

“Thanks for having my back, guys,” I say to them.

“Why didn’t we get to mop up the floor with that little rat-faced bastard?” Knox wonders, pouting a little.

“Bad publicity move!” Rowan calls out, and he shrugs.

“Eh. I’m a hockey player. People expect me to be a dick.”

Paxton and I walk out of the club together.

He grabs my hand as we head to his limo, but I know it’s just to put on a show for the photographers.

Isn’t it?

16

PAXTON

“If you’re taking me to New Jersey with the intention of dumping my body, I just want you to know my sister will avenge me,” Ruby warns me.

I shoot her a look of mock hurt, raising my brows and widening my eyes. “That is a terrible and unfair stereotype. Not everyone comes to New Jersey to dump bodies,” I inform Ruby as we recline in the back seat of the limo. “Some people come here because they want to deliberately annoy their dates.”

“You’re really selling it, I’ll give you that. You think I could find a place here? I’m going to start apartment hunting.” It’s my date night and we’re almost at our destination. I can’t wait to see the look on her face when we get there. “When are you going to tell me what your evil plans are?”

I smile mysteriously. “An important part of psychological warfare is not telling your plans to the enemy.”

“Well, what is in the gym bag?” She inclines her head in the direction of the big black gym bag on the floor by my feet. “What kind of date requires a gym bag? Are you going to use that to conceal my body?”

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