Page 43 of Clean Point

Nico’s response was a soft grumble I felt reverberating against my back. ‘Put your money where your mouth is, Bailey.’

Her attention slid back to Nico as she smirked. ‘Big words.’ The large pile of chips in front of her told me that Nico was correct when he said she’d been cleaning them out all night. She lifted a couple of dark blue coins and tossed them into the middle. ‘Make it fifty.’

Nico’s body straightened against mine, shifting with surprise, and I had to bite my lip to stop myself from thinking about how good it felt to have Nico Kotas underneath me. The muscles of his thighs stiffened and the fight against the distraction was back to square one.

Inés shifted in her chair, letting out a puff of nervous breath. ‘I guess I call the fifty.’

‘Same.’ Henrik shrugged, his cards face down on the table as if he had already given up. They both looked like they’d seen easier times, apprehensive, but matching Dylan’s bet, anyway.

The game continued, the next card on the table turning to reveal a three of hearts. I knew, from what little Nico had explained that I had actually managed to pay attention to, this wasn’t very good for our hand. And if Dylan’s growing smirk wasn’t a bluff, then it was very good for hers.

Nico moved again, this time, his arm wrapped behind my body, fingers pressing against my lower back as if to support me. I wanted to melt into the touch, the feel of his hand on my back, even over my clothing, making me weak. I fought the urge to curl into him. To feel his broad hands not only on me, but trailing along any exposed skin, feeling over every curve and trace every part of my body.

Instead, I stilled, not daring to move a muscle Frightened that if I did, he’d remove his hand, and I’d be left with nothing but the ghost of the memory of his touch.

Focusing on anything that wasn’t Nico, I watched as Dylan raised her bet, throwing a few more chips into the centre. That was more than enough for Inés and Henrik, as they threw their cards down on the table, folding under the pressure. That left only Nico and Dylan.

Dylan’s dark eyes were challenging, a look I’d been on the end of more than a dozen times across the court while we both waited to exploit the other’s moment of weakness. But for once it wasn’t me that she was staring at.

‘Well,’ Nico said, sounding rather confident. ‘Let’s see what you’ve got.’

Dylan lowered her cards, her grin unmoving as she spread them out for all to see. ‘Three of a kind. Queens.’

Nico laid his cards out, revealing the straight he held. The confidence drained quickly from her face, and her lip curled in frustration. She stood up, pushing the chips across the table toward Nico. He thanked her, stretching over me to sort out his winnings. Dylan sunk back into her chair, grabbing her phone from the table, her pursed lips giving way as she scrolled through her notifications.

‘Think you know the rules well enough to play?’ Nico asked me. ‘According to this,’ Dylan said, interrupting my reply. ‘She might need a little more practice in understanding the concept of rules.’

All attention turned back to her, her phone screen directed towards us displaying the homepage of the Daily Tea. The headline was clear for everyone to see: Scottie’s Shocking Blood Test Results Serves Doubts on Comeback.

My heart sank into my stomach. How did they find out about the test? Jon said he’d keep it under wraps, he’d protect me. But … this? Nico’s hand wrapped around my waist as he pushed us up out of the seat, everyone around the table leaning forward to read the screen.

‘Once a cheat, always a cheat,’ Dylan said.

I couldn’t breathe as I blurted, ‘It’s not what it looks like.’

She raised an eyebrow, a sick satisfaction curled onto her lips. ‘It looks like a failed test, Scottie. Are you seriously denying this?’

‘I’ve done nothing.’ My hand curled into a fist, fingernails pressing into the palm of my hand, pushing until I found my resolve in the pain.

I turned around to find Nico, his face tightened, sharp jaw clenched.

‘Did you know about this?’ He asked, his stoney eyes searched mine for an answer, his large shoulder squared. I considered lying, pretending this was the first I’d heard of it. But what good would another lie do? I took a deep breath in, searching for any conviction but finding none.

‘Yes,’ I answered honestly. ‘I knew the test was a fail.’

Dylan’s response was immediate, ‘I told you!’

‘But Jon is disputing it; the test is wrong.’ I shook my head, trying to hold his gaze, even as the weight of his disappointment began to feel unbearable. ‘I haven’t taken anything that—’

‘How are we supposed to believe you?’ Dylan asked. Irritation pricked at my skin as I turned to her, finding her leaning forward, fists pressed against the table where her cards laid forgotten.

Dylan had been wronged; I knew that. And as far as she and the entire world were concerned, I was the one who had wronged her. It had been my choice to take the blame. I didn’t make this mess, but I had tried my best to clean it up. That title had been stolen from her, but my entire life had been taken from me.

Instead of giving into her, I turned to another. ‘Inés, you were there for the test.’ She had taken a step back from the table, as if trying to stay out of the conversation. ‘Did I seem like somebody worried about failing a test?’

She bit her lip, thinking to herself for a moment. ‘You were nervous, but … I didn’t think it was because you were afraid of the result.’

Dylan threw her hands up, groaning. ‘Why are we even debating this?’

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