Page 67 of Trust Me

His hand on my thigh tightens, his voice low and rough as he whispers in my ear, “You’re not paying me anything. You’re mine now, which means I take care of you.”

“Yeah, but that was the deal in our contract…and people in relationships split bills and responsibilities.”

He sucks in a breath, his fingers itching up higher on my inner thigh. “That contract is void, don’t you say?” I nod, and he continues. “I don’t want it, nor do I need it. Try to send me money, dolcezza, and you’ll be over my lap in seconds.”

I want to argue with him, but I know it’s useless. When Elio sets his mind to something, he does exactly that.

My breath is shaky as I speak, “I’m definitely sending you money now.”

He chuckles, leaving his hand on my thigh as he falls into conversation with my friends, fitting right in as they talk sports, family, and everything in between. Eventually, Cami, Aurora and I take a trip to the washroom because after what happened to Aurora, we never let her go alone despite her protests.

We’re leaving the washroom when Ryker rounds the corner, his eyes instantly finding Camille. He’s not in a costume, which doesn’t surprise me. His tattooed arms are on display in a black T-shirt, his shoulder-length hair is loose, blue eyes brimming with want as he looks at her.

“Hey, Ryker, how’s it going?” Aurora says, oblivious to the stare down between Camille and him.

He peels his eyes away from Camille, looking at his soon-to-be stepsister. “Fine. You?” he says, his tone clipped and gruff.

“Jeez, still grumpy as ever. I’ll get you to smile one day.” Aurora taps her chin in thought.

“Don’t count on it,” he replies.

“Maybe you need to get laid, loosen up a bit,” she suggests.

He doesn’t find it funny or helpful, his eyebrows narrowing at her. “I’m going to forget that this conversation happened,” he mutters, barreling past us into the washroom.

Aurora sighs. “He’s so damn grumpy. I keep trying to bond with him, but I don’t think it’ll happen.”

Cami speaks up then, “Give it some time.”

Before Aurora can respond, Camille squeezes herself between the two of us, looping her arms in ours. “C’mon, let’s go back to the table. I need some food.”

I sit back down, my leg half on Elio’s due to the cramped space. And I don’t mind it one bit, not when it’s an excuse to be close like this. I’ve grown accustomed to it at the house, his hands always on my body in some way when we’re with one another.

It hits me then, watching him smile and laughing with my friends, how fast I’m falling for him. He’s sweet, attentive, confident, smart, and everything I could want in a partner. He makes me feel cared for, and respected like I’m his equal. Hell, sometimes I think he worships the ground I walk on, to be honest, placing me above himself.

Not to mention that I trust him with my body, as he knows how to make me feel desired, how to touch me exactly how I need to be touched.

There’s no one else who could affect me the way he does, and that right there is the problem. When this all comes out and inevitably goes to shit, I’ll suffer knowing that I will never experience these kinds of feelings again.

Because it’s him. It’ll only ever be him for me.

Chapter 28

Jasmine

Tonight’s the first time I’m attending a hockey game while being a student at RLU.

In the past, I had volleyball, which meant I was too busy to watch my father in action as a head coach. Part of me feels guilty for that, but I knew he understood my responsibilities. Hell, he and my mother remind me any chance they get about them.

I ignore that trail of thoughts, linking my arm through Camille’s as we make our way to the seats my father got us. I had to go through him and not Elio to avoid suspicion.

I can barely stand up to my parents about what I want to do with my life, let alone about the man I’m dating, which I’m sure they will lose their minds over.

“Have you ever been to a hockey game before?” I ask Camille while setting our drinks into the holders.

“No, I’ve always wanted to, but I was usually busy with another sport to cover for the school paper. It’s never worked out time-wise.” She shrugs her shoulders, popping some popcorn into her mouth.

“I appreciate you coming with me anyway.” I smile at her while grabbing my own handful of popcorn and shoving it into my mouth all at once. It’s the best way to eat it. Not the most graceful, but the best.

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