Page 105 of Cruel Steps

“Thank you. That’s the kindest thing,” she cooed, fluttering her eyelashes.

“It wasn’t?—”

“Five minutes,” someone shouted.

Cursing, I finished my water and stood. I hated that I’d spent most of my break arguing with or about Holden. I ignored him as we exited the employees-only section and went to my rail. I had one more set, and I wouldn’t let him steal it.

CHAPTER

THIRTY-THREE

HOLDEN

I had no clue what I was doing here. Okay, that was a bald-faced lie. I was here because Wildcat was here. I just didn’t know why I’d taken the job.

Fuck. Another lie.

Fine.

I was here because I’d followed her the other night to see where she worked. I’d stayed in the shadows and watched her dance, completely mesmerized, just as I’d been the first time. I must have stared a little too much because Hendrix approached me, and somehow, I’d ended up with a job.

It wasn’t the worst idea.

Scratch that, it was.

But Hendrix had said he’d work around football and keep my shifts short, which was more than any other place would. And I needed money to cover my half of the apartment.

My piece of shit dad had reached out with another “opportunity” to make money, but I wouldn’t touch his ‘opportunities’ with a ten-foot pole. Not again, at least.

It was cheating. Simple as that.

Surprisingly, the job at Ember wasn’t all that bad. I liked Hendrix, and watching Wildcat dance was the best part. She moved like liquid sunshine, oblivious to all the eyes drawn to her. I’d been able to watch her unobtrusively for the past hour before I’d been moved to this door. I knew she’d discover I was here at some point, but I hadn’t been ready.

I’d felt upside down over Wildcat all week.

One second, I wanted to haul her into my arms and remind her how good we were together. Yet, the next, I wanted to punish her for making me care.

For stealing all my focus.

For making me worry.

For not trusting me.

For making me want something more than football.

Which scared the fuck out of me. So, I went back to avoiding her while wanting her with every fiber of my being.

It had been hell on Monday not to kill my teammates when they’d gawked at her perfect tits. And all week I’d been jealous of my best friend because he got to hold her in his arms every night. She’d finally returned to the house last night, and it had been a fight not to sneak into her room and watch her like the obsessive stalker I’d become.

Now that Hope was home and mending, I’d realized how royally I’d screwed up with her and the hurt I’d caused. I’d been at my wit’s end, but it didn’t excuse what I’d said. So, despite my urges to bulldoze her until she forgave me, I listened to what Em wanted. I’d be her friend. It was a foreign concept, but she was worth trying for.

The song ended, and the stages lowered, reminding me I couldn’t get lost in my thoughts here. The crowd cheered for the dancers, and the lights returned to a neutral tone, and soft house music played. The dancers exited the floor, and a few headed toward me. I let them through while tracking Emerson’s movements to the bar. She laughed with another girl and avoided the leers of her admirers. Though, it was more she didn’t notice than avoided. That was the thing about Emerson. She had no idea how amazing she was.

The two girls moved my way, and I relaxed now that they were out of the vicinity of grabby hands. Em eyed me when she neared, her stare intense.

“You going to let us through?” she huffed.

“What’s the password?” I teased.

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