Page 91 of Playing My Rivals

She hangs up with the nurse and turns her phone over. “Aiden’s still not awake, but he’s responding well as they bring him out of the coma.”

“That’s great news.” My hand rests on her leg, rubbing it for comfort.

Mostly for her, but I’d be lying if I said none of it was for me.

She rests her head on my shoulder. “The nurse said there’s no way he’ll know we weren’t there yesterday.”

She’s sending me reassuring clues and body language that last night wasn’t a fluke, but a low level of irritation rubs beneath my skin, warning me to pay attention and not get ahead of myself.

Everything we did last night was about building trust with one another, so my thoughts are fucking with me. Right now, I need her to take control and make me submit to her. I need her to show me I can trust her. I need her to make me trust her.

I shift to release this tightness squeezing every inch of my body and soul. For her sake, I have to act normal.

“I’ve got a car service picking us up at the police station. We can leave as soon as they give us the green light.” I kiss her forehead on instinct.

“Thanks. I’m going to need the time to prepare myself.”

It’s an innocent comment, but my mind goes straight to the worst-case scenario.

My eyes search for hers. “Yeah? Why is that?”

She peeks warily my way. “My parents are there. I know it’s their right, but I’m scared it’s going to make the situation worse. Aiden got into a fight with them and hasn’t been speaking to them.”

Oh, fuck. Her vulnerability snaps me in half. I’m being a selfish, insecure dick. She needs my strength, not this weak teenager who decided to take over my body this morning. That does it.

I sit up straight and pull her into my chest. “He’ll be fine. The staff will make sure of it. From the little time we spent with them, it was clear they wouldn’t overstimulate him. You can put your trust in them. They know what they’re doing.”

She softens in my arms. “I sure hope so.”

We finish all the paperwork and are out of the police station in record time. The car service takes us down the mountain. We’re pulling up to the hospital when her phone rings.

She glances at the screen and silences it. She turns her head away from me. This happens four more times. Each time my irritation intensifies and now I'm pissed.

“You better take it. He’s not going to stop until you do.” I remove my arm from around her neck and shift away.

Fucking Hunter.

She stares at her phone like it’s going to come alive and swallow her up. We have to face this, so she might as well get it started.

“Dori, if you can trust me with your body, you can trust me with this. I’m not going to do anything stupid.”

Her emerald eyes shoot straight to mine. I expect to see her bravery, but it isn’t there. Oh no, something far less desirable melts those green eyes and turns them black.

It slams into me like a steel beam to the face. Last night will stay in the dark. I should’ve seen it coming. Hell, I talked myself out of believing she wouldn’t want more in the name of love and trust. What a fucking fool.

She doesn’t say a word. We’re in a good old-fashioned stare-down, a battle of wills. Her eyes say all the things she won’t. We’re a dirty, messy secret. It’s fucking vicious.

Such. A. Fucking. Fool.

Her phone rings again, and this time, I don’t give her the option. I pluck it from her grasp and slide the answer bar across the screen.

I gesture to it, asking her if she wants me to speak or if she wants to do what she knows she needs to do. She sinks into the seat and snaps her cell out of my hand. She turns her head toward the window, so I pull further away.

Yeah, I didn’t think you could look at me while you break my soul in two.

“Hello.” Her voice trembles.

I don’t expect to be able to catch anything, but Hunter’s voice carries so I can hear every damn word.

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