Page 15 of Blood Sport

Rylee shakes her head, flipping onto her side to face the wall. “I don’t mind. Just don’t be up too late, okay? You have an early class.”

“As long as I don’t have another nightmare, I should be fine,” I tease, although I’m deadly serious. If I can sleep through the night, I will likely wake before the alarm I set.

“Goodnight,” she says softly, reaching over to switch her lamp off.

I sigh, settling into the soft sheets, and pull my comforter up to my chin as the air from the ceiling fan above begins to grow cold. It’s almost 11 p.m. and I’m not as tired as I should be after a long day of classes. Normally, it would annoy me to no end, but it’s a blessing in disguise because it means I get to read the book I started last week in peace without someone in the house looking to interrupt me.

Opening the book to the bookmark I left on page 102, I begin reading from where I left off. It’s a typical romance novel that makes you smile like an idiot at 2D words and swoon like a lovesick high school student. It’s cheesy, cliché, and overdone, but God do I fucking love it. It’s a guilty pleasure of mine.

As I get to the end of the page, waiting for the main characters to kiss, my phone vibrates on the bedside table. Groaning, I lay the book down on my chest. Whoever this is better be worth my time because I was just about to get to the juicy part of the book.

It’s an unread message from Roman. I roll my eyes and move to delete the message without reading it, not in the mood for his shit, but a photo attached to the message is what catches my eye.

What the fuck is that?

Clicking into it, my eyes widen at what he said.

Roman: You should’ve taken me seriously, Evie.

If you don’t want this photo to get out, you'll reconsider

getting back together with me.

I stare at the image attached—it’s a photo of me lying in bed wearing black lacy lingerie with a duvet resting on my exposed stomach. My eyes are closed, so it’s clear I’m sleeping.

Did this fucking psycho take pictures of me while I was asleep?

Anger begins to brew in my veins as I type back a response. I’m not going to stoop to this motherfucker’s level. He is the creep for taking photos of me while I was sleeping, regardless of whether we were together or not. It’s weird, and I’m not going to let him use it against me.

Evie: You’re a fucking psycho. If you don’t

leave me alone I’m going to call the cops.

Roman: There is more than just this photo.

More explicit ones. Do you really want to take the chance?

My eyes widen. Does he really have more photos of me? How long was he taking photos of me without my knowledge or consent? A shiver races down my spine at the thought. This man is more unhinged than I had thought. And he’s doing all of this to get me back? Well, he’s going about it the wrong way.

I refuse to let him manipulate me like this.

Evie: Fuck you. I’m not playing these

stupid games with you. Delete my number.

My eyes flick to the unread text message that just came in, only to see it’s from Jaylen. My eyes widen as I push myself up, closing the book on my lap. What the hell is he doing messaging me? I must admit, it’s a nice change in pace from my conversation with Roman.

Jaylen: Little angel.

I frown at the text message. What the hell is he doing texting me this late at night? Scrolling back through our past messages, our conversations have only ever consisted of him asking me if I know where Miles is or if I can grab them something to eat and drink while at practice. Getting a message like this from him is something new to me.

Jaylen: I know you’re awake.

Now that grabs my attention.

Evie: How do you know that for sure?

Jaylen: Because I know you.

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