Page 113 of Out of Bounds

“You don’t get to talk about that,” I whispered.

He gazed at me, silent.

“You don’t get to break that out.” I struggled to swallow. “You’re just some guy I make out with in front of cameras.”

Slowly, he nodded. “Okay.”

It’d been so long since I’d even thought about that. Telling him in the car was a slip-up in a vulnerable moment,Zariahdidn’t even know about that. I struggled to keep myself together. For the first time in a long time, panic welled up inside of me.

Oh. Shit.

“You—you’re right,” I realized, my voice small. “This is…your situation. It has nothing to do with me. I’m…I’m sorry. ”

“It’s alright.”

This was too heavy and too much. I had no experience with anything like it and I was so out of my depth. So out of it in general.

"This is exactly my point." I stepped away. "I’m not good at this, Ryan. We should cut ties now. That’s that."

"That’s not what I said."

"Yeah, but that’s whatI’msaying."

Ryan easily stepped closer until he leaned over me, so close, my heart leaped to my throat. I didn’t know what to tell him anymore. I said my piece. That was supposed to be it.

"You can’t leave," he told me, his voice firm.

"Why not?"

"Because I don’t want you to go."

My eyes dropped to my sneakers. "I can’t lie to your mom. She asked me what day we’re driving up for Christmas."

"I know."

"She—she told you and you didn’ttellme? You didn’t prepare me?"

"Kassie, she’s always been on my case about bringing someone home—"

"And what?" I pushed. "I’m your get-out-of-jail-free card for mom questions? Why are you putting that on me?" I shook myhead. "No—I’m sorry. We can say the break-up was my fault. I couldn’t hack it."

His reply was automatic. "I’ll double your salary."

"I don’t want your money."

"I’ll get you out of Roman Forest."

"Ryan, I don’t need that. It’s my last time living with Zariah."

He placed a hand on the desk next to me. "You can sit in your own private area in the stadium," he insisted. "I’ll hire security for campus."

"Ryan—"

"What do youwant?" His dark honey eyes were locked on me and he never looked away. "What can Igiveyou?"

"Nothing," I whispered.

In meetings, Ryan was always so professional, always the first one with an answer and the first one with a solution. Without that, he clearly didn’t know what to do. And I couldn’t help him. The fake relationship thing was too much and I didn’t know how much more of it that I could handle.

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