Page 73 of Dangerous Play

The crowed screamed and my team crashed into me with all the force of their running.

It was only 1-0, but it gave us the hope we needed to push through the last minutes of the game.

I gave us the hope.

“You fucking did it, man!” Maddox shouted in my ear as he hugged me tight.

I believed in myself and in my team, took the risk, and I did it.

I got us into the finals.

CHAPTER TWENTY

IVY

“How is he?”I asked, biting my lower lip as I glanced at the hospital door.

Max looked up from his hands where he rested his face before I walked into the waiting room.

“Just got rolled into surgery,” he muttered, and flashed me an appreciative smile as I handed him coffee. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me onto his lap. “ACL surgery is tough... recovery time is long. He will be lucky if he can play next year when the season starts again in August.”

I shuddered, the image of Ander kicking his knee out still flashing in front of my eyes. I still couldn’t believe he’s done it and gotten away with it.

All the players were dressed in their sweats not even bothering with a shower. I only pulled Max’s hoodie over my head and stopped to get him and the others some coffee, with Rosalie.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” His fingers dug into my hip and he held me to himself like I was his anchor.

“Talk to me,” I asked into his hair as I kissed him gently.

“It was... intense.” Max took a long, shuddering breath. “Trying to ignore everything leaving Ander’s mouth and not reacting, while all I wanted to do was beat the shit out of him. And I can’t shake the feeling that... we’ve won, but at what cost. This is more than just a game... it was personal on so many levels.”

“Why did he attack Derek like that? I thought he would go for you.”

He nodded, his eyes swimming with uncertainty as he looked at me. “Remember when you said Kaia is dating Edwins?”

It was my turn to nod.

“We were having this conversation and Dex was quite surprised since he hooked up with her around the same time. So, when Ander was coming at me, Dex protected you and me by spilling what he and Kaia did. Edwins got pissed off and Ander had his reason to take our striker out.”

I could barely breath. It was one thing for Kaia to date a douche, but to cheat on him after pining for him was reckless and stupid.

“Wow. I didn’t know.”

“I didn’t want to tell you... you were preoccupied with what it meant for your friendship that she blindly ignored everything that has happened with you. But I can’t help but wonder...” Max took another deep breath. “Especially after you mentioned it during our practice. Did by any chance... Kaia gave you the idea to date me?”

I was utterly silent as the wheels of my mind worked double time.

She did suggest I date Max, and she did push me to date him even when he said no. But she was being a good friend and sheknew Ander was going to die if it happened. She was looking out for me.

Wasn’t she?

I glanced Max with uncertainly.

“Yes, it was her idea...”

Max let out a breath and chuckled to himself. “I think we both got played, Blossom.”

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