Page 74 of Dangerous Play

“But I...” I swallowed. “I don’t think I was faking it. Not the last moments, not for a long time.”

Pain and sorrow radiated from his eyes as he let everything I told him sunk in. How his best qualities were used against him to weaponize them and make him crumble. Everyone who didn’t just hear the rumors knew he was the good guy who cared. Kaia brought him to the party.

We might have been played, but our acting was over. And maybe that’s what everyone wanted. For us to fall in love, so they could create the best weapon against him.

Someone he loved.

And the pain in his eyes told me he did.

“I think I need to be here for my friends and team now,” he said, his voice raspy and full of pain. “This is not the time and place for us to have this discussion. I have way too many things in my mind and I need some... space.”

I nodded. He needed to think everything through before he decided to lay his heart out for me.

“I know you think you’ve been played, but I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

“I know, Blossom.”

I dropped my forehead against his. “I really... like you.”

A ghost of a smile appeared on his lips before he kissed me. It was the gentlest, softest and slowest kiss we’d ever shared. He took his time kissing me, not urging me to open up, not pushinghis tongue, just tasting my lips and savoring the minutes of our intimacy.

It was a kiss that felt more like a goodbye than a first kiss.

“I’ll go. But please... call me.”

Max nodded, his eyes closed. We always knew this was going to come to an end, but no matter how prepared I was for that moment, a tiny sliver of hope was always there in the back of my head telling me that maybe, just maybe this didn’t need to end.

That our story couldn’t come to an end before it even had a chance to begin.

I resisted the urge to cry, keeping my tears at bay as I walked out of the hospital and left the Titans alone to wallow in their sorrow.

I couldn’t cry, not when I had to face Kaia and get some answers for myself.

I took the stairs two at a time to our apartment. The place that I called home since moving out of our freshman dorm.

“You’re the worst friend ever!” Kaia shouted, catching me off guard. I didn’t even notice her sitting on the sofa and sniffling. Her eyes were puffy.

“Excuse me?” I asked, shocked by her accusation. “Want to try that again?”

“Dex told Tristan I hooked up with him!”

“What do I have to do with that? Derek told Tristan... the person you fucked when you had a guy you pined after for years. Who does that?”

“I didn’t think he would tell him!” she shouted, jumping up from the sofa. “Who does that?”

“They were trash talking me, like they’ve been all season. Derek was trying to protect me and Max,” I explained as I got mad at myself for even taking the time to break it down for her instead of confronting her.

“Who cares?” She rolled her eyes. “You chose to date Max to get back at Ander.”

“Does he know? Or Tristan?” I asked as calmly as I could. “Did you tell them?”

Kaia opened her mouth, ready for the word vomit to take over, but I saw guilt flood her eyes, and I cut her off before she could start.

“Be honest, just once. Did you or did you not tell them?”

“I didn’t tell them.”

I sighed, but then she said, “I didn’t have to tell them as it was Ander’s idea from the beginning.”

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