Page 210 of Well Played

Slowly, the crew lowered us to the ground.

As soon as we were close enough, Kaden leapt off the bar and charged toward the area offstage.

I waited until my toes touched the ground before hopping off.

Loud voices carried to me, and I rolled my eyes. Ironically, Kaden wasn’t normally a hothead. Like, not at all.

Except when it came to safety.

And not evenhissafety.

Just mine.

Eight years we’d been partners. Since we were fourteen.

Four years we’d been lovers. Since we were eighteen.

And in all that time, I’d never felt fear.

Until today.

“Who the fuck are you, anyway? I don’t know you! I know Jacques. Where the fuck is Jacques?” Kaden’s anger continued to ratchet up with each statement. With each question.

“If you would let me explain?—”

“Better do it fast.”

I ducked behind the curtain to discover a crowd of roadies standing well back while Kaden and a man I didn’t recognize stood toe-to-toe.

My breath caught.

Kaden was nearly six feet tall.

I was only a few inches shorter.

The man whose chest Kaden poked was taller than either of us. And while Kaden’s black hair was thick and plentiful, the stranger’s head appeared shaved. Or at least thinning on the top. His scruff almost made a beard—but not quite. His uniqueness caught my notice. Well, that and the fact he wasn’t forcefully removing Kaden’s poking finger.

Kaden’d poked me more than a few times over the year. That little digit could do a lot of damage.

“Jacques’s wife went into premature labor. There’s a chance they’re going to lose the baby. I was here to observe today, but the emergency dictated I step in.”

“He should’ve told us. We would’ve come down.” Kaden’s anger was still incandescent.

“I’m a professional rigger.” The man straightened his posture. “I have more than fifteen years’ experience.”

Even I was impressed. Because I wouldn’t have pegged him as more than thirty or thirty-two.

“Well, bully for you.” Kaden wasn’t backing down. “I nearly dropped Yaz. Do you understand that? We weren’t expecting the trap to move. Do you understand that?” Still, he poked.

The man stood tall. “I understand perfectly. And can say it will never happen again on my watch.”

His words carried such an air of authority that I believed him. Since shit happened, I wasn’t certain how he could make that assertion. But I believed him.

Tully, an assistant rigger, stepped out from behind the shadows with his hand raised.

“Not now.” The new rigger barked that.

Obviously, he didn’t know Tully well, because the guy wasn’t a pushover.

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