Page 68 of Power Pucking Play

Lexi freezes, as my fingers play in her hair. "I...it's nothing. Don't worry about it."

"Doesn't seem like nothing. Come on, Brookes. You can tell me anything."

I press my lips to hers one more time.

She takes a deep breath, and I can see her steeling herself for something. "Gio, there's...there's an article. About us."

I frown. "What kind of article?"

"The kind with pictures," she says, her voice barely above a whisper. "From Seattle. We're not...I mean, it's not explicit or anything, but..."

"But it's enough," I finish for her, my mind racing. "Shit. Lexi, I'm so sorry. I know you wanted to keep this under wraps, and now..."

She shakes her head, cutting me off. "It's not your fault. If anything, it's mine. I should have been more careful, more professional. God, Gio, my boss is going to kill me. The network has strict rules about fraternizing with subjects, and I've just broken every single one of them."

I watch as she paces the room, her earlier calm evaporating with every step.

Part of me wants to pull her close, to tell her we'll figure it out together.

But another part—the part that's been burned before, that's always waiting for the other shoe to drop—understands why she's freaking out. We're both risking a lot by being together.

And I sure as shit haven't even told my own sister that I'm sleeping with her best friend. She'd kill me. And then resurrect me just so she can kill me again.

The trade talks, our careers, even our relationships...they're all on the line.

"Your boss," I say slowly, a thought occurring to me. "He doesn't know about the article yet?"

Lexi stops pacing, looking at me warily. "I'm not sure. Why?"

"Hey," I say, reaching for her hand. "We'll figure this out. We'll talk to your boss, explain everything. Maybe we can spin it in a positive light."

She looks at me skeptically. "You really think that's possible? That the news station won't just see me as another fawning jersey-chaser who can’t keep her hands out of the cookie jar?”

I take a deep breath and cup her face in my hands. “I’d make a joke about my pants being the cookie jar, but I’m seeing that it’s not the time or place.” I smile, wiping my thumbs across the unshed tears beneath her lower lashes. “As far as what that station or anyone else says, who gives a shit, Lex? You know what this is. This is real. You. Me. Us. And if that means we have to face some consequences together, then so be it."

"Says the millionaire whose bosses don’t care if he’s boinking the woman reporter," she mutters, but I see the fear and uncertainty in her eyes.

“Hey, hey, hey. Don’t do that. Don’t act like you’re just some hookup that’ll be treated like fodder. You matter. More than the money. More than the Blades’ bullshit right now. You matter more than anything, Lexi. Know that.” And it's true. For the first time in my life, someone else's happiness means more to me than my own.

Except...

Lex has a look on her face—the kind of look she gets when she's about to say something that will make me want to punch a wall.

"What is it, Brookes?" I question, bracing myself for whatever is coming.

She takes a deep breath. "I don't know. It's just...this is all happening so fast. Yesterday we were barely speaking, and now we're what? A couple? Star-crossed lovers? I just...I need some time to think." She nods, but I can see the walls going up behind her eyes.

I swallow. "Right. Of course. We both need time to...process." I glance at the clock, suddenly desperate for an escape. "I should go. Need to make a good impression before the game. Coach will have my ass if I'm late."

"Sure," Lexi says, and the distance in her voice kills me. "Go. We'll...we'll talk later."

I grab my gear bag, hesitating at the door. I should say something. Tell her how I feel, that we'll figure this out together. But the words stick in my throat.

"Later," I manage to choke out, and I'm gone before she can say anything else.

Chapter 22

Lexi

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