Page 49 of Fake Game

“Hey, I’m just improving your reputation, man.”

“My reputation is fine.” I take a seat—reluctantly—next to Aleks and reach across him for the whipped cream. It takes practiced patience to not hit him with the can, maybe knock some sense into him.

“I mean, your rep could be better.” Deer sucks on her strawberry coffee. “Syd’s been worried.”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s nervous you’re gonna snap on one of these dates. Ya know, like at some point you’ll just get so sick of it, and some poor girl will end up crying in the middle of a restaurant and she’ll have to chase down the media to kill it.”

“This dude? Snap?” Aleks snorts. “Never. Jackson doesn’t lose control.”

I grunt in agreement, chewing down a piece of pancake.

“Oh, come on. No one’s in control all the time.”

“I’ve known him since we were in high school.” Aleks points his knife in my direction. “He’s a control master, Deer. Disciplined to the bone. Wakes up at 6 a.m. for the gym every day like the good little gym bro he is.”

“Gods. No wonder he acts like he has a stick up his ass sometimes,” she mutters under her breath.

“No, I don’t.”

“Sure,” she drawls, widening her eyes all doe-like as she daintily finishes off the last raspberry on her plate. “All that stress is what jacks up your muscles.”

“Trust me, I have plenty of methods to relieve my stress other than the gym, Sparkles.”

“And plenty of screaming women to attest to that,” Aleks chimes in. “Actually, maybe not screaming, considering your methods.”

Deer’s grip on her fork loosens as a pink flush breaks out on her neck.

Satisfaction fills me at seeing her a little off-kilter. It is so hard to break through that perfectly crafted happy-go-lucky mask she always wears.

I push off the counter and grab her empty plate along with my own, giving her a sharklike grin as I meet her gaze. “I’ll spare the details for your delicate ears. Not exactly morning appropriate.”

She blinks, those long lashes fluttering against her cheeks before a confident laugh leaves her pouty lips. “You think someone who looks like me is vanilla?” Deer hops off her stool and tosses a lock of hair over her shoulder, pure challenge in her eyes. “Babes, I’ve tried all the flavors in the candy shop.” Without another word, she turns on her heels and disappears back to my bedroom.

“Think she’s bluffing?” Aleks asks, sidling up beside me to drop his plate in the dishwasher.

I glance over my shoulder at the empty hallway, a dark curiosity weaving its way through me.

“Guess we’ll have to see.”

TWELVE

DEER

“Oh my Gods.”

“What?” Lee whips her head around to search the restaurant. When she sucks in a gasp, I know she’s spotted the man and woman. “Stop. He brought her here? Fancy.” Her eyes are wide as saucers as she turns back to me.

“Agree. It’s an intimate choice,” I hum, taking a large sip of my second Hong Kong Iced Tea of the night. “Wait, does he even decide the places he goes if they’re blind dates?”

Lee’s brows furrow. “Good point. Probably not.”

I gnaw on the end of my straw as I continue to sneak glances at the couple in the back booth, who were previously hidden by a party of twelve that just left.

“How long have they been here? I didn’t see them come in.”

I shrug. “I dunno. He was still at the apartment when you picked me up.”

---