Page 45 of Rogue Games

Jax seems to find this amusing, laughing when I bristle, but it’s not. When he sees how pissed off I am, he softens.

“I’m happy for you, Dean. You’re smiling for once. Your mate is clearly a miracle worker.”

That stops me in my tracks, and I hold my hands up to stop him right there.

“Woah, woah. Who said anything about mates?” I declare loudly, needing to make sure anyone eavesdropping doesn’t start gossiping.

“I just figured from that dopey smile you’ve got on your face. But whatever. It doesn’t matter who she is, once she makes you happy.”

It doesn’t matter who she is.

He doesn’t seem bothered by the prospect of me and a rogue.

I'm mulling over Jax’s words when my heart starts pounding and a cold sweat breaks out on my brow. A sick feeling rises in my gut, and I place a hand over my heart, feeling the thumping under my fingertips. This isn’t good. I shake out my hands, needing to do something to burn off this rush of excess energy.

"What's up?" Jax asks, running a hand back through his tousled dark brown hair and dipping down to examine my eyes. Whatever he sees has him stepping back to give me some space. “Dean? What’s going on?”

I grunt, staggering quickly toward the door. "Something’s wrong."

22

JAMIE

Samuel laughs as Joel grips the ropes and bounces the bridge, hard.

It swings wildly, and I curse, holding on tightly as my feet struggle to stay connected.

“Knock it off!” I yell, praying that they’ll move on now that they’ve had their fun. I keep my knees loose to absorb as much of the movement as possible, but with the wind picking up and being trapped on this thing, it’s making me uncomfortable.

More than uncomfortable, I’m terrified.

I remain sideways, keeping both men standing at each end of the bridge in my peripheral vision. I can’t decide whether I’m better off going forward or back. Maybe Joel is just humouring his friend and will let me off, but from the way they’re both laughing at my predicament, I wouldn’t bet on it.

“What do you want, Samuel?” I shout, not even sure he’s heard me with my voice being carried away in the wind. The sunlight vanishes as thick, grey clouds cover the sky. The air turns chilly as heavy drops of rain continue to splash my hands and face. “Do you want me to quit, is that it?”

Samuel steps closer to the edge of the canyon, arms folded across his thick chest. “Yes.”

“Done,” I agree readily. Dean’s right. We’re placing our hopes on Wyatt winning anyway. Staying in the competition isn’t worth dying for.

But the way Samuel glares at me with a visceral hatred, and a smug grin on his face, I don’t think that’s all that he wants. “And your brother.”

Fuck. He has no idea what he’s asking me to give up. I readjust my grip, the rope biting into my cold hands where I cling on for dear life and try to think.

“So, I convince Wyatt we’re not cut out for this, and that wiping the floor with you won’t be as satisfying as it sounds, and then what? If you stay here much longer, you’re going to be out anyway, so it won’t make any difference.”

Samuel shrugs, but I notice how his eyes dart to his wrist, checking his time quickly. “Reynolds is a ruthless man. He’ll appreciate me taking one for the team. Might even let me stay on.”

He thinks Dean is going to reward him for getting rid of us.

Samuel nods over at Joel. “Judging by how fast he left when you arrived at dinner last night, deep down, he knows it’s a disgrace to allow someone like you in. He’s just too smart to admit that in front of Steel.”

I groan, scarcely believing the crap this guy has convinced himself of. Does he really think Dean is afraid of voicing his opinion? Has he met the man?

“If Wyatt and I are so useless, leave us be. Like Dean said, we’ll never make it through anyway.”

It’s Joel’s turn to laugh. “You’re up to something, rogue. We’ve been watching you snoop around, asking questions. We’re protecting everyone here.”

With a snarl, he adds, “You agree to leave and take your freak of a brother with you too, or it won’t just be a warning next time.”

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