Page 21 of My Little Secret

I ran my tongue over my front teeth as I thought about my options. I didn’t have time for shady behavior or manipulators. But Sadie was different. Seemed like we’d gone from strangers to a steady couple in the span of a week and a half. She would fascinate me until the end of time.

“Tonight. Come over at 8.”That was the most I could give her. Besides, cavorting with the competition the night before weigh-in seemed unwise. Letting in the sister of my opponent was dumber than dumb. If word got out…shit. The tabloids would have a field day.

Eight p.m. arrived faster than I wanted. I paced my suite, nerves hopping as I awaited the knock. When it came, I yanked open the door so hard it hit the wall. Sadie looked up at me with wide eyes.

“Break it off the doorjamb, why doncha?” she said.

I smirked, stepping aside. “Don’t you start with the coy shit.”

And just like that the familiar energy pulsed between us, so sweet and alluring that it dissolved all the confusion of the past twenty-four hours in a second. She stepped inside, offering a small smile.

“Hawk, I’m sorry.”

I shut the door slowly, nodding. “Yeah, heard that.”

“I’m not a liar, I swear.” She paused, cursing softly. “I mean, obviously I was a liar with you. But it’s not how I am. It’s not what I believe in.”

I walked into the suite, and she trailed behind me. I sat in the arm chair and she sank into the couch, her coat still on.

“You gonna take that off?”

“I have a feeling you’re gonna kick me out. Might as well just be prepared.”

I grinned a little but squashed it. “I’m not kicking you out, Sadie. I’m the one who told you to come over.”

She nodded, slipping the coat off her shoulders. A whiff of her perfume reached me, and if her mere presence hadn’t made everything right, that vanilla bean scent sure did. I swallowed hard, steeling myself against her charms. Against that impossibly sweet heart-shaped face.

“I knew who you were when I saw you that night. I wasn’t lying, I really have been your fan for a year.”

“Must bother your brother,” I said, clenching and unclenching my fist.

“He doesn’t know. I haven’t told my family.” She scoffed. “I’m not that dumb.”

“So why’d you come on to me?”

“Because you’re fucking hot!” Her eyes got wide. “How could I not? Jesus, Hawk, I’ve been dying to meet you.”

“And you just conveniently left out the part about how you’re related to my rival? And that you fucking manage his platform?”

Her face fell. “You found out about that part. That’s what I wanted to explain.”

“Yeah, I know how to use the internet.” I sniffed, keeping my eyes focused on a small area of the arm rest. Anything to avoid meeting her gaze.

“I don’t feel good about it,” she said in a low, wavering voice. “But it’s my job. I’m on his payroll. And when he’s scheduled to fight someone, I have to do what’s best for his career. It’s not personal. You’re not the only one I’ve attacked.”

My eyebrows shot up, and I leaned forward. “So you’re the one who’s been making up all this outrageous shit about me?”

Hurt slashed across her face. “I haven’t made up anything. I do my own damn research. Everything that I’ve given him has sources.”

“Yeah, but what sources?” I leaned back into my seat. “I’d love to know where the accusation that I gave Jennifer Lawrence herpes came from.”

She got quiet, gnawing at the inside of her lip. “Brute might have made that one up.”

I scoffed. “Yeah.”

A painful silence divided us. She wrung her hands on her lap.

“I don’t know how to handle this.” She shrugged. “It’s why I couldn’t tell you. I wanted to tell you—I just didn’t know where to start. And this is exactly why.”

---