Page 43 of Forget Me Twice

Leo smiles broadly at that. Typical sports bro. Dangle just a little interest about their chosen ballgame in front of them and they eat that shit up.

“Nah, first game’s next week. Coach lets us have the Friday off before the season starts since we’ve been training all break.”

“Hmm,” I muse. “Are you going out then? I was going to go check out this Guardhouse I keep hearing about.” I lean back as Darlene appears next to our booth bearing a tray topped with our orders. She unloads our food and drinks without fanfare, and once she’s assured that we don’t need anything else, she’s gone just as quickly.

Leo falls upon his loaded fries, but keeps a thoughtful look on his face. “You want to go to the Guardhouse tonight?” He asks between mouthfuls.

“Yeah, I thought it might something fun to finish my first week with.” I pick at my own fries in a casual way, but make sure that I shoot Leo a look from beneath my lashes. “I understand if it’s not your scene though.”

He swipes a finger across his upper lip, like he’s trying to hide a smile. “Yeah, princess, we can go to the Guardhouse,” he grins, dimples on full display.

I pause, my focus now completely on the footballer across from me. Why does that make me feel like I’ve just walked into a trap? Trying to cover up my discomfort, I take an enthusiastic bite of my burger. Maybe this boy’s not as naive as I first thought.

As I go to reach for my fry basket, my hand crashes into a decidedly larger, tattooed one. I give a very involuntary, very unlady-like squawk, watching in horror as none other than Callum motherfucking Jameson dips in and steals one of my loaded fries.

Right in front of me.

There’s a self-satisfied shit-eating grin on his face as he licks his lips, but his eyes aren’t mirthful. No, they twinkle with something else. Something darker, and more dangerously sexy.

Restraint.

He’s on a knife’s edge.But why?

And when thehelldid these two arrive, anyway?

I curse my slip in spatial awareness. It only takes but a second, and here’s the glaring proof. It’s why I never usually go places without at least one of my Enforcers.

But I couldn’t exactly drag Knox or Rhett along to an innocuous ‘dinner date’ with a senior classmate.

My narrowed gaze is pulled away from Callum’s handsome fucking face and over to his partner-in-crime, who is sliding gracefully into the seat next to Leo with an equally unhinged look on his face.

Lake throws an arm around the linebacker’s shoulders and plants a kiss on his cheek. “Hello ladies,” he sings, looking between us. That smirk is borderline lethal, and not at all benevolent. He reaches over and also helps himself to a fry, trailing gooey cheese across the tabletop as he does.

Zero fucks given.

Leo curses under his breath, anger now tingeing his cheekbones a deep, mottled red.

Callum—having already molested my meal—shoves in next to me, much less graceful than feline Lake. His arm and thigh collide with mine, forcing me to scoot along the worn seat with an angry squeak of leather.

Leo flings Lake’s arm off with a snarl. “Get the fuck off me, Miller.”

Lake’s chuckle is all dark amusement. “Now, now. Don’t be such a prude, Baker.” He raises an eyebrow. “Just ask Winters. She knows all about the importance ofsharing, doesn’t she?”

His tonesoundswarm, but like his smile, there’s a sharp edge. It’s him in a nutshell, though. Flirtatious, but with an undercurrent of violence there that’s onlyjustbeing leashed.

It’s stupidly attractive to me, just like he is, but I can’t let these fucking Roxborough wannabe-bangers derail my schemes, no matter how last-minute.

I pick up a fry dripping with cheese, examine it and then casually toss it at his head. He’s too graceful though, dodging my bacon loaded missile with ease.

“If you’re looking for someone to turn you into a pretty meat sandwich for the night, Miller, you’re barking up the wrong tree. We’ve already got plans, and they don’t involve spit-roasting little blond fuckboys.”

And now I have images running through my head of me and someone else double-teaming Lake Miller andfuuuck.

DOWN, GIRL.

I hope Leo is going to let me climb him like a tree later or I’m going to have to find someone else at the Guardhouse to take this growing edge off. Maybe Rhett can tag me into whatever sexy Friday night plans he’s got going on.

I swallow roughly, trying to cover it up with a sarcasticsorry to disappoint youface.

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