Page 69 of Cold Carnage

"Right," I replied coolly. "Leo, don't you have practice? You are a rookie this year, aren't you? Even if you are, what, twenty-five?"

He straightened up and shrugged. "Yeah, yeah. I'm heading out." He turned to Paige with a lingering smile. "Catch you later."

She nodded, and he sauntered past me with that same infuriating smirk plastered on his face. I stepped aside to let him pass but didn't miss the way he glanced back at Paige before finally leaving.

I closed the door behind him and turned to face her fully.

“What the hell was that?” I demanded, stepping closer to her desk.

Paige furrowed her brow, confusion painting her features. “What was what?”

“I told you to stay away from him,” I growled, my voice low and dangerous.

She crossed her arms, eyes narrowing. “He's part of the team and he had a question about sponsorship.”

“Yeah? And that's why he touched your arm?” The words left my mouth before I could stop them, anger lacing each syllable.

“Are you… are you jealous?” she asked, incredulity mixed with a hint of amusement in her voice.

The question struck a nerve. My blood boiled at how easily she saw through me. I lashed out without thinking, my fists clenching. “Of course I'm not jealous! I don't care what you do or who you talk to. Fuck Leo, for all I care.”

Her expression hardened, lips pressing into a thin line. “You’re acting like you do care, Ryker.”

I turned away from her, running a hand through my hair in frustration. Why was I so angry? This wasn't me. I didn't lose control like this.

I spun back to face her; the words flying out before I could stop them. "You don't get it, do you? This isn't just about you. It's about the team, the image we project. You getting cozy with a rookie isn't part of that."

Paige's eyes flashed with anger. "Cozy? Are you serious? We were talking about work."

"Sure looked like more than work to me," I shot back, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

She stepped around her desk, closing the distance between us. "You have no right to dictate who I talk to or how I talk to them. I'm here to do my job, not cater to your insecurities."

"Insecurities?" I laughed bitterly. "You think this is about my insecurities? You're naïve if you think that's all this is."

"Then what is it, Ryker?" Her voice rose, challenging me. "What the hell is this really about?"

"It's about control," I snapped, realizing too late how that sounded. "It's about keeping things professional and not letting personal feelings mess with the team dynamics."

She shook her head, disbelief etched on her face. "You can't control everything and everyone around you. People aren't just pieces on a chessboard for you to move around."

I took a step closer, my frustration boiling over. "Maybe if you understood what was at stake here, you'd take this more seriously."

"Don't you dare patronize me," she spat, her eyes blazing. "I've worked hard to be here, just like everyone else. And I've done nothing wrong."

"You think just because you handled a sponsorship meeting that you're suddenly irreplaceable?" The venom in my words surprised even me, but I didn't stop.

Her face fell for a moment before she straightened up, defiance returning. "I'm not looking for your approval, Ryker.I'm here to do my job, and I won't let your issues interfere with that."

I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest. "Fine. Do your job then. But remember who you're dealing with."

She stared at me, disappointment in her gaze. "You know what? You're right. I will do my job." She brushed past me towards the door, pausing only to look back once more. "But you need to figure out what's really bothering you before it destroys everything you've built."

She turned to leave, but I grabbed her wrist—the one my brother didn't bruise—and snapped her back to me. My grip tightened as I pushed her into the desk. Her eyes widened, but not with fear. She wasn't scared of me.

"I don't want you alone with Leo Wolfe," I growled, my voice barely above a whisper. "I don't want you alone with anyone."

"I'm alone with you right now," she pointed out, her voice steady.

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