Page 23 of Dirty Player

“My job is important to me, too. It’s not just—”

“Bullshit. You could’ve found a physio role anywhere. How many quarterback positions do you think are out there?”

We both know the number.

Not many.

I hate that he’s right, but it’s selfish of him to say it out loud and make me feel like I don’t matter. That my dreams are less than his.

This job was also something I’d been wishing forandworking hard to achieve.

If he thinks his life is more valuable than mine, then maybe Dad is right about Levi. Spoiled little rich kid.

I hate thinking that about him, but he’s proving my father’s point.

I shake my head. This is ridiculous. For someone who was actively pulling away from our relationship before the Colby moment, Levi certainly reacted dramatically.

Pride.Like Stephanie said. I hurt his pride. Well, he needs to get over it.

“We were together for eight weeks, Levi. Let’s be grown-ups. I’m sorry I hurt you.” I shake my head. “But for now, we are working at the same company.”

His face darkens and I try to step back but hit the wall behind me.

“Don’t flatter yourself. You didn’thurtme. You embarrassed me.” His eyes run down the length of my body, then he glances away and curses before returning to meet my eye. “You’re right. We were nothing more than just a couple of weeks of good sex.”

Wow.

But his words don’t cut as deep as he wants them to. I already heard him say the exact thing to Atlas. The wound is already healed.

“Levi...”

“You might want to keep those thighs closed around here.Dating,and I use that term loosely, is highly discouraged in the organization.”

My eyes fly open wider.

Asshole.

“Fuck you, Levi!” I hiss and I shove at his chest then stride away, blinking back my hurt.

No one gets to treat me like a slut twice.

CHAPTER FIVE

LEVI

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I shovel the last mouthful of salad into my mouth and slide my plate away. I didn’t know it was possible to be hungry and not at the same time.

But it is.

I’m only eating because I spent over eight hours training, and I need to fuel my body now. I’m a professional athlete. Although swallowing the chicken breasts was like a lead weight.

I rub a sore muscle in my shoulder and lean back in the chair.

“So, good first day?” Kyler asks as he sits beside me at the kitchen counter.

“Yeah. Felt good to be there.” I smile, even though I am trying to bend time and go back so I can have a do-over with Kaylee.