Page 21 of Play the Game

Not with her.

“I didn’t need your help!” She flips her sandy locks behind her shoulder with attitude.

I click my tongue. “Mmm, yeah you did.” I tip my chin at the set of keys still in her hand. “Were you going to…key him?”

Her cheeks ripen with heat. “That’s none of your business.”

Suddenly, I’m met with her backside as she starts to head for the back lot. Her hips sway for a few steps before she rethinks walking in the same direction as the mystery guy. She turns, and our eyes meet. “Why are you here?”

“That’s none ofyourbusiness,” I repeat.

Her shoulders slowly drop, like her guard is falling. I should turn and head inside for Kane and leave her to her own weapons for whatever lurks in the dark, but my mouth opens instead, and it tells her right away that I’m curious.

“Was that your boyfriend?”

Scottie seems shocked.

I raise an eyebrow. “And don’t say none of your business.”

She crosses her arms again, and if it wasn’t obvious before—when she was prepared to punch a man—that she’s feisty, the stance she’s giving me now makes it clear. Her hip pops withsass, and the confidence in her tone issoenticing that I crave to knock her down a few levels.

“But it really isn’t your business,” she says.

I grip the back of my neck and give it a squeeze. “Yeah, but you tried to blackmail me, so I think you kind of owe me…” Her eyes narrow. “Don’t you agree?”

Silence is shared between us, and the more we stare at one another, the more I feel like we have each other in a chokehold. I have to force myself not to look away and allow my eyes to travel over her soft features and perfect body, because that’d give her the wrong idea, and I can’t let that happen.

Scottie is the first to break. Her arms drop by her sides in defeat. “No,” she whispers. “He’s not my boyfriend.”

Just then, there’s a commotion behind me, and out comes Kane—flying like a fucking bird in the dead of night. He lands with a thud on top of the gravel. I pinch the bridge of my nose and curse under my breath.

Graduating from college and entering the pros, you’d think this behavior would stop. I was a partygoer and often found a new girl every weekend while attending Bexley U, but I grew up.

Unfortunately, Kane hasn’t.

I bark at the bouncer. “Watch it!” If he injures Kane, we’re going to have an even harder time with our schedule.

“Tell him to keep his hands to himself, and I will.”

Irritation skims the surface, and with Scottie’s light footsteps behind me as I walk over to Kane, I can’t help the next thing pushing past my scowl. “Don’t act all protective over the girls now when you can’t even walk some of them to their car in the dead of night.” I inch my chin to Scottie, knowing she’s behind me, and busy myself with helping Kane to his feet.

He’s groaning and moaning, complaining of sore muscles, which is likely from the game and not from the WWE wannabe who just threw him to the hard ground.

“Let’s go, you fucking idiot,” I mutter, putting an arm around his torso.

I ignore Scottie and the wannabe bouncer having a hushed conversation. I’m sure she’s telling him that she’s fine and she doesn’t need someone to walk her to her car at night after her shift, but I disagree.

I’m breathing heavily by the time I get Kane into the passenger seat of my car, and when I turn around, there she is, standing with her arms crossed over her chest and a knowing look on her pretty little face.

“So that’s why you’re here.”

I grip the top of the door and allow my anger with Kane to fuel my tone. “Did you think I was here for you or something?”

Scottie’s eyes narrow for a split second. “Of course not.”

I sarcastically laugh under my breath. “Was that a look of disappointment on your face I just saw?”

She gasps, and I have to force myself not to grin. “What? No!”

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