Page 88 of All That She Needs

"He's waiting for you inside," Keith said in a low tone, his gaze fixed firmly on Theo. Then his eyes shifted to me. "You too."

Theo swallowed audibly. "Okay," he said, his voice small and timid. He looked like a kid who'd had one too many beers and got caught sneaking in past curfew. With his head hung between his shoulders, he whispered to me, "Come on, Kayden. Let's go in."

Bewildered, I decided to follow him, walking past Keith, who I noticed was even taller than me. The man's gaze followed me until I was inside, and then he closed the door.

The place turned out to be a multi-purpose facility that combined both basketball and futsal into one court. The floors were marked with lines for each sport, creating distinct spaces for games. The high ceiling and bright overhead lights gave the place a spacious, open feel. It was clear that the place was newly built and hadn't been used much, if not at all.

Then I noticed another man, just as he sank a shot into one of the hoops. He wore black track pants and a black sleeveless hoodie, his head shaved close, arms covered in intricate tattoos. He let the ball bounce forward until Keith caught it.

The man turned to face me, and I felt my breath catch. I'd never seen him in person, but I knew exactly who he was.

Liam Banks.

The founder of InfiniTech.

The man I'd idolized for as long as I could remember.

Also, the man who'd been pining for my mom.

As he walked toward me, his stride full of the confidence of someone who'd conquered the world, I was struck by how young he was—probably in his early thirties. Definitely a lot younger than my mom, which just felt... weird. I didn't really know what to think about it.

"Kayden," he gave me a nod as he stood in front of me, hands in his pockets, mirroring my own stance. "I don't think introductions are necessary," he smiled. "But it's nice to finally meet you."

I had to look up to meet his gaze. "Likewise, Mr. Banks," I replied.

"Just Liam would be fine," he said, tilting his head as he studied me. "Your eyes are exactly like your mother's." He said it almost to himself, as if in awe.

"So, I've been told," I mumbled.

Liam turned slightly, his face still in my direction. "You play basketball, don't you, Kayden?"

My eyes narrowed, suspicious. "Yes."

He walked away, catching the ball that Keith threw his way. "Want to play with us?"

I swallowed, a sense of unease creeping over me. Whatever this was, it felt like I was about to play with people way out of my league—not in basketball, but in everything else. These were the kinds of people who shaped industries. People like Liam Banks were on an entirely different level.

"Sure," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. I noticed Theo standing off to the side, still tense. "You play?" I asked him.

He shook his head, looking sheepish. "I usually just sit on the side, eating snacks and cheering for whichever team's losing."

"We usually play with people from the office," Liam said, dodging Keith, who tried to snatch the ball from him. He tossed the ball to me, and I caught it, dribbling as I walked closer to them. "You and I can team up against Keith. He's just too damn good at this."

"Okay..." I trailed off, my heart pounding in my chest. I had no idea where this was going, but there was something Liamwanted to say. And I had a strong feeling it had something to do with what Theo and I were involved in.

Liam and I lined up against Keith, who stood across from us like he owned the place. He had that air about him—calm, confident, like he knew he was about to win no matter what. Keith made the first move, andholy shit, he was fast, dribbling hard and closing the space between him and Liam. Liam didn't flinch, though. He stayed tight, keeping his footing, not giving Keith an inch. I hung back a bit, watching for my chance, but Keith was pushing forward, trying to break through.

Just as I'd hoped, Keith went for the basket. I stepped in, forcing him to pull back and make a pass. The ball flew to the side, and Liam was right there, grabbing it before Keith had a chance to react.

Liam was quick, scanning for me as he moved. Keith was closing in, but Liam didn't back down. He passed the ball to me, and I was already heading toward the hoop. Without hesitation, I took the shot. The ball sailed through the air and dived cleanly through the net.

Keith watched the ball fall to the floor, then turned to me with a wide grin. "Nice shot, kid," he said.

Liam gripped my shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. He didn't say a word; he just flashed me a smile, and I took it as a silent acknowledgment. My chest swelled with pride.

"One more," Liam said.

One more? And then what?

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