Page 99 of Never Your Girl

“So, why are they together, then?” There’s not a single drop of smugness in Steele’s voice.

“I don’t know.” My pulse spikes, a mixture of confusion and something darker twisting in my chest.

Holland never glances in my direction. Her attention stays focused on my teammate. The one who has continued to fuck with me every chance he gets.

Garret says something, and she nods.

That’s all it takes for my stomach to churn.

“Look, man. I know you want to trust her.” Steele’s voice is quieter now. “I’m just not sure if you can. I’m worried that he’s the one feeding info to someone. The very same someone who’s been sleeping in your bed at night.”

Fuck.

I turn back to Steele, but the words are stuck in my throat. The doubts he’s just resurrected are taking root, tangling with the flicker of unease that’s been buried in the back of my brain since the start of all this.

Before I can respond, my phone vibrates in my pocket. I yank it out, hoping for a distraction, but what I see only makes everything worse.

Another anonymous message.

Anonymous message

Bridger Sanderson thinks he’s untouchable, but I know the truth. It won’t be long before all the dark secrets get dragged into the light.

The words hit like a physical blow, and my hand tightens on the phone. Steele grabs my cell and stares at the screen before swearing under his breath.

He glares in the direction of Garret and Holland. “If it turns out they’re working together, I’ll bury both of them alive.”

“Yeah,” I mutter, rage bubbling under my skin. I feel like I’m drowning in a storm I can’t control.

The messages.

My father.

The creeping doubts when I was so fucking sure I could trust her.

My phone vibrates again.

This time, it’s a notification from the chat app.

FragileLikeABomb

What do you do when you want to trust the one person you shouldn’t?

Her message feels too fitting, too timely.

My thumbs hover over the keyboard as I stare at her question. Anger and frustration swirl in my chest.

For the first time, I realize that I have no idea how to respond.

I don’t stop Steele when he grabs the coffee out of my hand and tosses it into the nearest trash can. “Sorry, bro. As much as you wanted to believe whatever this is between you two is real, I just don’t think it is.”

Instead of replying, I shove my phone back into my pocket and stare across the quad, watching as Holland and Garret fall in line together before heading toward one of the parking lots on campus.

My throat constricts until it becomes hard to breathe.

I’m at a loss.

I don’t know if Steele’s right, but it sure as hell feels like he might be.

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