Page 68 of Broken Player

I gasped when I saw the jet parked inside. “Is that what we’re taking to LA?”

Maddox smirked again. “Told you I had it covered,” he laughed.

“Yes, yes, you did.” I gripped his neck a little tighter as he carried me up the steps and set me down at the top so I could walk through the small open door.

The woman just inside wore a friendly, welcoming smile, and my eyes dropped to the tag pinned to her chest before returning her grin. “Hey, Hilda. I’m Ryan. Nice to meet you,” I greeted, sticking my hand out for her to shake.

She took it, shaking briefly before grabbing my bag from Quinn, who’d followed us up the steps and into the cabin. Quinn whistled. “Damn, buddy. I could get used to this,” he praised before flopping backward across a couple of seats.

Maddox laughed as Connor brushed past us, grabbing a seat across from Quinn. I followed him down the aisle with Maddox behind me, so close I could feel his warmth against my back. Instead of focusing on that, I sank into the soft leather seat and buckled up. Maddox leaned down and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “I’m going to go find out how long until we take off.” He looked up and nodded at someone behind us. “Hilda’s going to get you guys whatever you want to drink. I’ll be right back.”

I watched as he retreated up the aisle toward the cockpit, his muscles bunching and flexing underneath his black suit as he walked. The fact he was in all black just now registered in mybrain. My heart hurt for what I put him through, but the fact that he showed up anyway meant everything.

Quinn looked across the table that separated us and raised his eyebrow before lifting the glass Hilda had just placed in his hand in a mock toast. I couldn’t help but laugh. I’d have to face reality at some point, the consequences of what I agreed to a month ago, and, more importantly, what I did today, were hanging out there. But they could wait. Right now, I needed to block it out for a couple of days and just process everything.

My family would understand. Everybody else? I really didn’t give a crap.

“Quinny, can you pass me my phone, please?” I asked, leaning forward to look for my bag.

“No can do, Lancelot. But don’t worry. I texted Justice while we were in the car and let her know the wedding was off, and you wouldn’t be reachable for a couple of days,” he spelled out, sipping his drink.

I leaned back against the seat, reveling in the cool leather on my heated skin. “Thanks. Was she freaking out?”

He shrugged. “No clue. I turned your phone off right after I made sure the message went through. I love you, but I’m not dealing with that drama right now.”

I laughed softly, and before I knew what was happening, it turned into a full belly laugh complete with tears streaming down my face. Quinn joined me, and we were both gasping for air. Connor silently watched with an amused tilt to his lips.

I was still trying to catch my breath when Maddox took the seat next to me, fastening his seat belt. “Less than ten minutes,” he announced to all of us. He reached for my hand, entwining our fingers and kissing the back before settling in.

I’d only flown a couple of times in my life, but I loved it. The feeling of the engines revving up and shooting us into the sky was like nothing else I’d experienced, and I couldn’t wait. Mystomach fluttered as I lifted the window covering and stared out at the wing, watching the flaps tilt up and down, no doubt part of the pre-flight check.

Hilda slamming the door closed and locking it brought my attention back to the cabin, and across from me, Connor watched, his eyes filled with amusement. “I take it you’re not a nervous flier,” he remarked, crossing his ankles and settling into his seat. He didn’t look at all impressed by his surroundings, so I guessed this wasn’t his first time flying on this jet.

“Not at all. I haven’t done it much, but I love it. It’s such a rush. Well, taking off and landing. The rest I could take or leave,” I clarified.

Maddox leaned over, his warm breath tickling my ear as he whispered, “I could think of a few ways we could make the time pass faster.”

A shiver ran down my spine at his words. My whole body clenched, the idea of passing the time locked in some tiny bathroom with Maddox not as unappealing as I might’ve thought a couple of days ago. I knew what it felt like having him inside of me, and that was a feeling I wanted to repeat over and over again.

But Quinn’s hard stare was like a bucket of cold water over my heated body, and Maddox must have sensed the shift because he sat back in his seat, shooting Quinn a death glare that made me giggle. As we taxied down the runway, I watched out the window, but none of us really spoke.

Once we were in the air, I wanted to take my mind off the unproductive thoughts threatening to overrun my brain. “Let’s do some shots,” I suggested, unbuckling my seatbelt and sliding past Maddox. He smacked my ass, and I yelped, a devious smile spread across his face. If that was how he wanted to play, I could keep up.

I decided right then and there I’d spend the entire flight to LA teasing Maddox but not giving in. I wondered how turned on I could get him. Well, I was about to find out. I caught Hilda’s attention and asked for a bottle of whiskey and four glasses, thanking her and moving back to my seat. But instead of sitting in mine, I lowered myself onto Maddox’s lap, shifting around more than necessary before finally settling in.

His hands gripped my hips, fingers digging deliciously into my skin, and I smiled inwardly knowing I was getting to him. I could already feel him thickening underneath me, and my heartbeat quickened at the dangerous game I was playing. Pouring the first shots, I passed them around. “Wait,” I ordered as they all lifted their glasses to their lips.

Holding out my own, I made sure to arch my back just enough to make Maddox groan and shift underneath me. I gnawed on my cheek to keep from laughing. “To broken engagements and new beginnings,” I toasted, and the guys all clinked glasses with me before swallowing their liquor.

I coughed as the whiskey burned down my throat and warmed my stomach from the inside. “Okay,” Connor said, slamming his glass back on the table so hard I was surprised it didn’t shatter under his giant, meaty hand. “What’s your deal?” he asked me, folding his arms over his chest.

“My deal?” I asked, lifting my eyebrow while I refilled his glass.

“Yeah, what the hell was that back there? Not that I’m not all for taking guys like that down a few notches, but Jesus Christ.” I let his words hang in the air for a couple seconds while I decided what to say. I mean, I’d broken the NDA already, right? Might as well go all in.

Sucking in a deep breath, I let the words pour out of me. “Long story short, I was desperate and went to the bank Yates’s family owns for help. He turned me down but asked me todinner and gave me a proposal, a fake marriage that would benefit both of us. I didn’t have any other options, so I accepted.”

“Which I, for the record, thought was the worst fucking idea I’d ever heard, and I hadn’t even met the fucker yet,” Quinn chimed in.

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