Page 7 of Broken Player

"I'll take it. See you then," Joel agreed, and the line went dead.

My stomach knotted. I couldn't believe I'd agreed to go home and deal with my dad's fucked up life.

"What's going on?" Connor asked, concern lacing his features. Being an ex-Marine and current badass bodyguard meant he picked up on every little thing.

"I have to go home tomorrow." My voice sounded monotone.

"Do you want me to come with you?" he offered.

I shook my head. "It's only for a day, and I don't want to expose you to my shit. I'll be fine. But thanks."

He nodded once and turned around, walking toward the exit. I followed, wondering what the fuck I'd just gotten myself mixed up in.

Dust billowed up off the dirt road as an unfamiliar truck made its way down our long driveway. I shifted my gaze to Quinn, whose narrowed eyes were focused on the unexpected guest. He met my eyes, and we both nudged our horses forward at the same time, moving toward the house.

"Expecting someone?" Quinn asked.

I shook my head as a prickle of unease worked its way down my spine. I looked to my right, gripping the reins in one hand and shielding my eyes with the other, scanning the horizon for the little house next door. When I found it, everything looked quiet. I breathed out slowly, a mixture of relief and disappointment washing over me.

Quinn shot me a sympathetic look. Years ago, I'd confided in him one drunken night about my past with Maddox. At least he'd stopped pressuring me to go out and meet someone for the most part. The parts of Quinn that were damaged from growing up gay in a tiny town in the bible belt understood how flawed I was deep down inside, so he didn't push me.

"I don't think it'd be him, Ryan," he said quietly, voicing and crushing the hope I'd had all in one sentence.

I squared my shoulders and straightened my spine, hardening my heart again. I kicked myself for feeling hopeful in the first place. How many times would I get my hopes up only to be crushed again and again? Maddox wasnevercoming back.I doubted he even remembered me. I couldn't blame him. It wasn't like this was a happy place for him filled with sunshine and rainbows. I'd like to think I was a bright spot in an otherwise shitty childhood, but the way he left had me thinking otherwise.

"I know he's never coming back. Maybe one of these days, my head will tell my heart to knock its shit off, huh?" I smiled sadly.

"He never deserved you, and someday, when you're ready, you'll find someone worthy of all your amazingness," Quinn promised. "Until then, you're mine."

I giggled at the way he waggled his eyebrows at me, my spirits lifted in a way that only my best friend could. "Race you!" I yelled, kicking my heels into Storm's side as he took off, his hooves thundering along the dirt. Daisy's gallops rumbled behind me, but Storm was faster. With my head start, Quinn would never win.

My heart was light, and I laughed as I rounded to the front of the house, pulling the reins to slow Storm to a stop, Quinn and Daisy hot on my heels. I laughed breathlessly and hopped down off of my stallion's back. "I win!" I cheered, pumping my fists into the air.

Quinn flashed me a dirty look. "You cheated."

"You're a sore loser," I countered.

The car we'd been watching pulled into the driveway behind my dad's old Chevy truck, coming to a stop. Shielding my eyes from the windshield's glare, I tried to see who was inside, but it was useless. Quinn stepped up beside me and threw his arm over my shoulder. "Who do you think it is?" he asked.

"No idea. Guess we'll know soon enough."

A youngish man in a charcoal suit exited the car and moved toward Quinn and me, a grim expression on his face. "Are you mister and missus Knight?" he asked us.

I shook my head. "I'm their daughter."

"That'll work," he declared, lifting a thick manilla envelope I hadn't noticed he was carrying and holding it out for me to take.

"What's this?" I eyed the envelope warily.

"Just read through it. Everything to answer your questions is in there. Consider yourselves served. Good day," he said airily before turning on his heel and walking back to his car.

My stomach twisted uncomfortably. I didn't like any of this, and that creepy unease I'd been feeling earlier returned in full force.

"What the actual fuck?" Quinn asked, looking down at the envelope held in my shaky hands.

"We better go inside and see what this is all about." I spun on my heels and stomped up the stairs onto the porch, slamming the screen door open. I was scared, and it was manifesting itself as anger. I knew I should rein it in, but this was going to be bad news. I felt it in my bones. I just didn't know how bad.

Quinn pulled out one of the dining chairs, and I sunk down into it. He plopped down next to me, and I slid my finger underneath the sealed flap of the envelope, my heart beating wildly in my chest.

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