Page 169 of Menace in Vegas

“Exactly.”

I gape at him. “You’re sending me off withher?”

Connor plants a kiss on my cheek. “You’ll be safe. Ish.”

Gram cackles. “Oh, honey. I’ve got plans for us.”

“Connor—”

“I love you,” he says quickly, eyes pleading. “But I really need to pull this together without you sniffing around. Trust me?”

I want to argue.

But his voice is tender. His smile a little too careful. And behind the secrecy, there’s something in his eyes I can’t ignore. Worry.

I sigh. “Fine. But if I end up drunk on a moped wearing a crop top that says ‘Jimmy’s Girl,’ I’m blaming you.”

He smirks. “Please take pictures.”

Gram throws an arm around my shoulders and starts herding me toward the door. “Let’s go, lovebird. I know a place with bottomless sangria, live iguanas, and a psychic named Raven who once dated my deceased husband’s twin brother.”

I don’t even fight it. What’s the point? There’s no escaping the storm that is Gram.

And no matter how sweet Connor’s smile is, I know deep down this isn’t just about planning a surprise.

He’s preparing for something.

I just wish I knew what.

74

CONNOR

As soon as Gram drags Allie out the door, I’m moving.

I grab the keys, my phone, and a knife from the kitchen drawer. Nothing fancy, just something sharp enough to make a point if someone thinks about trying me.

I’m done waiting.

Whoever was watching us yesterday wasn’t just coincidentally in the same spot twice.

And if Peyton’s running and Daltyn’s gone silent, it’s not a coincidence.

I slide behind the wheel of our ridiculous rental—a neon convertible that looks like a drunk parrot designed it—and head into town. My eyes scan everything and everyone.

I know what it feels like to be hunted.

Allie doesn’t know about the stalker I had. One drunken night with a puck bunny years ago spiraled into months of paranoia.

I barely remembered her the next morning.

But she rememberedeverything. Especially the part where I ghosted her.

She showed up at practices. At the team hotel. Posted old photos with captions that made it look like we were still together. Sent my mom flowers. Left notes on my car.

When I finally confronted her, she smiled like we were sharing a private joke.

It took a restraining order, a security sweep, and a few off-the-record threats from teammates to make her disappear.

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