Page 35 of Play Maker

“Marrying a college hookup during the pandemic because she asked me to come stay with her isn’t something I’m proud of.”

“We all make choices we regret.”

“Yeah, well, I should have seen the signs. Should have had my own lawyer signing a prenup that says I have to pay her half for five years after the marriage was dissolved.”

“Fuck, man, ouch.”

I exhale slowly and keep following him, but not toward my vehicle—toward Lo’s place.

“We came up with a number, she agreed. She then doubled it, and I haven’t responded.”

“Her old man?” Jackson asks as he taps in a code on her door and opens it.

“The text—silence will cost you—leads me to believe that yes.”

He heads over to her stove, opens the door, and I hear the sound of crackling and popping, then feel warmth as he starts loading it up with wood.

He stands up and smiles as he turns around. “You don’t think there’s anything to worry about, nothing connected to the power to the security grid at The Stables being cut?”

Damn. I shake my head. “Guessing this is gonna be more than a night or two?”

“They got the message when the team was watching the game. Motion cams looped for twenty-two minutes before the breach was caught. CJ, Matthew, and Remington are pissed it took that long to notice. They’re handling it. The team was celebrating, not fucking with Vegas again. Didn’t want to rial them up again.”

“We’re playing a championship game in a week, not one of us has gone that far.” I’ve slept in worse places …

“You mentioned the text so others would follow your lead,” he states.

I don’t answer yes, because that’s not the entire truth, but I do nod.

He shrugs off his jacket, hangs it on a chair, and pushes up his sleeves.

The door opens, and CJ steps in. “The truck won’t start. Riley messaged that she thinks Syd and Boone could probably use some time alone, just being married and all that. She offered up her place. You think Lo will throw a fit if these two stay here tonight and we get Riley’s place set?”

I avoid looking at Skinner entirely, knowing his poker face blows, and I’m not going down like this.

“Did Lo ask her?” Jackson asks.

“Yeah, no.” CJ chuckles. “She’s been hell-bent on staying by herself. Thinks it’ll be fine.”

“She’ll be fine,” Jackson says then looks right in my fucking eyes. “Who fixed your truck?”

Thank fuck.

“It started just fine.”

“You didn’t get the battery changed?” he asks.

“Thought maybe it was the cold.”

“Trade that bitch in,” CJ says then looks at Jackson. “You good?”

He nods.

“Let’s get the fuck out of here before Lo has a meltdown.”

And just like that, they’re walking out the door, CJ saying, “Security here’s all linked up to us already.”

Skinner leans over my shoulder. “Guess we’re shacking up with the girl who half-hates you.”

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