Page 80 of Siren's Game

I'm not sure what to make of it. My heart is screaming at me to talk to him, my brain is around 80% sure that we're on the same page, but my gut is not so sure.

Maybe he just sees me as a friend? Maybe all he wants is to be friends with benefits? Or he thinks that’s all I want?

There's a reason I've built up my walls and don't let people close. How could I have known that Asher would force his way in with a fucking sledgehammer and break them down one by one?

But what if he's not different after all?

What if he'll disappear on me just like that? I’ve been discarded often enough, could I really bear to go through that again?

Maybe my brain is wrong and he's seeing all of this as a game after all. There’s no track record to go off, nobody has ever gotten this close, and he’s an actor after all. What if he faked everything?

I sigh and turn in front of the mirror, letting my eyes wander over the sparkly black dress I've been wanting to wear ever since I packed it for the trip to Philly.

It's a tight, floor-length gown with a high slit at the side and spaghetti straps keeping my deep cleavage and backline in place. I'm wearing my hair in an updo. I even went to a hairdresser down the street to have it done properly.

I look amazing, I have to say. But I feel like the ugly duckling waiting outside the lake for others to notice and include me.

My doorbell buzzes, and I sigh at my reflection before turning away from the mirror and hurrying to my front door. A look out of the door spy tells me it's Millie.

"Wooow, you look beautiful!" she exclaims with wide eyes when I open the door for her.

She's wearing a cottage-core style dress, pastels, and an airy fabric that flows down her body like a waterfall, her curls defined and falling over her shoulders. Looks like we’ve nailed the opposites dynamic without even coordinating.

"As do you," I tell her and step aside to let her in. We have a bit more time until the guys are going to come and collect us. "I love that color on you."

"Thank you!" She does a little twirl, letting her skirt fly up high, pushing it down her front like Marilyn Monroe. "I just thought I'd pop by and catch up with you before we leave, you were gone so quickly after the match. How are things?” Then her voice turns quieter. “Now that Luca and I have been outed, how long will you and Asher stick it out?"

I shrug. "Things are . . . good?" I say and scrunch my eyebrows together, a bit clueless how to best answer her question.

"Ahhww, you're blushing," she coos and comes closer, poking my warm cheeks. "Tell me!"

"Tell you what?" I push her finger away from me and she giggles.

"Why you're blushing." Her grin stretches even wider. "Did you fall for him for real?" When I don't answer, she giggles and does a little happy dance. "I knew it! You two are too stinking cute together to be only fake dating. It’s just like that book you lent me on our flight to Sweden!"

"Well, we might have done some . . . not-so-fake things," I confide in her and hide my warm cheeks behind my hands.

"Honestly, you two make a cute couple," Millie says with a shrug after squealing her delight. "You have power-couple vibes."

"I have no idea what that means," I admit, startled when my door buzzes yet again. "Listen, Millie. Not a word. Please."

She makes a zipping motion in front of her lips, then trails after me to the elevator to meet the guys downstairs.

"Holy shit," I whisper when the car turns into a brick driveway. The location for the dinner is a bit outside of the city, a fancy villa that looks way out of place in this monotonous suburb.

There's a long driveway to the house, lined with trees and all kinds of flowers, even marble statues, with limousines and taxis waiting in line to drop off their passengers right by the front door.

Now I know why the guys booked a limousine instead of having Asher drive as usual. His car is certainly big enough for four people, but it would look so out of place and I don’t know if there is even space to park.

"Is this your house?" Millie asks Asher curiously. Luca apparently filled her in on who exactly Asher's parents are and how loaded and influential his dad is.

Asher chuckles. "Nah, my parents' house is on the other side of town. No idea who's blowing their money on this fancy thing."

"It's pretty though," I say, smushing my forehead against the window to get a better look. It’s basically a fancy, Mediterranean villa, with orange tiles on the roof and fountains at the front.

People are already strolling around, champagne flutes in their hands as they catch up.

Finally, our car comes to a stop at the front door and we all get out. Luca immediately throws a protective arm over Millie while Asher offers me his hand, then changes his mind and snakes his arm around my hip, pulling me against his side.

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