Page 16 of Bite Your Tongue

“Ohhh shit, Cambridge,” he drawls, the grin clear in his tone. “That usually takes me about … two to three minutes.” He pauses. “Our boy’s got stamina!”

When I hear the entire cab of his truck chiming in and laughing, I want to kick myself right in the ball sack for throwing myself under the bus.

“I’ll be right out,” I grumble. “If you make fun of me, Sterns, I’ll bring a clown into the arena with me tomorrow. And I’ll force him to follow you around all day.”

Logan becomes quiet. “That’s just mean, Ryder. I thought we were tight.”

I smirk, knowing I’m a genius. If Logan is scared of anything, it’s clowns. So, now, at least I can have a nice ride with the guys, hopefully being left alone about my shower.

I mean, it’s not exactly like I can tell Smith who I was thinking about in there. Fucker is terrifying.

Iglance at my best friend and am instantly annoyed to find him looking like someone killed his puppy. We’re all at Kolt and Paige’s to celebrate Thanksgiving early. He’s not supposed to be in a pissy mood.

“Dude, what the fuck is your deal?” I growl to Smith, punching him in the side. “This is Friendsgiving. There’s pie. There’s a slightly overcooked turkey, but that can be fixed with a ton of gravy. Why are you sulking like a bitch?”

“Nothing,” he grumbles before glancing at the door. “My sister should be here soon.”

That catches my attention. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve laid eyes on his hot-as-sin sister. Even longer since she demanded my cock and rode it like it was her job and left me with a satisfied smile on my face.

Before she thought I was a scumbag.

“Oh, I see.” I nod like nothing’s weird.

He doesn’t know I fucked his baby sister. I can’t let him find out either. He’s spent so much of this season protecting her from Rowan and fighting her battles; I don’t want him to think I’m just another asshole trying to take advantage of her.

Even though, if anyone took advantage, it was her. Not that I minded though.

“So, why is this a problem? I mean, it’s not that unusual for your sister to hang out with the team.” I shrug, lazily leaning against the counter.

“It’s not her that I don’t want to see—even though she’s annoying as fuck most of the time. It’s who she’s bringing with her.”

My pulse quickens, and my shoulders tense. “Is it fucking Rowan?” I growl lowly, even though it sounds insane, coming from my lips. Why would she bring that dickface?

“What?” He glowers, pulling his head back. “Fuck no. Why would she hang out with him after what he did? I mean, the bastard treated her like shit, used her for sex, and then dumped her in front of half the fucking team.”

I wish that were all he did,I think, but I don’t say it out loud.

It hurts Smith enough to know that Rowan hurt his sister’s feelings. He’d never get over the truth if he knew it.

“Yeah, no, that was stupid of me to even think.” I relax slightly, until I realize she may be bringing another dude. “So, who is it then? Why are you so on edge, man?”

I know why I’m on edge, and it’s because I’ve had a thing for her for-fucking-ever, but now that I’ve beeninsideof her … I’m next-level fucking batshit crazy when it comes to her. Hell, even thinking about Saylor showing up here with some random guy has me seeing red. Smith isn’t usually worked up like this, so I have to wonder who has him this way.

“It’s Gemma.” He whispers the name, and I instantly understand.

I can feel the pain radiating from his body. With his tattoos and all his muscles, he’s a tough man, but I’ve been around him long enough to know that, in Smith’s story, Gemma Jones will always be the one who got away.

It’s haunted him every day since too.

It’s time for me to be a good friend. Smith’s hype buddy—that’s what I need to be right now. He’s always there for everyone else on the team, keeping it together for all of us. When my dad had a heart attack last year, I damn near lost my mind,trying to get home as quickly as I could, and he went with me. And when Logan became an instant dad, Smith set up a damn meal train for him while he adjusted to parent life.

I can do the same for him.

“That might be good though, right? You can talk to her.” I search his face for hope, but he just looks really fucking nervous and agitated. “This might be your shot, Smith. Your shot at mending things with Gemma.”

He quietly brews over everything I said. His silence makes me think I shouldn’t have said a damn word.

“You don’t get it,” he utters, his eyes cutting to mine. “She hates me. She really, really hates me.” He looks away, taking a sip from his cup. “She has every right to too.”

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