Page 29 of Dirty Play

And then I spot them.

Upstairs, in the VIP lounge, the team is spread out across plush leather couches and chairs, looking like a goddamn GQ photoshoot. I can already hear the click of cameras in my head and see the headlines tomorrow:Panthers Tear Up the Town. Again.

I spot Damien on the ground floor, just off the dancefloor. He’s laughing, leaning down to say something to the gorgeous redhead he’s dancing with.

It takes me a second to recognize her.

Avery.

Oh.

Avery, Rowan’s little sister.

My eyes widen.Oh my god, how could I forget?

The memory hits like a flashbulb. The scandal last season, the pictures of Damien and Avery plastered across every sports site.Damien Colton Gets Cozy with Rowan DiMarco’s Little Sister.

And now they’re here, dancing together like no one else exists. She’s laughing, carefree, throwing her arms around his neck while he murmurs something into her ear.

I wonder how Rowan took it when he found out. He doesn’t strike me as a man who would let something like that go easily.

But I can’t think about that right now. Not with the way my stomach flips as I glance back up at the VIP lounge.

I search for him.

My breath hitches when my eyes land on Rowan.

He’s leaning back against the oversized bar, his legs spread like he owns not just the club but the whole damn world. He’s nursing a tumbler of something dark, his tattoos peeking out from the open collar of his black shirt. The sleeves are rolled up, exposing his strong forearms, corded with muscle, and inked in ways that make my mouth dry.

And his hair. God help me. It’s messy and windblown like he couldn’t be bothered to fix it, but there’s a single strand falling over his brow, giving him that infuriating I-woke-up-like-this look.

He glances down at the crowd, and for one heart-stopping second, his eyes lock with mine.

I quickly turn away, pretending I’m busy looking for someone else. My heart is racing, though, and it has nothing to do with the music or the vodka Red Bull I’m about to order.

But my eyes find him again, and this time, I can’t look away.

He’s still watching me, his expression unreadable but intense, like he’s dissecting every thought running through my head.

The glass in his hand tilts slightly like he’s raising it to me.

I inhale deeply, straightening my shoulders as I make my way toward the stairs.

Each step feels heavier than the last, the thud of my heartbeat thankfully swallowed by the noise. I keep going, gripping the railing tightly as I climb.

By the time I reach the top, all eyes are on me, including his.

Here we go.

Chapter ten

~ROWAN~

The whiskey burns just right as it slides down my throat. From up here, the club is a sea of chaos, flashing lights, pounding bass, and bodies grinding together. The team is spread out across the VIP lounge, laughing and drinking.

Damien’s somewhere downstairs with Avery, whom we somehow managed to drag to the club tonight. And I’m leaning against the private bar, my back to the leather couches, elbows resting on the counter.

But tonight, no matter how good the whiskey or loud the music, I can’t shake this edge.

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