Page 4 of Dirty Play

Once I’ve shaken a dozen sweaty palms, Tina nudges me forward.

“Come on, let’s meet the captain.”

Captain? Wasn’t one of these guys the captain?

Oh, no.

Tina leads me straight to him. Mr. Line Cutter.

He’s standing there towering over me with his arms crossed, looking at me like he already knows this is going to be a disaster. His green eyes are sharp, piercing, and way too knowing.

“Livia, this is Damien Colton.” She gestures to the shirtless man who was benching a few moments ago.

“Welcome to the team.” He gives me a tight-lipped smirk, his hazel eyes gleaming.

“And this is Ares Black.” She waves at the blue-eyed tattooed-up man next to him, who just gives me a nod, his pale eyes studying me beneath dark brows.

“Hi, guys.” I raise a hand, suddenly feeling a bit out of place again.

“Don’t take it personally,” Tina throws out. “He’s always like that.” She pats Ares on the shoulder as his eyes follow the movement, impassive.

And then my eyes travel to him. His arms are still crossed over his chest, but now, he’s looking at me with a small, knowing smile, two lines appearing at each corner of his mouth.

“And this is our captain, Rowan DiMarco. You’ll be working closely with him since he’s the face of the team and all.”

My smile freezes. Of course.

“Mr. DiMarco,” I manage to say, my voice even, my shoulders squared. I probably look like one of those cats ready to pounce, but I can’t help it.

“Ms.Moody,” he replies, his tone polite, but there’s a flicker of amusement in his eyes.

Of course, he’s the guy I’ll have to collaborate with most. The guy who, apparently, represents the team’s image and is too entitled to wait in lines.

“I hope you enjoyed your coffee,” he says smoothly, amusement in his voice.

“Can’t say the same,” I shoot back, my smile sharpening. The first man, Damien, snorts a laugh, shaking his head.

There’s a beat of silence, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. I swear I catch the corners of his mouth twitching upward, but he doesn’t reply.

“Well, I’m sure you two will work great together.” Tina glances between us, clearly oblivious to the undercurrent.

“I’m looking forward to it,” I say, my voice dripping with sweetness.

“Oh, me, too,” Rowan replies, his smirk finally breaking through.

As Tina moves on to show me the rest of the facility, I can feel his eyes on me, like a weight pressing against my back. My pulse races, but I refuse to turn around.

This job is going to be a challenge for reasons I didnotanticipate.

Chapter two

~ROWAN~

I’ve faced countless opponents on the ice, and this girl could rival them all with just sheer willpower. She’s all caramel-blonde hair, blue eyes, and a little heart-shaped face that makes you do a double-take. But it’s the way she lifts her chin defiantly while looking up at me like she’s the one who’s 6’5 and I’m the one who should be shrinking beneath her gaze that has my blood pumping in a way I didn’t expect.

Trouble. She’s trouble. The way she shot back at me with, “Can’t say the same,” after my comment about her coffee, her eyes narrowing at me. That fire intrigues me, even as it raises all the alarms.

She walked into a room full of players who were itching to test her, and she didn’t flinch.You pack of puppies?I bite my tongue to suppress a laugh at the memory.

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