Page 12 of Second Shot

It doesn’t seem possible to feel so many contrary emotions for oneperson.

He stands there, watching me with what looks like affection and relief, and a stupid thought pops into my head.Maybe everything will be okay. Maybe he’s not the demon I’ve made him out to be. Maybe we can make thingswork.

Recklessthoughts.

But I allow them a moment offreedom.

That is, until my gaze drops to the half-empty bottle of scotch in hishand.

He’s drunk. Defiling Sam’s grave just with hispresence.

Damnhim.

He takes a step towards me, staggering. “Jesus, Brynne. It’s good to seeyou.”

I snort out a vicious laugh, because some things never change, and Kane Madden is one of them. “I wish I could say thesame.”

Chapter 3

Kane

After Coach’s office,I’d left the arena and walked. I had no idea where I was going, other than a liquor store. Vison hazy, brain dimmed by alcohol and grief, I’d let my feet guide me. It wasn’t until I was threading my way through trees and headstones that I knew where Iwas.

The fucking cemetery. Walking through the stone labyrinth, I’d slammed back half a bottle of scotch, trying to find Sam’sgravestone.

I’d been ready to give up, when I sawher.

Brynne.

Crouched over Sam’s grave, her guard down, I saw the vulnerability that she always tried so hard to hide from the world. And in that moment, it took every last ounce of self-preservation not to scoop her up, wrap my arms around her, and not letgo.

She hates you, jackass, my brain warned.She doesn’t want you here. She doesn’t want you anywhere nearher.

When her gaze met mine, her emotions unguarded for a split second, I swear I saw straight into her soul. And in it, the reflected loss, the need to connect, the longing formore.

But just as quickly, her expression changed when her gaze landed on the bottle in myhand.

Eyes hardened, and the connection I’d felt seconds before wasgone.

The way she looks at me now, disgust turning up her lips, makes my stomachtwist.

“Brynne.” Her name on my lips is a tortured cry, and I hate myself for how fucking pathetic I must seem toher.

With a sharp shake of her head, she turns on her heels and moves quickly through the gravestones towards the parkinglot.

“Brynne, stop.” I toss the bottle away and catch up to her in three long strides, seizing her forearm and pulling her towardsme.

“Let me go.” I feel the tremble that races through her small body, and greedily I take it, take anything other than the hate I see in hereyes.

“We need to talk.” My words are slurred; even I can hearit.

“You’re right, we do. But not like this. Not here. Not when you’re drunk…” Her gaze hardens. “Orhigh.”

I drop her arm and drag my fingers over my face roughly. “I don’t do that shit. Never fuckinghave.”

She makes a sound at the back of her throat, one filled with disbelief and contempt. And I know in that second that even if I told her the full truth, she’d never believeme.

“You shouldn’t be here,Kane.”

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