Page 46 of Second Shot

Carter leans on the bar, signaling the bartender to bring him a drink. “As in, you don’t know if you have a kid, or you don’t know if it’syours?”

“As in, he knocked up Coach’s daughter,” Blake offers, tilting his beer to his lips and drainingit.

Fuck, Blake. I want to hit the guy. He doesn’t usually drink, but something’s eating at him tonight, and it’s clear I’ve got some sort of target on myhead.

“Brynne Jacobs?” Carter asks, his eyes goingwide.

“One and only,” Blake says, as if he’s enjoyinghimself.

Asshat.

Carter whistles. “Damn, Madden. You got a death wish or something? I’m surprised Jacobs hasn’t traded your sorryass.”

I glare at Blake, before mumbling, “He doesn’t know yet. And I’d appreciate you both keeping your mouths shut about it until I get the chance to talk tohim.”

Carter nods, but there’s something in Blake’s eyes that makes meuneasy.

The guy is one of my best friends, and I trust him with my life, but he’s got a major stick up his ass rightnow.

“I mean it, Bennett,” I say to Carter. “You can run the story in a few weeks. But I needtime.”

“Okay.” He slaps my back again. I haven’t spent a lot of time with the guy, but I trusthim.

“Thanks.”

Blake is ordering another drink when Carter walksaway.

“You going to tell me what your problem is, or am I going to have to beat it out of you? Because, right now, the second option sounds prettygood.”

He drains half of the beer the bartender hands him, his jaw clenching, eyes burning with something I can’t figureout.

“I’m serious. You can’t tell people about Brynne and I. Notyet.”

“Fine,” he mutters, finishing his beer, then swaying on hisstool.

“You’re an idiot. You knowthat?”

He grunts, and we sit in silence for a few minutes while I wait for him to tell me what’s really botheringhim.

“You hear from Kiley?” he finallyasks.

I place my beer down on the bar and study him. He and Sebastian are the only people who know about my sister. I was in a bad place when she showed up. And it was Blake who’d spoken with her. Who’d tried to helpher.

I hadn’t told him about my last encounter with her because I knew he was already too involved. He always cared too damn much about everyone buthimself.

“She came by my apartment a few daysago.”

“You saw her?” His gray eyes widen, and there’s a hint of anger there, an accusation. “Why didn’t you tellme?”

Because it’s none of your business. Because the girl is bad news. Because I saw the way you looked at her. Because you’re my best friend, and she’ll rip your fricking heart out of yourchest.

I lift a shoulder, then let it drop. “I only saw her for a minute. Outside the building. She wantedmoney.”

He rubs the back of his neck. “I thought I sawher.”

“When?”

“Couple nights back.” His knuckles go white around the bottle he’s holding. “She didn’t look good. But when I called out her name, she looked straight at me, then tookoff.”

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