Page 55 of Crossing Lines

Janet

Don’t worry. I can take him.

“Fuck.” I scoffed a laugh. But what did I expect out of a hockey player?

Ryan

Don’t cause trouble. Let me know if you see him and we’ll figure something out.

I gritted my jaw for a moment. What the hell we would do if he were down there, I hadn’t a clue. Call the police? But what if he said he had a friend here he was visiting? No, that wouldn’t work.

Janet

I’m coming over now. Don’t worry about it. I got it handled.

With a nod, I set my phone down and waited.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

JONAH

“Where you going now?” Ace eyed me from the kitchen as I set my hand on the front doorknob.

“Out.”

“Out? With whom and where?” Ace stepped toward me, his mouth pressing into a grim line. “What’s going on, Jonah?” Stopping next to me, he looked me up and down.

With my pulse kicking up, I drew a deep breath. “Nothing’s going on. Can’t I go out by myself? What are you, my mother?” Ace was on to me. I knew it. The guy was like a bloodhound and wouldn’t let up.

“No, I’m your daddy.” He cackled, throwing his head back, then glared at me. “Talk to me, Jonah.”

Archer strolled out of the hallway to the bedrooms, then up-nodded me. “Hey, what’s up?”

“What’s up is, your boy Jonah here is going”—he made air quotes—“out,and it’s a big fucking secret.” He cocked his head at me. “You going to stay out late again?”

With his eyes widening, Archer’s gaze snapped to mine. “Jonah, maybe you should tell him.”

“Tell me what?” Ace jutted out a hip and planted his hand onit, then stepped closer to me, peering into my eyes. “It’s Coach Hot Stuff, isn’t it? You’ve been seeing him since the incident at the gay bar?”

“What?” My heart pattered out of control, and I gaped at him. How the fuck did he do that?

“It is, isn’t it?” He threw a glance at Archer, then pointed at him. “And you know all about it, don’t you?” He stepped around us. “That’s what all the whispering has been about and the secret talks in Jonah’s bedroom.”

“Shit, don’t tell anyone, Ace.” Archer held his palms out to him.

“Archer!” With my jaw dropped open, I stared at him. He fucking caved. My best friend.

“What? He knew.” Archer’s gaze cut to mine.

“I knew it.” With a smug grin, Ace whirled his arm around my neck and hauled my head into his armpit, then rubbed his knuckles over the top of my hair. In a teasing tone, he said, “You’re banging Coach Hot Stuff.”

“Fuck off, Ace.” I shoved at his arms and writhed, attempting to wriggle out of his hold. “What are you, ten?”

“Eleven.” He freed me and stepped back, then tugged his sweatshirt over his joggers and slicked his hair back, his smug grin even wider, his eyes twinkling at me.

“Are you done now? Can I go?” I primped my hair. The fucker was such a?—

“Uh-huh. I knew it too.” Mason sauntered out of the hallway from the bedrooms, shaking his head and tutting. As he halted at me, he looked me up and down. “You son of a bitch. You bagged the hottest guy on campus.”

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