Page 30 of Play Me
I tell myself that I’m only curious because this is the first time she’s shown a human side. And I write off the heat creeping up my neck as leftover fury from her being in my space. But there’s a wobble in my stomach, a dead weight in my sternum, that has me shifting uncomfortably.
“It doesn’t matter what that was all about,” I mutter, glancing at the date on the schedule. “That’s her problem. You have bigger fish to fry, Adler.”
I set my bag on the chair in front of me and dig out my phone.
Me: Hey, I haven’t seen my bonus hit my bank account yet. Is that still happening this week?
I start to slip my phone back in my bag, but my agent surprises me with a quick response for once.
Chuck: I’m 99 percent sure. Let me check on it and get back with you.
Me: I’d appreciate it. I have bills due.
Chuck: Understood.
I force a swallow, the pressure of the moment rising so high inside me that I worry it might spill over—and I don’t know what that would look like. “No, Chuck, I don’t think you do.”
“Hey, Adler,” Ridge says, distracting me. He’s standing across the room with a bag over his shoulder. “A few of us get here an hour early on Wednesdays for extra recovery treatments. You’re welcome to join us, man.”
“Yeah. Thanks,” I say, thankful for the redirection. “I’ll be here. It’ll be good to get back into a routine again.”
“Wednesdays are heavy lifting days. I only survive if I go into it prepped.”
I laugh. “Sounds about right.”
“He knows what Wednesdays are,” Breaker says, coming out of the showers. His slick grin immediately puts me on edge. “Brewer gave him a fine piece of ass to help him prep. You should see this bitch, Ridge. She’s a fucking dime.”
“Whoa, Break,” Ridge says, holding out a hand.
An eerie calm settles over me, erasing any thoughts outside of what’s happening in this room. His words were lodged at me like an arrow.Is he waiting to see if I’ll bleed?
My hands dangle at my sides as the air surrounding us impregnates with a static charge. Breaker squares his shoulders to mine, standing tall as if to confirm my suspicions. He’s trying to get a reaction out of me.Why? I’m not sure.Is he implying that I’m getting unfair treatment by having an assistant? Is he insinuating that I’m fucking Astrid?Or is he just being a dick?
This blowhard has a problem, and we’re going to solve it right fucking now.
My jaw flexes as I stare Breaker down. He’s a big piece of shit—easily three or four inches taller than me and about one hundred pounds heavier. And, by the looks of it, just smart enough to get himself killed.
“You have a decision to make,” I say to him, my voice stone-cold.
He smirks. “Is that so?”
“Fuck,” Ridge says, sighing. “Let’s not do this, guys.”
“Shut the fuck up and keep your teeth, or run your mouth and don’t,” I say to Breaker.
He laughs, projecting the sound louder and more obnoxiously than necessary.
I smirk back. “You better think this through,” I warn, taunting him.
In the back of my mind, I know I should get my shit and get the hell out of here. Fighting a teammate before I’m even officially on the squad would ruin everything—and maybe even get me tossed out of the league altogether. But his insinuations can’t go unchecked. I can’t let that shit begin to take hold here.
“Let’s take a breath,” Ridge says. “Let’s think this through.”
Breaker takes a step toward me.
“I will knock you the fuck out before you get your hands up,” I say calmly. “Take another step …”
His confidence wobbles, likely because he didn’t count on me to still be standing here. But that’s all I need to know to understand that he doesn’t want any part of this.Of me. That’s both a disappointment and a relief.
