Page 42 of Play Me
“And why not?” Gianna asks, feigning offense.
“Well, for one, your answer is always sex. Sex doesn’t cure everything.”
Gianna gasps. “I beg your finest pardon? Don’t go spreading misinformation like that. Isn’t that against your doctor’s creed or something?”
“I believe you mean the Hippocratic oath, and no, philosophy PhDs don’t take an oath. We’re not dealing with life-and-death situations.”
“I agree with Audrey that sex doesn’t cureeverything.” The sharp edges of my frustration soften, allowing me to actually inflate my lungs all the way. “But neither do multivitamins, and I take them every morning.”
Gianna beams. “That’s my girl!”
“Let’s talk this through,” Audrey says, ignoring Gianna’s celebration. “You’re angry with one man. You don’t need to bring another into the mix.”
“Or she could take it out on that one.” Gianna looks between us and shrugs. “I’m agreeing with you, Aud. It would be irresponsible to bring another poor, innocent man into this mess. The most effective thing would be to fuck the brains out of the man you’re pissed at in the first place.”
I sigh, narrowing my eyes at her. “I wouldn’t fuck Gray Adler if he were the last man on earth and it was my duty to repopulate the planet.”
“Let me point out that you immediately jumped to Gray and not Trace.” Gianna grins.
As if he were summoned from the depths of Hades, my phone buzzes with the four-thousandth text I’ve received from Gray today.
Gray: I would really like to talk with you.
Audrey lifts a brow. “Is that him again?”
I nod, wishing I had turned my phone off. He hasn’t said much in his million messages—just that he wants to talk in various iterations. But each time I see his name on my screen, I want to talk to himless.
I let Renn down, and I’m angry with Gray for putting me in that position. I’ve taken pride in never failing the Brewers in any task they’ve given me over the years. Not one. Hell, I’ve gone above and beyond, even helping Tate on a few occasions, and that’s equivalent to taking a grenade to the face. That man is a walking disaster. But I’ve never failed …until now.
A rush of emotions burns the bridge of my nose, but I battle them back—like I should’ve with Gray. I let my feelings call the shots, and that’s so weak of me.Worse?It cost me a raise that I desperately need.
I woke up in a panic this morning after a sleepless night filled with nightmares and sweats. I kept dreaming that I was in a deep pit and a group of men stood at the top, throwing credit cards and rental agreements at me. Each piece of paper and plastic cut my skin and left me bawling in a heap of tears and blood … and no one came to help me. So once I was awake and certain that no one was hurling anything at me, I called two law offices and inquired about retaining their services. It turns out that I’m either selling feet pics or auctioning off a kidney. The buyer would have to pay the hospital bills for my organ removal, though.
“Have you responded to Gray at all?” Gianna asks, crunching on a crouton.
“No. I have nothing to say.”
“Seems like you have a lot to say,” Audrey says. “Maybe you should just tell him how he made you feel?—”
“Ew.” I wrinkle my nose. “Why would I do that?”
Audrey grins. “It might surprise you. I bet you’d feel a lot better.”
“I told you what would make you feel better,” Gianna says, grinning, too.
I glance from Audrey to Gianna and then back at Audrey.Have they lost their minds?“You two give the worst advice.”
Gray: Could you just hear me out, sweetheart?
“No, he did not.” I gasp, staring at the phone.
“What?” Gianna asks.
I barely hear her question, my mind choosing to focus on the perceived threat and not my harmless best friend. I can’t believe my eyes, and I must reread it five times before it sinks in.The fucker called me sweetheart.
My fingers hit the keyboard and flurry away.
Me: Eat shit and die.
