Page 93 of Make Me Bleed
“Yeah, he asked me to, but he’s been acting kind of weird the last few days. Not really sure if it’s the pressure of the game or what…” I drawl as I remember the way he was staring off into space this morning when I was trying to kiss him. Something he’s never done before. Not even, well…before.
She reaches over and squeezes my arm. “I’m sure it is, honey. Try not to worry too much. There have been a lot of changes lately.”
“Yeah, enough to mess anyone up, that’s for sure.” I roll my eyes at myself, and Elise pats my arm.
“Don’t be so self-deprecating. It’s not just you, honey.”
“He told me…” I glance around us to make sure no one is looking. “He told me about his father.”
Elise’s eyes widen. “He did?”
“Yeah.”
It seems like she collapse in on herself. “Shit.”
I huff, lips curled inward. “Yeah.” And then, I wince because I just relieved a secret I’m not even sure he wanted me to reveal.
“He wouldn’t tell justanyonethat,” she says, and I sigh as I look up at the bright florescent lights.
“I know.”
“He trusts you.”
“Yes.” That much is obvious.
“And loves you.”
My heart squeezes.Fuck.“I hope so.”
“Oh, honey, that wasn’t a question.” And that makes my eyes burn. I close my lids and crinkle my nose against the sensation, waiting for it to pass, but it’s no use.
These two just shoot me straight in the heart with their feelings every single time.
If Elise sees his love for me…
Oh, God, I’m gonna start bawling in the middle of this arena and look like a goddamn crazy person…
Elise places her hand on my back when I lean forward to put my face in my hands, and it’s comforting, so I let myself just feel.
I’m not sure how long I sit like that, but it’s long enough for my heart rate to get back under control and for the game to nearly start. I sit up and catch Peris’s gaze when he comes out on the court, and the fuckingwinkhe flicks me makes my insides flip upside down and goosebumps scatter across my body.
The anthem is sung, and then, the game starts, and seeing Peris out there playing again has my heartrate skyrocketing all over again. It never gets below one hundred and twenty, I swear. I feel it chugging away with each pounding footstep—like my own personal mantra.
Peris’s red and black jersey clings to him as he runs back and forth, his tattooed arms glistening with sweat that pools off him, shoes squeaking, and I’m losing my mind.
I forgot how fucking hot he looks with a basketball in his hands. I have to practically wipe the drool off my face, and it’s definitely not attractive, but I couldn’t give two fucks less. All I care about is Peris and how he plays. Because he looks like a Greek God out there, chiseled to perfection—with every imperfection—just for me.
Peris shoots and scores another three pointer—taking the score to twenty-one—and I jump up with a shout. Peris whips around to grin at me, and then, I watch all of the color drain out of his face as his eyes dart off to the side. I blink a few times, unsure of what I’m seeing. He stumbles but rights himself quickly, shaking his head. His eyes meet mine for a moment that’s as intense as it’s ever been, and then, he breaks it and moves to the other side with the rest of his team. But his face is still pale. He looks sickly.
“Did you see that?” I ask Elise, not taking my eyes off him.
There’s a pause. “I did…” she drawls slowly. “But I have no clue what that was about.”
I sit up straighter in my seat, trying to keep my eyes on Peris as he plops down onto the bench and drops his head into his hands. “Neither do I, but that was weird.”
A whistle blows, and the game is back to being played—with Peris on the bench. I catch Gabe looking over at him, but then, he’s got the ball in his hands, and he’s sailing down the court with Jordan right alongside him.
Peris still has his head in his hands, but his legs are bouncing at a million miles a minute. His hands are clenched into fists in his hair, tangling the sweaty strands. Then, after about ten minutes, he jerks his head up, and I watch his chest expand with a deep breath as he releases his hair. He flexes the fingers on his right hand—the hand he broke—a few times before standing to his feet and walking over to his coach. They exchange a few words, and then, Peris is switching with one of his teammates.
