Page 27 of Ice Ice Maybe
I grabbed the card key to the room, stuck it in my wallet, and opened the door. Then we stepped out into the hallway.
“Are you freaking kidding me?” the familiar voice growled behind us. “What are you doing here?”
Slowly, we turned to see Mitch standing in front of the hotel room next door to us, his hand gripping a card key, and his face a dark storm cloud. He dropped his duffle bag to the floor, his whole body vibrating with barely contained fury. He clenched his fist and stepped toward me. It was ironic that we were in Vegas, because at that very moment, I realized our little charade had become a high-stakes gamble, and Mitch was about to go all in.
Chapter Eight
Zena
My heart leaped into my throat as Mitch took a menacing step toward Nolan. Without thinking for a second, I shuffled to my left, placing myself between them like a human shield.
“Stop right there!” I said with my hand in the air and my voice firm. “Don’t even think about coming closer.”
Mitch glanced down at me, unhinged, almost maniacal. “Seriously? You want to protect this pretty boy?”
“Aw, Mitch, I’m flattered you still think I’m pretty after I rejected your advances on the bathroom floor at Island Prime,” Nolan said. “And just a friendly reminder, Mr. Dalton said if you touch me, you’re off the team.”
His eyes, dark with anger, bore into Nolan’s. “Maybe it would be worth it. Don’t test me.”
I shook my head. “Enough with the threats, Mitch.”
“Why are you here in Vegas, Zena?” he asked. “In my hotel.”
I bit back a laugh. “Your hotel? Last I checked, you didn’t own the place. We’re here to support the team on the road. You remember what fans are, right?”
“And you happen to be on the same floor as me, with the room right next to mine?” Mitch asked.
I sighed, trying to keep my cool. “You know the team always has a block of rooms on the same floor at check-in. Cooper and Lipovsky didn’t make the trip because of their injuries, hence there were two rooms not being used. Dad gave us one of them. We did not get to pick the location. It’s not rocket science, Mitch.”
“You’re a distraction,” he spat.
Nolan stepped forward, his shoulder brushing mine. “Mitch, you’re the distraction. You’re preventing us from having a good time here in Vegas. Can we go now?”
Mitch’s face contorted. “I don’t like your mouth.”
Nolan smirked. “As long as Zena likes it, and shereallydoes, more than you know, that’s all that matters.”
I felt heat rise to my cheeks, but kept my expression neutral.
Mitch’s left eye started twitching—he was about to lose it.
“Zena,” he said. “Can I talk to you privately?”
I stood my ground. “Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of Nolan.”
“Fine,” he snapped. “Dump this loser.”
I raised an eyebrow, a plan forming in my mind. “And if I dump him, will you wine and dine me at the fanciest restaurants? Take me jewelry shopping? Give me whatever I want? Diamonds. I want lots of diamonds.”
Hope flickered in Mitch’s eyes. “Absolutely. We can go right now. There’s a Tiffany’s at the Bellagio. Buy the entire store. Pretty boy can’t give you any of that.”
I shook my head, disgust rising in my throat. “You still don’t get me at all. I don’t want any of that.” I held up my bare hands. “Do you see jewelry on my fingers? No. There’s a reason for that.”
“Why would you ask for it if you don’t want it?” Mitch said.
The look of confusion on his face would have been comical if the situation weren’t so annoying.
“Well, you say you don’t want the sparkly bling, but you won’t complain when I stick that rock on your ring finger,” Nolan said.
