Page 128 of Play Dirty (Brooklyn Dawn 1)

“No.”

“Why the hell not? You shouldn’t be alone. I’ll come home.”

“No.” The hurt flashed in her eyes before she banked it. I rushed on. “I just want to chill out. You have a plan and deserve some downtime. You’ll go stir-crazy sitting with me.”

“Not if there’s some fucking psycho trying to hurt you.”

“I’m sure I was overreacting—”

“You don’t overreact. Unless it’s about your goddamn hair or clothes. But this? Yeah, not your style.”

“George is coming with me. I’ll be fine.”

“Call Nash. What’s the point of having a fuck buddy or cock on command if you don’t fucking use it?”

“Because he didn’t hit me back after I told him I had some time off, that’s fucking why.” The anger buried inside me finally exploded. “I will not beg him for his time, no matter how good the sex is. Sorry, George.”

He tapped his ear. “Put my earbuds in the moment you took the call.”

Thank God. The fact that he’d hear

d my apology didn’t really ease my mind, but I’d take the white lie any day.

“George is a grown-ass man, he knows you’re getting some.”

“Jamie.”

“Dudes love this white knight shit.”

“Nash isn’t a white knight. And I’m not fit for company anyway. I just want to go home. I haven’t been home in what feels like forever.”

“You’re being unreasonable.”

“Coming from you, that’s saying something.” I inched down in my seat, the light rocking of the car making me drowsy. Now that the adrenaline was gone, I was going to crash hard. “Don’t argue with me. Just go have fun. It was probably a one-time thing.” Even as I said it, I didn’t really believe it.

Jamie’s furious brown eyes filled my phone screen. “I can’t believe you think I’m that stupid.”

“I don’t. But he’s not going to follow me. He’s a fucking coward. Throwing a tantrum on a photo of the band. It’s not like Logan. I promise.”

“It better not be.”

The lights of the airport came into view. “We’re almost to the parking garage. I’ll text you every day, I swear. It’s just two days. We have to come back a couple hours early for a band meeting about this. Donovan and Lila will be making our lives miserable.”

“This freak doesn’t want me to catch him.”

“Jamie.”

“Seriously. I agree on the coward part. Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t stomp his ass.”

I laughed. “My hero.”

“Call him.”

“Nope.” Now it was just pride, but I didn’t give a damn. “I’ll see you in a couple days, chick.” Jamie’s worried expression faded from the screen as I ended the FaceTime call.

And because I was a glutton for punishment even with pride riding my ass, I checked my messages.

Nash still hadn’t texted me back.

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