Page 64 of Play Fast (Brooklyn Dawn 2)

And then she’d talked to Oz and he’d deflated her dreams the way only he could. With a pin and a snarl and reckless abandon.

Beyond that, she’d been dealing with grief from her mother’s death and trying to figure out what she wanted to do. Cal State and her dream of being a teacher had been a constant. A new life on the west coast, sun and fun. But with marriage possibly on the horizon, along with blending her wishes with her boyfriend’s needs, she hadn’t been sure which step to take.

Being in a relationship was hard at any age. Add in excess hormones and a desire to escape… Yeah, I’d almost gone down a path I couldn’t have come back from either.

Oz had been right the day of the funeral. Kerry and I had been driving down the same road. The only difference was what had happened to her had scared me straight.

In a very real way, I owed my life to her. That made me immeasurably sad, as well as grateful for the second chance I’d been granted.

“We’ve all lost people we care about. Sometimes we blame ourselves, rightfully or not. That isn’t an excuse to act like an entitled prick.”

My head whipped toward Noah’s. “Gee, tell me how you really feel.”

Also, who had he lost? I mean, totally not my business, but the tight set to his jaw told me there was a story there.

It was so hard to imagine him seeing someone. He was definitely handsome, in a remote, dangerous, I’m-armed-right-now sort of way. But the guy had so little bend to him most of the time and had made work his god. His single-minded focus was admirable, especially since he kept people safe for a living. But what woman would be enough to make him want more?

Or what woman already had?

I studied my knuckles and pictured Oz’s, torn up, bruised, and bloody. He hadn’t allowed me to see to them before he strode off to his room. He was an expert at shutting people out—especially me.

Someday I’d learn to stop chasing after an unavailable man, but this wasn’t that day.

“You haven’t seen the other side of him.”

“Have you?”

I squeezed my hand into a fist. Oz’s had to be hurting, which would make playing at the fan club secret show a trial and a half for him. Yet again, he was alone with that pain. Stewing in it.

I just wanted to help carry his load, even if I didn’t understand all of it. The Kerry stuff, the self-blame, lashing out when the thoughts got to be too much…absolutely. But his boundless, often destructive energy and desire to isolate himself weren’t like me. I craved contact. I just hadn’t figured out how to have friends my age who understood my boundaries when it came to partying.

Dancing I was up for. I could dance all night.

Or I could do other things all night, with Oz. Channel that crazy energy between us in a healthy, dirty manner.

Maybe that was the answer.

He didn’t want to talk. Right now, I didn’t either. So, we could communicate in other ways.

“I appreciate you’re worried. You don’t need to be. He would never hurt me physically.”

“I’m not worried about that. I know he wouldn’t. If he did, he’d be zipped up in a body bag before they could identify the remains.”

Noah’s flat answer made me hug him tight. He didn’t yield for half a minute before he finally linked his arms around me and hugged me back.

“I’m glad we’re cousins of undetermined means,” I told him seriously as I eased back.

His mouth quirked. “They’re determined, you’re just too impatient to trace the lines of our family tree.”

“Maybe someday. When I’m old and thirty-six like you.” I hopped to my feet, then turned back and bit my lip. I really did not want to ask this question, but I had no choice. “Do you have AirPods with you? Preferably the noise-canceling kind?”

“Yes, why?” Then he winced and held up a hand. “Say no more. Just make sure he deserves you.”

“We’ll see. Thanks, Noah.”

I headed inside. Now that I had a plan in mind, I needed to go for my supplies.

Also known as the bag from the lingerie shop I’d hustled outside with, only to find Oz boxed in by a fleet of paparazzi. I’d purchased both the lilac set and the red lace video girl outfit that Oz had nearly drooled over, along with the slingback red heels even though I sucked at walking in them. I’d paid for everything with my own credit card. He might be rich enough to buy whatever he fancied, but I wasn’t bought and paid for.

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