Page 14 of From the Beginning

Chapter Eight

As hard asI tried to ignore her, and damn did I try, it was hard for me to not find her in the crowd. I’d been getting set to leave, annoyed with myself, when I watched a plastered Ryleigh walk out of the ballroom with Jason.

And I.

Saw.

Red.

I had no reason to be pissed; none at all. I’d seen the girl a handful-plus times since her note. If I’d wanted to do something about it, if I’d wanted to make a move, I’d had opportunities.

I just chose not to.

Told myself I was figuring out a way to broach the subject.

In reality? Maybe I’d been chicken-shit.

So really, it was my own damn fault that I was fucking jealous of the rook. He saw her one-on-one away from the arena. He had a bona fide conversation with her.

He could have her.

But fuck, if I wasn’t feeling a little bit possessive over her.

“That game last week! It was amazing,” a fan was telling Caden and I. Once I heard Ryleigh giggling, I’d been having a hard time focusing on the conversation at hand. Thank fuck, Caden was on top of it.

“It was a good change,” Caden offered, and I nodded.

“We needed it,” I managed to add, trying to be an active participant. “Just add some testosterone and fists, and the game changes.” I forced my signature cocky grin into the mix, which flashed a dimple. A dimple I’d been told made the cockiness slightly charming. My eyes flickered toward the exit, hoping for…I don’t know. Maybe for Ryleigh to come back through, but it wasn’t happening.

I didn’t hear the last of the conversation, but after the fan walked away, Caden busted out a huge grin. “Man, you’re growling.”

Frowning, I shook my head. “I don’t growl.”

Caden laughed, nodding his head. “You really were. I think you scared off the man.” He nodded his head in the direction the two fans walked off in. “You didn’t notice the look they gave you?”

“Nope. Look, I’m going to head out,” I said, before he could cut in. “You coming with, or you gonna find a way back?”

My roommate was still grinning. “I’ll get a way back, don’t worry about it.”

We slapped hands and backs, but before I could head out, my name was called.

By the fucking rook.

This time, I noticed my growl but still, I turned in his direction. “What?” I snapped.

Jason Thompson walked over to me, fucking cock-eating grin all over his face, as he handed me a card. “This is for you.”

I snatched it from him, glaring. “Why?”

“Your girl is safe and sound—”

“Not my girl.”

“And sleeping off a bit of a tipsy episode. She’ll need a ride home. Lucky you, she lives in your apartment community.”

I had a thousand things to ask him; instead, I settled on, “What are you up to, rook?”

“Not a damn thing. Call me your fairy godmother, if you’ve gotta put a title on it. Girl likes you. You make eyes at her.” He shrugged. “Like I said, fairy godmother.”

---