Page 79 of Craving the Player

“You have got to be the most stubborn person Ihave ever met,” she groans. “You’re lucky Icare enough about Sierra to even waste my time standing here arguing with you.”

“Feel free to leave. I’ve only told you to do so ahundred damn times.” Igesture to the door again with apointed look.

“That’snot what I’mtrying to—” she cuts herself off by sucking in adramatic breath and closing her eyes briefly. “You have one last chance, Braden. In four hours, you lose that chance. The chance to ever see her again. To ever hold her or see her smile again. Is that what you want? Because Iknow that’snot what she wants.”

The jaw-droppingly gorgeous white smile flashes in my mind, making my lungs tighten to the point of near suffocation. The urge to tear at my chest becomes overwhelming as Iattempt to ignore the regret swarming my head with every flash of her tear-stained cheeks. The unmistakable taste of metal rings in my mouth as Iclamp down on my tongue, her words playing over and over in my head like abroken record.

Ilove you.

Three words that turned every inch of me stone-cold without warning. The three words that Ishould have said back to her, but couldn't—wouldn't. Not when Iknew they would have come with the plea of asking her to stay. To give up the chance of alifetime, one that she deserves more than anything because I’mtoo much of achicken to take the chance on her and me.

“It’stoo late. Ican’tdrop my entire life on apipe dream.”

“Braden, if Ihad someone look at me the way that you look at Sierra, Iwouldn’tdoubt love—real, passionate love—ever again. Don’tgive that up because you’re afraid. We’re allafraid. But sometimes it’sworth the fear of the unknown. And Ithink you two are worth it. Don'tyou?”

“What would Ieven do? Stop her at the airport without aworking plan as to what happens next?” Ichoke, more upset with myself now than Iwas while destroying my liver last night. Sophie’swords only tell me what Ialready know and how Ialready feel. It seems like such an easy decision, yet Istill won’tlet myself budge.

“You can figure that stuff out after you tell her how you feel. Don’tlet her leave thinking that all she was to you was afuck buddy—away to pass the time until you found something better. She deserves better than that.”

“Iknow that, Sophie!” Icurse, yanking on the messy hair flopping in my eyes just to feel the sharp pain. “This is too complicated.”

“What’scomplicated?” Clayton asks, eyes droopy and bloodshot as he stumbles in through the front door, shirt hanging around his neck. Ican feel my guard rising again as Istraighten my back and shake my head, refusing to look at the hopeful glimmer in Sophie’seyes.

“You look like shit.” Iforce myself to laugh.

“Ditto,” he replies before turning to Sophie curiously. “What are you doing here? You two didn’t. . .” There’ssomething dark in his voice, something that he’sattempting to hide.

“Hell no. You’re disgusting,” Sophie gags.

“Then what are you doing here?” He’stoo curious.

“She was picking up the rest of Sierra’sshit before she leaves town,” Irush, nodding to the small collection of clothes piled up outside my bedroom.

Realization flashes across his face as he nods and breaks into asmile. “In that case, wanna join me for breakfast, gorgeous?”

“No thanks. Ihave to get those clothes to Sierra. She leaves in four hours.” Her last sentence is shot towards me, and Ihate that I’mgoing to pretend like Inever heard this entire conversation as soon as she leaves.

My gaze drops to the floor when she bends down to grab the last remnants of Sierra, and Ikeep it there until she says goodbye to Clayton and leaves.

It isn’tuntil Ihear the front door click shut again that Ilook up and clench my fists until my knuckles are white, self-hatred coating my entire being.

Sierra

The back of Clare’sSUV sags as Iplace the last of my bags inside. Inever thought Iwould find myself relating to an inanimate object, but Ifeel pretty saggy myself right about now.

Ican almost feel the curiosity radiating off my sister as she remains eerily quiet and stands on the road behind me. When Istep to the side, out of the way, she doesn’thesitate to reach out and close the trunk door with aforced smile.

“Is there something you want to say, Clare? You’re creeping me out with the whole quiet thing. It’sabit out of character,” Isigh, aghost of asmile on my face that Iknow looks ridiculously fake.

“What? No.” She laughs quickly. “I’mjust excited for you. It has nothing to do with the puffy eyes or the fake smiles that I’ve been getting since Isaw you this morning.”

Even though Ipushed, it still sucks to hear that Ihave done ashit job at keeping my feelings hidden. Ididn’tneed to be dealing with this on the day that I'msupposed to leave and start over.

“Do you want to talk about it? Liz tells me that I’magood listener.”

“Can we go first? Idon’twant to miss my flight,” Imumble, playing with the uneven strings on my baggy hoodie.

“Of course!” She nods and moves quickly towards her door.

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