Page 31 of Don't Let Me Go (Don't Let Me 2)

“Tell me,” I order.

He clears his throat but avoids my gaze. “The entire team chipped in a hundred bucks each.”

“And winner takes all?” I ask.

He looks at me again, his dark eyes sparking with determination. “It isn’t about the money.”

With a dry laugh, I fish my wallet out and slap a crisp, one-hundred-dollar bill onto the bench press. “Yet you just admitted you could use the cash.”

“I was interested in Blake before any money was on the table,” he reiterates, glancing at the hundred dollar bill between us. “Why are you putting anything into the pot?”

“Since apparently you and the other assholes need it, I might as well do my part to help you guys out, right?”

“So, you’re not gonna try to sleep with her?”

I laugh darkly and stand up. “She’s my best friend’s little sister.”

“That isn’t an answer.”

“I wouldn’t touch Blake if my life depended on it.”

“Well, at least the feeling’s mutual,” a strong, feminine voice interrupts.

Our necks snap in its direction.

Blake’s standing at the entrance of the gym, her arms crossed over her white LAU tank top. I don’t know how long she’s been standing there. I don’t know if she heard about the bet, or if she only caught the part about me not wanting to touch her. Neither option makes me feel any better, though. Especially not after the shit I pulled last night.

“Blake, ” Burrows starts.

She lifts her hand and cuts him off. “Whatever weird pissing contest or…whatever it is going on between you two needs to stop. Burrows, I know I’ve already said it, but I’m really sorry my age and Theo’s neanderthal behavior got in the way of us having a good time last night.” She turns to me, and whatever warmth had been in her expression morphs into a damn ice storm. Angry. Frigid. And sharp as shit. “Teddy. For someone who likes to remind me I’m a child, you sure as hell acted like one last night, and unless I get an apology––a sincere one––I don’t want to hear a damn word out of your mouth. Are we clear?”

I open my mouth to reply, and her eyes narrow in a silent warning.

Tongue in cheek, I close my mouth again and lift my chin, acknowledging I’ve heard her loud and clear.

“Good,” she snaps, her voice just as sharp as before. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.” She turns on her heel and marches down the hall. A glimpse of her tight ass in her jeans tattoos itself into my mind as she walks away. I shake my head and stare at the floor instead, grappling for images of Grandma Taylor in a bikini, but it does shit to erase how good Blake looks when she’s feeling particularly spicy like this morning.

I swear the girl is trying to kill me.

A few of our teammates enter the gym, stopping short when they feel how charged and tense the room is after Blake’s interruption.

And combined with Burrows, who’s glaring at me like I kicked his puppy? Well, at least I’m not the only one feeling the animosity directed at me.

Colt chuckles as he scans the space, approaching me with a crooked half-smirk. “I assume Blake’s here already?”

“So, you could feel the chill of the Ice Witch too?” I counter, my tone thick with sarcasm.

Colt’s attention shifts to Burrows. “Did he apologize for last night yet?”

Burrows shakes his head. “Not sure he knows how to form the words.”

With a laugh, Colt picks up the hundred dollar bill and sits next to me, keeping the money raised in the air. “What’s this?”

“Theo’s apology,” Burrows mumbles, taking the cash from Colt’s fingers and slipping it into his pocket. “Good chat, Theo.” He turns on his heel and heads toward the locker room.

The rest of the team follows Burrows, leaving me alone with Colt in the weight room. I don’t blame them. I wanna get the hell out of here too. Especially when I know Colt well enough to guess he wants to have a little chat. I also know him well enough to guess where he wants the conversation to go.

Scrubbing my hand over my face, I stay seated on the bench press and wait.

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