Page 55 of Buried Betrayal

“Perfectly fine,” I forced out between breaths. “Thanks. For stopping the game.”

He nodded. “It was something I could do. Be careful around them.”

I laughed sarcastically. “You’re warning me away from your nephew?”

“Yes,” he answered seriously. “You did a lot of damage with your little stunts over the last two years. You weren’t here to see how angry they were.”

My neck flushed as I kept my face blank. Nobody could prove what I did. But anybody that knew the guys and me could easily make the connection. I was positive the families knew too. They only turned a blind eye because there was no proof and we needed to learn to get along.

“I’m being careful,” I mumbled before heading to the locker room.

“Kat, wait.”

Hearing River’s voice had me scurrying faster, but he caught up to me before I pulled open the door. Ignoring my protests, he tugged me to the side and pushed me up against the wall. I gave River a scathing glare before scanning the gym to make sure all my teammates were already in the locker room.

“Do you have a phobia of public showers?” I asked him, not wanting to discuss anything else he had to say.

“What?”

“You leave right after practice. Every day. All the other guys shower before they leave.”

His grin widened. “That’s sweet that you watch me, Kit-Kat.”

“Or maybe you’re just embarrassed to show something.” My gaze traveled to his shorts before I looked back to his face.

A wild gleam hit his eyes as he leaned closer, pressing his forearm to the wall next to me. “You of all people know that’s not the case.”

“I don’t know. The whole ten seconds you lasted really didn’t give me a chance to see how you measure up.”

He let out an amused chuckle, but I caught a small flash of pain before he covered it up. Truthfully, my first time with him had been amazing. That was probably why it hurt so damn bad when he betrayed me. For the first time in years, it had felt like I’d gotten a piece of myself back when I was with him. Until he shattered that same piece hours later.

He grew serious, grabbing my arm when I attempted to dart past him. “Listen, I’m sorry.”

“About what? You’ve done so much; I can’t keep up.”

“I’m sorry about it all,” he muttered. “But I’m talking about last night. I shouldn’t have told West what happened between us.”

“I don’t care that he knows,” I spat out. “Let me go. Unlike you, I enjoy a shower after practice.”

“Family business is happening tonight.”

My attention shot to him as I stopped trying to pull out of his grip. “What?”

“I’m guessing you weren’t invited.”

“No, I wasn’t,” I pushed out through clenched teeth. They were already trying to pull the same shit with me as they did with the other women. Trying to shut me out of the business.

River’s smile returned. “I was. And I thought I’d extend the invitation. Tonight at eight. The Blue Lounge.”

“Where’s that?”

“Like a mile off campus. Eli’s family owns it.” He paused for a moment. “It’s like a club.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I’m sorry,” he repeated. “And I want to make it up to you. You could use my help, Kat.”

Our conversation from the first night we came back to Braidwood floated through my mind, and I frowned, my suspicion rising. “Is this your way of making sure I return a favor? That’s what you said the first night I saw you.”

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