Page 82 of Imperfect Player

I turn toward him, my eyes tired, hardened. “Since what? Just spit it out.”

“Not since you were drinking last.”

“I’m not drinking now. I was just late. Having a gorgeous woman in your bed will do that.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“What? You haven’t heard the news? Everly and I are a thing.”

A thing I don’t deserve. Especially not after last night. The way I took her, used her.

“Goddamn it,” Maddox shouts. “You promised you would stay away from her. You promised—”

“Get the fuck over it,” I tell him. I’m tired of explaining myself to him. Making promises that don’t need to be made to him because he is nothing more than Everly’s client. While I appreciate his protective nature over her, I don’t appreciate that he thinks he can dictate any aspect of her life.

From what she’s told me, men like her father and Kai, they’ve already done that to her, and I won’t stand for anyone else doing it.

“She’s—”

“A good person? Don’t you think I know that? Fuck, man, whatever it is that you think about me, I assure you, I won’t ever let it touch her. For her, I’ll be goddamn perfect or whatever the fuck I have to be. She’s worth it. She and I together—it’s worth it.”

“If you hurt her, I will end you.”

“If I hurt her, I will end myself,” I tell him, his threat not scaring me in the slightest.

Hurting her in any way would destroy me. She’s all I have. The only good thing in my life.

“And the drinking?”

I groan.

“Don’t bullshit me. I can smell it on you.”

“One slip up,” I lie.

A lie that I’m pretty sure that he can see right through.

“I’m going to be keeping my eye on you,” he informs me.

“Kinky,” I reply.

“You’re a real asshole, you know that?” He shakes his head. “Make fun of me all you want. I just want what’s best for this team.”

“And you think I don’t?” I ask, offended by his insinuation.

“I did. Until today.”

I close my eyes, ending the conversation. Or at least my portion of it. He can rant and rave all he wants, but I don’t have to listen to it. Don’t have to respond either.

Eventually, he vacates the seat and goes back to his own.

Fuck him. Fuck his accusations and insinuations.

I know what I’m doing. It was one night. One fucking mistake.

When we get to the hotel, Maddox doesn’t leave my side. We’re both on the thirty-fifth floor. His room is directly next to mine.

I slip my key in the door and laugh.

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