by Lynn, Stacey
I’d been having fun all night, despite Connor’s attempt to get my attention. If he thought I owed him anything after his attempts at Velvet last night, he was dead wrong. I’d said all I needed to say to him and now I wanted him to stay exactly where he belonged.
In my past.
The parents I spoke to were incredibly sweet. The fans who had paid to attend were wide-eyed and awestruck at the players who were there. All of them had such wonderful things to say, and all the parents who attended were more than willing to tell me their children’s stories. I supposed nothing helped them open up more than drinks flowing. This was a night to forget their stress while at the same time honoring everything going on in their life. I had enough stories on the voice memo app on my phone to give me several days worth of work. It’d also been one of the most fulfilling moments of my career, talking to some of the moms and even the dads as tears formed in their eyes. Yet all of them were so hopeful. So thankful Gage was giving their families a place where their hospitalized kids could have a glimpse at a regular childhood.
Before that glare from Gage, I’d had a hard time not running to him and throwing my arms around him, telling him how much I adored him in front of the crowd. Did he even know how inspiring he was?
That desire was yanked back and fizzled as soon as he turned his back on me.
My phone buzzed in my pocket and I glanced over my shoulder. Gage was there, standing at the scoring machine for his team three lanes down. His brows were arched, daring me. Mad. He also had his phone in his hand and lifted it before sliding it into his back pocket.
I turned from the team I was bowling with and stepped toward the stand of bowling balls for a brief moment of privacy.
My breath caught as I pulled out my phone and swiped the screen.
We need to talk.
Nothing good ever came from those words. My chest heaved and ached at the abruptness of his text.
What could he possibly mean by that? I’d seen him talking to Oliver. Was he mad I hadn’t told him about Shannon? I hadn’t exactly had time with the blindfold and all the hot sex.
A shadow fell over me and then the voice from the man I’d been avoiding all night was too close for comfort. “Been wanting to talk to you all night.”
Good grief. Just what I didn’t need right now.
“I have nothing to say to you.” I turned to walk away from Connor when his cold voice stopped me.
“Don’t have to talk. Just have to look at something I want to show you.”
Stupid. So stupid. I had no idea what made me look at the phone in Connor’s hand he shoved in front of my face but when I did, my knees locked so I didn’t fall over.
The screen wasn’t even grainy from the darkness in the club. How he’d taken such a clear photo was beyond me. But there was no mistaking the girl in the photo.
Me. Staring at the room where a man naked from the waist up had his back to a woman. My lips parted.
And behind me? Gage. He’d been wearing that mask that covered most of his face, but it wouldn’t take an idiot to figure out it really was him.
I reached for Connor’s phone, but he pulled it out of my reach and swiped another photo. More of them, with Gage’s hand beneath my breast in a room full of dozens as we watched the scene.
Oh. Fucking. Shit.
“What’s your point?” I snapped at him. “You share those and Tristan will rip your membership away.”
“My point is I’m concerned. This is Gage Bryant, Lizzie.”
God. I hated that fucking name. “You know nothing about him.”
He was pissed at me about something, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t ready to defend him. To the death of everything else if I had to.
“I know he doesn’t see women more than a handful of times before he ditches them. I know that not a single woman he’s ever been with at Velvet has meant a damn thing to him. He’s no good for you.”
“And you are?” My gaze did a quick scan of the room. No one was paying us attention and we were separated enough we couldn’t be overheard, but that’d soon change if I didn’t get my shit under control.
Oh God. Was this what had Gage so pissed off?
“Have you shown those pictures to anyone?”
Connor tucked his phone into his pocket and smiled. I’d never wanted to slap his pretty smile before, but my palm itched at my sides to do it. “Not yet. But I don’t think your boss would like this. Shane’s a pretty stand-up guy, but even he wouldn’t allow some sex deviant on the nightly news and you’re being considered for that promotion, right?”
“You…” I stumbled back. My God. How had I ever thought I loved this man? “You would try to ruin my career because I won’t sleep with you again? And you say Gage isn’t good for me?”
“I’m saying if this gets out, your career is ruined anyway. I’m just looking out for you.”
“Bullshit.” I was sweating. My hands shook. My chin trembled. From anger. Fear. Worry that everything he was saying was true.
Oh God. All I’d ever wanted in my life was to be on the nightly news, behind the desk during the prime time slot. And Connor wasn’t altogether wrong and for some reason, I hadn’t considered any of the risks involved with Gage, or the potential for photos leaking like Connor took.
My eyes landed on Gage. His back was to me but like he felt me gaping at him, he turned.
The blood drained from my face at the fury in his eyes. He took it in and in that split second his fury changed to confusion. Eyes slid to Connor next to me.
My entire body turned to ice.
I shook my head as Gage’s brows arched. He stepped toward me and I put up my hand.
I needed some fucking fresh air before I passed out.
“Go to hell, Connor,” I mumbled. “And delete the damn photos immediately.”
He called my name as I skirted around the stand of bowling balls. I dodged cheap plastic chairs, piles of shoes strewn about. The rattle of pins falling and bells dinging for strikes drummed in my ears like I was in a tunnel.
I hurried outside, ignored the burst of cooler, wet air outside and hugged my stomach.
It wasn’t until I was around the corner that I slumped against the brick wall and dropped my head.
Oh God. I was going to pass out. I couldn’t slow my racing heart.
Connor wasn’t altogether wrong. If anyone ever found I got my kicks by going to a kinky sex club, my reputation could be ruined. Being with Gage would put a spotlight on me and make me much more recognizable than I already was, which wasn’t much at all. But if I were on the prime time news slot? That’d change.
Throw in Gage Bryant? It could change everything.
Gravel crunched and he was there. I wasn’t even surprised he followed me. I was less surprised I knew him by his long strides and presence alone. Gage had that effect on me from the very beginning. That very first night at Velvet.
Somehow I recognized him from the very beginning before I ever saw his face. Like his soul called to mine.
God. I was losing my mind.
What a ridiculous thought.
“What’d he say to you? And while we’re on the subject of Connor, why don’t you tell me why every time I see him with you, you’re pissed and hurt and he won’t get a clue.”
Freaking Connor. I’d allowed him to ruin my life for far too long.
My hands were on my knees and I pushed up. Every sharp edge and crack of brick scraped at my back as I stood. My shoulders ached from stress. My knuckles stung. My eyes were still watering as the chilly fall air whipped around us.
“He has pictures of us on his phone.”
Gage stepped toward me, stopping far enough away so I couldn’t even reach for him. Not that I had any intention of it with the stern and distrustful look on his face. “At Velvet?”
“In the social room when we were watching that couple and then the other night when we were leaving. I don’t know how many.” I re-did my ponytail and wrapped it up into a messy b
un to keep strands from whipping me in the face.
Gage’s hands went to his hips and his head dipped. His jaw jutted forward as he lifted it. “How do you know Shannon?”
“What?”
“Shannon. How do you know her? And Paige while we’re on it.”
He tossed questions at me like accusations. I shook my head to clear it. “I don’t understand.”
“See, I’m trying to figure out, how every time you’re around Connor it always sends you running off, but maybe that was the plan and now I’m seeing things aren’t adding up. You and Connor. Your history at Velvet and yet acting like you had no idea who I was at the first press conference. The fact you haven’t said anything to me about knowing Shannon or Paige, even though your brother was the guy who helped them last fall when Beaux had a crazed stalker fan. And then there’s your request for the exclusive even though in the contract it’s stated one wouldn’t be given. So what I’m trying to figure out is what your real story is?”
I stepped back to get away from him. My head hit the brick, but even the sting from cement on my skull was minor in comparison to Gage’s accusations and implications. But I knew one thing.
I was just as dumb and idiotic with him as I’d been with Connor because apparently, fantastic mind-blowing sex didn’t equal love. Trusting someone was futile.
And men? I gave my heart to all the wrong ones.
I skirted off to the side to put space between us. I was shaking my head. My whole body trembled.
A good cry and a package of Oreos was going to be how I spent the rest of my evening.
“Wow.” I finally managed to say. “I don’t know if you’re just that paranoid or are just that big of a dick, but either way, I have nothing to say to you.”
“Why? Can’t explain any of it?”
Had he slapped me he couldn’t have hurt me more.
And whatever. I had nothing to lose, but I was really fucking tired of men thinking they could walk all over me. “First of all, I met Shannon, Paige, and both their husbands in the elevator on the way to your gala. They talked and laughed. I promised I’d keep my mouth shut about anything because I was there to do a job. Second.” I paused, inhaled, and lifted two fingers in the air as I punctuated the word. “My brother’s work is private and I don’t know shit about what he does and yeah, I knew what he did after it became public because he told me what he could, but again…that was personal and family shit he came to me with. And third, we’ve been straight with each other for less than a fucking day, Gage. One day. I don’t owe you shit but the fact you’d even think I’d be trying to pull one over on you simply because my job reports news is a slap in the face.
“Last night, with you on my couch, and in my bed, I had all I needed from you because I thought I had you. I’m just glad to know you aren’t even close to the man I’d built up in my head and thought you were.” I stepped away, lifting my hands and then dropping them to my thighs. Walking backward, I glared into his narrowed dark eyes. “You can take your blindfolds and your kink and your accusations, and you can shove it all up your ass. I’m done with you and all of this bullshit. I have a job to do, a promotion to earn, and Connor in there is probably right…being with you, that could ruin all of it. So I’m out. Have a nice life.”
I spun and hurried back into the bowling alley before I burst into tears.
Two minutes. Just two minutes. Change your shoes. Grab your purse. Get in your car and get home. Then you can lose it.
It took a dozen tries to unknot the bowling shoes and I kicked them into my bag, grabbed the bowling ball from the ball return. I grabbed Jason’s attention and waved him over. The night had at some point dissolved into a night of fun. Cameras had been put away. Reporters no longer had their phones or tablets out. Parents bowled next to players and everyone laughed.
Not me. It was chaos in my ears, overtaking my senses.
I stood, purse and bags draped over my arm and met Jason halfway. “I’m heading out,” I said. I’d met him at the bowling alley while he’d driven with equipment from the station. “Can we get together tomorrow morning to splice all of the stuff from tonight.”
“Yeah. But you don’t look good. Need me to take you home?”
“No. But thank you.” He was young and sweet. We also lived on opposite sides of the city.
“Okay. Text me tomorrow and I’ll meet you at work whenever.”
I did a quick mental scroll of my day tomorrow and my heart dropped to my feet. Tuesday. The Rough Riders’ day off and they were all coming to visit the kids again. It wasn’t necessary but gave me an excuse to check on Brandon.
Damn it.
“Early,” I told Jason. “And I know that sucks, but I have to get to the hospital at ten. Can we meet at seven?”
“You’re killing me. But yeah. I can swing it.”
“Thanks.” I squeezed his biceps and ducked my head and got the hell out of there.
Hurrying to my car, I kept my head down, keys out and ready.
I hadn’t seen Gage come back in and another confrontation wasn’t on my to-do list.
Tears were already forming as I replayed it in my mind. Good God. What was it with me having completely horrible judgment when it came to guys? It’d been a day! One day when we even knew who were fucking face to face and I get handed that bullshit?
No freaking way.
I tossed my bowling bag into the back of my Explorer and settled in my chair. Turned the keys. Started the engine and right as the lights lit up, shining right at that alley, I saw him.
Gage. Ankles crossed. Arms cross. Shoulder against the wall. And his eyes? I didn’t have to see them to know he was focused on me.
Well, I hope you feel like shit, asshole, because you just screwed over a really good thing.
I pulled out of the parking lot and didn’t look back, despite how much it killed.
And when I got home? The Oreos and red wine I opened tasted like heartbreak and misery.
Twenty-Five
Gage
With you on my couch, and in my bed, I had all I needed from you because I thought I had you.
We’ve been straight with each other for less than a fucking day, Gage. One day. I don’t owe you shit.
She was right. All of it. Every pain-filled word she hurdled back at me made me feel shittier by the minute.
It wasn’t right. It was wrong before I said anything. Somehow, I’d known it. That quiet voice telling me to calm the hell down. And I might have been able to withstand had she not mentioned pictures.
The little fuckwad had photos of us? It was the exact fear that had kept me from getting close to women at Velvet.
And I hadn’t known she was up for a promotion at work.
Why? One day. We’d had one conversation about family before. We hadn’t had the time to talk. But it felt like I’d known her my whole life. It felt like we’d known each other for weeks or months, knew each other inside out. That was how strong our connection was.
Or had been before you skewered it with your asshole bullshit.
But damn it.
“She was right. And you’re a piece of shit.” I splashed cold water on my face. My sleep had been crap and I gave up hours before I needed to wake up.
I’d make it better. I had to. Already she was more important to me than anyone I’d ever met outside my parents.
Which wouldn’t explain at all why I’d jump to the absolute wrong conclusions.
It’d have to wait. All of it. I was late to get to the hospital and my phone had been silent since last night. To top it all off, Penny hadn’t returned my call or shown up at the hospital which meant my first stop was to see him.
I finished getting ready. My idiocy and making amends with Elizabeth would have to wait.
At least until I came up with a game plan, but there was no way I was letting her walk away from me again. Her doing it last night was bad enough, but I’d fix it.
I was fucking Gage Bryant. Winner of awards and ow
ner of records. I could do and win anything I put my mind to. She just deserved something more than a throwaway “I’m sorry.”
* * *
“You’re quiet today,” Powell said next to me. “Have anything to do with the girl who ran out of the Super Bowl last night on the edge of tears?”
She’d been crying? “Shut up, Powell.”
“You screwed it up that bad? That must be a record.”
I barely resisted the urge to punch the grin off his face.
“Oh fuck off, Powell. How many times did you screw things up with Shannon?” Beaux rolled his eyes and turned to me. “Seriously. It was a lot. I wanted to kick his ass more times than not.”
“You wanted to kick my ass because you didn’t like that I was trying to make you a better ball player.”
“That’s because you can’t fix perfection—”
“Ladies,” I called out and shoved the palms of my hands into their faces. Riding with the guys from the practice field to the hospital was only one of the minor bad decisions I’d made in the last twenty-four hours. “Just because you live with women doesn’t mean you have to become them. I’ll handle my shit with Elizabeth.”
“But will you fix it?” Beaux asked. Danny Rudolph was driving. I figured his presence would keep the other two quiet. I should have known better.
A locker room had more gossip than a beauty salon. Not that I’d been in one of those in my lifetime. But the ladies in my small town always knew what was going on and my mama always said it was Mrs. Perkins, owner of Betty’s House of Beauty who knew all the good stuff.
“Because you were such a fixer when it came to Paige?” Powell asked, shoulders now shaking with laughter.
“Fuck off. Wasn’t my fault her friend hitched a train to crazy town, but yeah, I did step in and fix it. I took care of her shit even when she hated me for it and I’d do the same all over again. Except better.” His voice dropped and it was a punch to my chest. Paige had ended up in the hospital after her so-called friend essentially kidnapped her. It was Elizabeth’s brother, Jaxon who was supposed to protect her. Somehow, he’d let his guard down and while Paige ended up with a few scrapes and bruises, the crazed stalker had ended up dead.
