Player (A Secret Baby Sports Romance)(282)

And then she’s gone, like a tornado leaving a path of destruction as she blows back out the door.

“Well, she’s just wonderful isn’t she?” Peyton’s smiling thinly at me across the table, her arms crossed and her brow raised.

“That is not what you think it-”

“Hey, none of my business and not my problem, Bryce. None of your dirty little secrets are my problem anymore, remember?”

I grind my teeth together, carefully eyeing her; “You’re not doing this.”

“The fuck I’m not. Got a better idea to save my brother?”

I’m working on it.

But I’m silent, staring her down as if the scowl on my face alone is going to change her mind. As if this girl was ever that easy.

“Peyton, this-”

“This is what it takes, Bryce; end of discussion.” She stands abruptly and storms out, leaving me alone with the lingering curls of smoke from Sasha’s cigarette and the fury bubbling under my skin about this plan.





10





Peyton




I yank the cotton shawl I've got draped over my shoulders tighter around myself, covering my face against prying eyes and the layered exotic smells of the marketplace as I push my way through the people to get back to the hotel. I can feel my blood simmering just beneath the surface after watching that whole exchange back there between Bryce and her. And I'm also furious at myself for feeling that way. Jealousy is a petty emotion anyways, and certainly not one that I'm going to let him illicit in me.

“Peyton!”

I ignore the sound of Bryce's voice behind me as I push my way through the throngs of people threading their way through the crowded spice market.

“Goddamnit, stop.”

I can feel his hand close around my arm, and the only reason I don't shake it off and turn around to smack him is that we're in a crowd. I ignore it anyways though and continue to push my way through.

“Jealousy doesn't suit you very well, you know.”

I whirl, my temper rising even higher as I see the smirk teasing his lips. My eyes pierce wildly into his; “I just don't like liars, Bryce. I thought I’d made that crystal fucking clear before.”

The smirk drops from his lips and he narrows his eyes; he knows what I'm talking about; “And what exactly did I lie about,” He growls.

“About what’s none of my business.” I say quickly, trying to push down the rising jealousy inside and hating every second of it.

Bryce laughs; “What, her?”

I say nothing, because I don't trust what I might say to that.

“Jesus you're something else sometimes, you know that?” He snorts and shakes his head; “There's nothing there, you know.”

I shrug as casually as I can; “None of my business if it-”

He growls and yanks me away from the crowds onto a side street off the market; “Well I'm making it your business, and I'm telling you there's nothing and never was anything there.”

I shrug again, still saying nothing since I don't trust my words, and I can see him roll his eyes exasperatedly at me; “We were addicts together, that’s it. We used to shoot together. There was no romance there, no fucking spark or passion or whatever.” His hand tightens on my arm, his eyes flashing as they bore into mine; “She sold me heroin, sometimes I let her use some with me; that's it.”

He looks angrier than I thought he'd be, and for a moment, I feel a pang of guilt for even having brought this up. Honestly, it isn't my business. Whatever is in his past that I don't already know is in his past. It belongs to him, and I've got no right to accuse him of anything or insinuate dishonesty for not sharing something.

Yeah, this is what being around him does to me. It's been a long freaking year working down the hall from him, by the way.

“That's a part of my life I left a long fucking time ago.”

Except for the needle I found; the last straw on an already strained relationship, if you can even call it that.

But that's not a conversation for here or for now.

“Fine,” I mumble; “Sorry.”

He looks away, looking conflicted; “Listen, since we're coming clean…”

I narrow my eyes at him; “Now what.”

“You need to know something about Blackriver and why they're doing all this; what Benson's goal is.”

I can feel my pulse quicken; “What?”

“I know why Benson went after Chelsea and Javier, and I know why he took Logan.”

I can feel my pulse thudding in my chest as I swallow heavily, thinking of my brother and wherever he may be; “Revenge?”

Bryce shakes head; “No.” He looks away, raking his fingers through his dark brown hair; “He's after something; something valuable that I found and hid from him,” He says quietly.