Page 16 of Playing with Trouble

His mouth curved in that slow, knowing way that made me want to smack him, or kiss him.Maybe both.Probably both.Ugh.

“Were you able to get a look at the license plate?”Ford asked.“Or the make and model of the car?Or even a look at who was driving the vehicle?”

I shook my head and picked at a piece of lint on my blanket.“No, unfortunately.I was focused more on the road and then when I got hit I was too in shock to register anything.”

Ford nodded in understanding.“Well, just be more aware of your surroundings for the next few weeks,” he suggested.“If you see anything that’s concerning, you can call me.”

He pulled his phone out and passed it to me.“You can put your number in.”

I hesitated.I didn’t give any guy my number.Too many of them saw it as a free pass to push past every boundary I’d set.But Ford’s gaze was steady.No pressure.Just concern.That was the only reason I went ahead and typed my name and number into his contacts.

For half a second, the words almost slipped out—There’s this guy at the casino who lost a ton of money at my table, and he threatened me.My throat tightened around them.Ford would take me seriously, I knew he would.He’d step in and protect me without question if this person was seeking revenge, and maybe that was exactly what I should want.

But saying it out loud would make the issue real when I didn’t really know if that’s who had sideswiped me.And it would mean letting Ford in, letting him see I wasn’t as untouchable as I pretended to be.Then Andrea would find out.Everyone would start treating me like glass and smothering me with their worry and that was the last thing I wanted.

Still, I wasn’t stupid.Even if I didn’t share this piece of information with Ford, I’d have to call my boss at work and let him know about the possibility of that customer following through on his threats.

So, for now I swallowed it down and handed Ford back the phone with a breezy, “there you go.”

“I wasn’t sure that you’d actually give me your number, considering you don’t like to be coddled.”His tone was knowing, his eyes lit with amusement.

“That obvious, huh?”I sassed.

“I’ve never met a brat who enjoyed being fussed over,” Ford said, his gaze lingering on me just a beat too long, his lips tugging into a slow grin.“But you?You seem to enjoy being put in your place.”

My breath caught, because I couldn’t believe he’d gone there and two, he wasn’t wrong.Ihadliked it but only because it was him.Because with Ford, being put in my place hadn’t felt humiliating, it had been exhilarating.Like he’d seen straight through my defenses and made submitting to him feel like a choice instead of a weakness.

And that was the problem.With Ford, surrender felt too damn good and that wasn’t a luxury I could afford.

He typed something into his phone and a second later my own device buzzed with a text that said,It’s Ford,so I could save his number, too.

Andrea walked into the room again, with Chase and Christopher in tow, and I was honestly grateful for the interruption because the longer Ford stayed, the harder it became to convince myself one night with him was enough.

“Jesus, Vi, are you okay?”Christopher asked, rushing over to me, looking pale and haunted.

I understood, considering our mom had died in a car crash.This had to be terrifying for him.“Of course, I’m okay, I promise,” I reassured him quickly.“They just wanted to keep me under observation for a bit in case I had a concussion.And they even gave me thegoodTylenol, with the codeine in it.”

Andrea groaned.“Please don’t talk like that around the doctor.”

Ford chuckled.“Do you ever stop with the quips?”

“Oh, definitely,” I shot back.“I do have to sleep, after all.”

Andrea shook her head but perched on the edge of the bed, her hand closing warmly around mine.“I’d like to stay the night at your place.Just in case there are complications we don’t know about.”

“Could I stay, too?”Christopher asked quietly.

Andrea’s shoulders stiffened.“Sure.If you’d like.”

I felt the tension ripple between them.Andrea had never fully warmed to Christopher.She’d voiced her worries more than once about the money I gave him when he needed it and worried he leaned too hard on me, maybe even took advantage.I understood her concerns, but he was my brother.And helping him wasn’t negotiable.

A knock at the door cut through the moment, and the doctor entered.“Ah, Miss Popular, I see,” he said dryly.

I smirked at him.I hadn’t exactly been his favorite patient with all my attitude and smart remarks, and his surprise at seeing all the people crowding into my room wasn’t lost on me.“So, am I free to go?”

“Yes, but I’d like you to take it easy for the next week while the bruises heal,” he said firmly.“Keep an eye out for any signs of concussion tonight through tomorrow.If you experience unusual stiffness, pain, dizziness—anything out of the ordinary—come in immediately.”

I nodded.I’d been itching to leave since they brought me in, but deep down, I knew how lucky I was.