Page 43 of Dream On, Liar

“Just so you know, your jealousy keeps me warm at night.” I pressed a hand dramatically to my chest. “I mean, I can only imagine how difficult it must be. One of your brother is the youngest CEO in the richest industry and somehow one of the richest men in the world, another brother is a two time Formula One champion, and then there’s me, the fastest bowler alive and apparently terrifying batters for a living while you sit there writing articles about all of us. Truly tragic.” Every word tasted wrong coming out of my mouth, sharp in a way I instantly regretted as they spilt out of me, but once I started, I couldn’t seem to stop. “And that is why I was on her radar. Not whatever it is you think happened.”

Raina stared at me for a long moment. Not a hint of anger behind her eyes. I hated that no matter what I said, she never turned it that way either. Like, she knew the impact of words far better than I did, and could just hold her tongue back.

Something close to disappointment flickered across her face before she blinked it away, looking away as fingers absently scratched Lilli’s head.

“Yeah,” she muttered finally. “You’re a real nice person, Rihaan. It’s why you’re pulling the same shit with Ishaan like you did with me, right?”

I frowned, thrown off by the sudden change in topic. “I’m doing no such thing.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, you are. And I’m honestly growing tired of it.”

I opened my mouth, just as the front door opened though I had no idea what, when the front door swung open hard enough for the sound to echo through the house.

“Gorgeous?” Oliver called from the hallway, making the feline pressed on Raina’s chest purr loudly. A second later the sound of his steps echoed with him as he got closer to the kitchen. “I’m sorry it took longer. They didn’t have any yogurt left at the store nearby so I had to go to one of the big—”

Oliver paused as he appeared in the doorway, two grocery bags in one hand and a bouquet in his other one. His entire face shifted almost instantly, the easy expression fading into something more careful as his gaze moved between the two of us. Raina looked away first, focusing very hard on scratching Lilli behind the ears. The cat purred even as her gaze remained focused on Raina, fully aware of the tension around her.

Oliver exhaled a breath. “What happened, now?”

“Nothing,” Raina muttered, eyeing the bags that he held. “If you stopped by the big store, did you get their kibble? I know it wasn’t on the list but—”

“I got it, love. It’s in the boot.” Oliver’s shoulders dropped as a genuine smile took over her face, just now noticing the bouquet he held in his hand. Setting the grocery bags on the counter behind him, he closed the distance to her side of the couch.

Placing a kiss on her temple, he handed her the bouquet and now, I knew for certain that something was wrong. Or whatever she’d been dealing with last week, was still going on. I was a jerk, but I could still read my best friend and the concern that was settled in his expression.

Lilli meowed as he gave her a gentle stroke, his eyes remaining on my sister before they flicked to me.

I pushed up from the couch before he could start and stir life into whatever nightmare waited around the corner. “I’m gonna shower.”

“Rihaan.” Oliver’s voice stopped me halfway across the kitchen.

I glanced back.

He leaned against the couch, expression unreadable now, all traces of amusement fading. “Coach called me.”

Of course he had.

A dull ache settled immediately behind my ribs.

“He asked me what the was going on with you,” Oliver continued. “And simply put, to ask, what the fuck were you thinking? Not just with hiring a private PT, but you barely passed Dr. Blackwood’s test because he’s worried about your knee?”

Raina’s gaze flicked toward me again, quieter this time. Like the part of her that had already figured out something was being proven right.

I rubbed a hand over the back of my neck and looked away. “Is he going to bench me?”

Oliver’s gaze narrowed in my direction, shaking his head. “No. But I’m saying this as your best friend—not your captain. I’m giving you two weeks. Get over this shit or just get it through your head that Maeve’s staying.”

The answer surprised me enough that I looked back at him properly. “And as my captain?”

He held my stare for a second before shaking his head. “You don’t want to hear what he has to say right now.”

I raised a brow, and he released a deep breath, pushing himself off as he closed the gap between us. “Look, as your friend, I get it’s been a rough week—but you couldn’t have given me a heads up that you were going to pull that stunt?”

I shrugged. “Thought it would be a nice surprise.”

He paused, glaring. “Get out before I find Milo and lock him with you—again.”

“Be original,” I egged him on, a grin now settling at the corner of my lips as I took a step back. “At least, more original than my sister.”