Page 52 of Dream On, Liar

I held myself from rolling my eyes as I murmured. “Maybe you can pick this battle for me too.”

He snorted as I walked away without waiting for a response, merely because I’d simply thrown his own words from earlier back at him.

Weaving around a cluster of fielders stretching as they waited for their turn, I kept a clipped smile framed on my face. I’d been around enough to not expect anything from the players. They were in their zone, and it was our job as PTs to make sure when they strayed far away from their goal, we snapped them back to reality.

Once I reached the nets, I halted as Rihaan began his next spell.

Interrupting the middle of a delivery would achieve me nothing except maybe a glare from every single coach and assistant coach that was present on the field.

The ball thudded into the wicket keeper's gloves.

Rihaan turned, his expressions turned thin as he walked back to his mark, rolling his shoulder once he did.

And this time, I was sure the pain had positively increased.

Because his actions weren’t there to soothe that feeling, instead it had been a correction he’d made to his body, like he was protecting himself before his brain told him to tap out.

“Let’s go, Rihaan.” The bowling coach called. “Next round.”

I bit back a sigh, as Rihaan nodded and started his run. This time when he charged in, he hit the deck hard before realising another full-length delivery. It wasn't slow by any means, but the effort looked different now. There was more force to his delivery, his left leg unable to brace quite as cleanly, and he shook out his bowling arm almost absentmindedly as he wandered back.

Before a third person jumped in and encouraged him to continue, I stepped forward.

As though just sensing my presence near him, he startled before I spoke. “Can I have a word?”

His expressions darkened. “I’m in the middle of a spell.”

“I need thirty seconds.”

He barely moved a muscle. “Is this about this morning?”

“It’s about what I’m seeing now.”

He raised a brow, resting his hands on his hips, chest rising and falling steadily. I forced myself to not let my gaze wander at the tattoos that inched his brown skin.

“What’s going on?” The bowling coach reached us, his words wrapped in a tone that made sure none of the other players would pay any attention to us, no matter the proximity.

Keeping my expressions schooled, I met his eyes with the same bite. “Rihaan’s pushing past the allotted volume. It’s the first day of training, and no matter how much it pushes the players on the other side of the pitch, can we rotate players? He’s considerably your best asset, and forcing him to overdo now will only cost you and the team.”

Coach blinked, almost like he hadn’t expected me to say anything, least of all, this.

When my eyes landed back on Rihaan, he was watching me with a murderous glare, his jaw clenched. I didn’t dare to back down. Hell, if I really was supposed to babysit him—then I needed boundaries, and quick. As I stared him down, it was clear then, there were only two outcomes to this. He’d either back down, or the Coach would get riled up and instead get me fired. Both options, I was at peace with.

“Patel, listen—” Coach began, but Rihaan was already turning back around and stepping up to his marking.

I shook my head as he began another one his spell, and Coach simply sighed. Without giving me another look, he walked over back to the spot, his eyes laser focused on Rihaan as he bowled his delivery.

Anger bubbled up my skin, but every single part of me refused to give him the satisfaction as he walked back. “I’m finishing the over.”

“By all means,” I shrugged, making him pause. “With the way you’re going, you clearly have limited ones left in your career, anyway.”

Brown eyes sparked, the anger in them was as clear as the day and this time, I made no effort to hold back my expression. A victory smile tugged at my lips as he neared me instead of his mark.

“I’m fine.” He bit out through clenched teeth.

“Okay.” I nodded. “Prove it.”

He frowned. “What?”