Page 33 of Ruthless Blade

That’s when Dylan came from behind and scooped her up, taking her out of the kitchen. I didn’t care what he did with her after; I needed the drama to stop.

Broadie grinned, “Well, we got rid of one piece of trash.” We all looked over at Garcia, whose brown eyes were darker than their normal color. His ploy to distract me, to get under my skin, failed. Again.

“Fuck off.” He left the room, and hopefully the house, shortly after.

My gaze went to Lexi, who had this wild, frantic look in her eyes. Too much for her. I reached for her hand and pulled her from the room, taking her through the wild throngs of people and up the stairs.

We passed people who were dancing, playing beer pong among other games, and making out. When we finally made it to my room, I pulled out my key, and unlocked the door. When it was open, I shoved her inside and locked it once I’d gotten in the room.

“I need to get back down to Hazel. We promised to not leave each other’s side.” She rubbed a hand over her face, her body as stiff as a board.

“Breathe.”

She moved her hands away from her face and placed them on her waist, her blue gaze, heated. “Who all knows about this?”

“Dylan, you and Hazel. Everyone else thinks it’s real.”

She stood near the center of the room, looking tiny against the backdrop of my messy hockey gear and unmade bed. Her chest was heaving as she took in a deep, shaky breath. Her arms wrapped tight around her middle as if she were trying to hold herself together.

"Hey," I said, and my voice dropped. "You're okay.”

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice cracked as she looked down at her shoes. "I thought I could walk in. But it’s... too much."

Seeing her like this, exposed and vulnerable, sent an unfamiliar ache straight through my chest. There was a sudden, fierce wave of protectiveness that had absolutely nothing to do with our deal or our parents.

I closed the distance between us and wrapped her in my arms. This is a bad idea, a very bad idea. I pulled back, her blue eyes looking into mine, her tongue wetting her lips. Fuck, me. I had no fucking control around her. My arms dropped and I shook my head.

Snap out of it Kayden. This isn’t you. Don’t fall for her charm. This is a means to an end.

I walked over to my closet and started tossing hangers aside until I found exactly what I was looking for. I pulled my dark green home jersey off the rack. The fabric was heavy, broken-in, and smelling faintly of laundry detergent.

I tossed it to her. "Put this on."

She looked at the jersey, then up me, her eyes wide. "Kayden, I can't wear your jersey. That's... everyone downstairs will see it."

"Exactly," I said, a slow edge back in my voice. "Garcia thinks he can get under my skin. Ivy thinks she owns me.”

I stepped closer, taking the jersey from her, draping the oversized fabric over her shoulders.

She hesitated for a split second before sliding her arms into the massive sleeves. As she pulled it over her head, her tangled hair spilled out over the collar, and she looked up at me through her lashes. The jersey swallowed her completely, the hem falling halfway down her thighs, covering her blue jean shorts. My last name, DANIEL, stretched across her shoulders.

The sight of her wearing my name and number hit me like a hard check against the boards. My breath caught in my throat, the air suddenly a lot thicker than it was a second ago.

"How do I look?" she asked, raising her brow.

I swallowed, forcing my voice to remain unfazed. "Like you belong.”

I’m fucked.

Chapter Sixteen

LEXI

I had to be dreaming. I was wearing Kayden Daniel’s jersey. Every girl on campus would lose their shit to be able to wear this. He wasn’t just a center on the school hockey team. He was the star of the show even if he didn’t want the attention.

Growing up with him, there was a side to him no one else could see. It was a side that he also tried to hide from me. But I saw it. I saw him. I think the only times he ever willingly showed vulnerability were to my brother. They were more like brothers than best friends anyway. Their bromance had no boundaries. They had other close friends, but no one was as close as them. I was only allowed to hangout with them occasionally, and when I did, they made sure to find a way to torment me. I’d always known Kayden to be quiet and calculated, so watching him grab his jersey for me to put on was a big deal.

Don’t fall for him. Don’t fall for him. He’s a jerk and your tormentor. Never fall for someone who makes you weak.