Page 87 of Heartbreaker

“Oh?” He nods.

“A real man would never let a gorgeous woman like you go.” He looks around. “Can I buy you a drink? Or are you waiting for someone?”

“I’m supposed to meet a friend here, but she hasn’t shown up. I was just about to check up on her, but my phone is dead.” My heart starts to pound at the sight of a new opportunity. “Could I use yours to text her, tell her it’s no big deal, and we’ll meet up another time? Then I’d be all yours for a drink or… two.”

“Absolutely, I love helping a damsel in distress.” And just like that, he hands me his phone.

Quickly, trying to ignore my shaking hands, I turn on Airdrop, grant Demi access, and then text her. I hold my breath, trying to steady my hands as I hand the phone back over.

“Thanks so much. You’re a real knight in shining armor. It’s nice having someone be so kind after… everything that’s happened.

“I’m in,” Demi says into my ear, and my pulse pounds.

“Get out of there as soon as you can, Lana,” Rome says, but then Levi speaks, and I know in my gut I need to stay, to see if I can get more.

“I’m sure you’re feeling so hurt, aren’t you? I mean, I saw that terrible crash. He should be taking care of you, waiting on you hand and foot. Instead, he just breaks up with you? Who does that?” I ignore the grumbling from Rome in my earpiece and lift a shoulder halfheartedly.

“I guess his career was just more important than mine.” Levi squeezes my hand.

“You’ve gotta be a little mad.”

“I guess, but what is there to do about it? I’m just a girl, and he’s this big… superstar.” Levi looks around the room as if checking to see if anyone is listening before he leans in a bit closer, too close for my comfort, but his next words make it so I don’t care at all.

“I know a way you could get back at him,” he murmurs low.

“You do?” I ask, trying to seem tentatively eager, even though my pulse is pounding for a completely different reason. That gut feeling kicks in, the one that comes when I know we’re about to get somewhere with a case, about to solve it.

“Yeah. We could start by, say, going out together, rubbing it in his face a little.” I make my eyes widen a bit. “He would go absolutely ballistic, I’m sure. He has a thing about people playing with his discarded toys.”

“But then he might do something to get himself into trouble.”

“Exactly. Isn’t that the least he deserves? Plus, it would be his own actions getting him into trouble, not us.”

“I mean… I guess you’re right. But why would you do that?” That’s when the charm leaves Levi’s face, and the smile that follows chills me to the bone.

“You’d be doing me a favor, too.”

“I would?”

“I’m sure he didn’t tell you this, since it’s a sore spot, but Rome is supposed to be on his best behavior right now to get back into Indy. One more temper tantrum, and he’s going to be blacklisted from Indy for good. I really thought his running onto the field would do it, but I guess since you were injured, they didn’t want to push things.”

“Aren’t you teammates, though?” His jaw clicks, and I wonder what his dentist has to say about his teeth grinding.

“You could say I’m not his biggest fan.”

“I kind of got that when he attacked you that one time. I couldn’t believe it.”

“He’s always been a loose cannon,” Levi says.

“Everyone always talks so highly of him,” I say, trying to push him. “Even the critical articles about him are still a bit nice and complimentary.” Levi groans, irritation flaring on his face.

“Oh, trust me, I’m well aware—the golden boy who can do nothing wrong. I heard Kevin warn him a dozen times to be good, to keep it in his pants, to stay out of fights and out of the press. But did he ever actually take him off the lineup? No.”

“Well, he did, eventually. Right?” I ask, taking a lock of hair and twirling it around my finger. When he smiles, it’s not hot and cocky the way Rome’s is. Instead, it’s a bit scary and arrogant in a way that could never be appealing.

“Can you keep a secret?” he asks, leaning further into my personal space. I nod, pushing my chest out a bit and tucking my hair behind my ear. His hand is on my knee, and I have to force myself not to shift away. In this moment, I’m locked in, knowing I’m about to get something big. It wasn’t the plan to pull a confession from him, but we are recording, and this is a one-party consent state. If I manage it, it could be used not only to close this case, but to press charges on Levi.

“Of course,” I say.