Page 336 of Power Play

“Tell him not yet.”

The look he gave me then almost made me laugh. “I’m offended by the assumption.”

“You broke his ping-pong table.”

“That collapse was structural.”

“Briggs, you sat on it.”

“It should’ve accounted for athletic bodies.”

I turned despite myself.

Briggs’s expression was completely serious. The smallest laugh caught behind my ribs. It hurt too much to become sound, but he saw it anyway.

He returned to the phone before I could resent him for noticing. “Charm says she’s driving herself.”

My face went still. “What time?”

“She didn’t say.”

“Ask.”

Briggs typed while I braced both hands against the counter and stared through the windows at the snow.

“What are you going to tell her?” he asked.

“Nothing.”

“If she asks to talk?”

“No.”

“If she says she only needs five minutes?”

“No.”

“If she cries?”

I looked at him. “What part of do not let her near me sounded conditional?”

“None of it.”

“Then stop testing the answer.”

“I’m making sure I know the parameters.”

“You know them.”

Briggs locked his phone and set it facedown. “I’ve got you.”

“Our boys know too?”

“Cade knows. Easton knows. Rider knows enough.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means Rider saw your message, called Cade, and said he would personally throw Charm into the second cabin if she tried to corner you.”