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My breath caught in my throat. Where the hell had River gotten that gun from? Why would he need one after not being in Braidwood for five years?
“You’re not going to shoot us.” Eli was unfazed by the weapon being pointed at him. “You can’t.”
They started bickering back and forth, and I decided it was my chance to leave. With West and Eli both still turned away from me, I slid against the car until I reached the taillight.
“Can you guys hold up a second? My teammate is about to slip away, and I need her so I can play against you two.” The joyous sarcasm in River’s voice had me clenching my jaw. It took me a split second to make my next decision. I couldn’t risk them realizing who I was if I played the last game. Darting forward, I rounded the back of the car, hoping to get lost in the darkness before they caught me.
“Not so fast.” Eli’s voice got closer as arms wrapped around my waist and lifted me from the ground. I struggled in his hold as he brought me back to where West and River were standing.
“Put me down,” I demanded, keeping the fear off my face. Surprisingly, he did what I told him, but I regretted it when I met his unwavering stare. Thank God it was so dark in the parking lot. I could barely make out his features, which meant mine were plenty hidden.
“I don’t think we’ve ever met a woman who tried so hard to get away from us,” Eli murmured, catching my chin in his grasp. “Have we, West?”
“Nope. Usually it’s the opposite problem.” There was no humor in West’s voice as he answered. “You know something we don’t, Bell?”
This new nickname was getting old quick. Still, it was better than him knowing my real name. All three of them stared at me, waiting for my reply. I couldn’t see his face, but I knew River was grinning about knowing my secret.
“A gun,” I choked out as Eli’s grip on my jaw tightened. “He has a gun. I don’t want to be involved in any trouble. I just want to go home.”
I was a better liar than I was as a child, but my tells were usually easy to catch. Good thing my face wasn’t too visible. I tensed, realizing I needed to be an exceptional liar to pull off what I had planned. Maybe I was in over my head. Not that it would change anything now.
“That has nothing to do with you,” Eli told me, leaning closer to my face. “All you have to worry about is your next game. Got it?”
CHAPTERTHREE
Eli’s touch was hot,and I wondered if he could feel it too. After what he and West had let happen, all I felt for them was hatred. His hands on me were the last thing I wanted. So why the hell was my body flushing from his touch? The closer he got to me, the stronger his scent hit me.
He smelled like fresh soap with a hint of sweat mixed in from playing. As much as I tried to reject the ball of comfort attempting to settle in my stomach, I couldn’t stop the childhood memories from flashing through my mind. He smelled the same as when we were kids. Not that he needed cologne. The natural scent of the soap fit him perfectly. Realizing I was treading down a dangerous path, I tried ripping my face from his grip to get some space from him. Instead of letting me go, he pressed his body into mine.
“I’m not playing,” I stated coldly.
“Yes, you are,” Eli promised, his voice picking up an angry edge. “You play, and then you’re free to go home. You don’t play—then you stay here until my friend and I find out why you want to leave so badly.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Why is me playing so important? It’s a stupid game.”
“That’s why,” Weston spoke up, coming up beside Eli. “You’re lying. We watched you play. And how your eyes never left the game, even when you weren’t playing. It’s not a stupid game to you. The question is, why don’t you want to play against us?”
“Because I tend to stay away from self-absorbed dicks,” I snapped, unable to keep my mouth shut. “And just in the short time I’ve been in your presence, I think that accurately describes both of you.”
West let out a short laugh, as if he couldn’t believe his ears. “You really have no idea who we are.”
“Yeah, but I do. And I happen to agree with her,” River piped up. “The court is clear. It’s our turn to play.”
With one last scrutinizing glance, Eli released me. He and West backed away and headed toward the court. River was on me in a second, slinging his arm over my shoulders like we were the best of friends. When I tried ducking away, his hold tightened.
“You’re not getting off that easy, Kit-Kat,” he murmured as he steered me back toward the court. “They won’t let you go unless you play.”
“You know them. They aren’t going to leave me alone even after the game,” I said bitterly. “Not after what I called them.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, you really shouldn’t have done that.”
“You’re protecting me. You could have told them who I was hours ago. Why haven’t you?”
He stopped, and I turned in his arm to look at him. I bit my tongue as his grin grew callous. I wasn’t expecting sympathy, but I couldn’t deny the slight stab of pain, realizing he wasn’t keeping my secret for my benefit.
“Becausewhenthey find out who you are, you’re going to need help. And I’ll happily offer to fill that position.” His gaze drifted down my face. “For a price.”
“You’re just as much of a self-absorbed dick as they are,” I seethed, trying to shove him away. “I’m not going to fucking sleep with you.”
