I raise my hands. "Would I do a thing like that?"
"It’s absolutely what you would do." She narrows her gaze. "Also, don’t segue from the task at hand."
"Which is?"
"Finding a way to salvage your reputation, especially since you’re not going to apologize for what you did. Which, by the way, is a huge mistake, if you ask me."
I lean forward and lock my fingers together. "He touched you, Sparrow. No one gets to touch you like that—not as long as I’m watching over you."
She gapes at me. "You do realize I’m allowed to date."
"Not as long as I’m your guardian."
"I am an adult; I don’t need a guardian," she bites out.
"Tell that to your brother."
Her scowl deepens. "You know I won’t disturb him, not when he needs every bit of his attention focused on the tour."
"Not my problem."
"I really, really do hate you," she says in a low voice.
"Mission accomplished." I make the motion of dusting my hands, then lean back in my seat. "Also, I may have the perfect solution for the situation."
"A perfect solution?" She mirrors my stance and leans back as well, then folds her arms across her chest.
"You want to find a way of salvaging my reputation with the media, correct?”
"And with your sponsors." She tilts her head. "Aren’t you worried that they’ll drop you with all this negative press?"
"They can’t afford to."
"You sound very confident."
"I put bums on seats in the stadium." I crack my neck. "I have the kind of looks that attract women and have them keenly follow the sport along with their men. The women like my bad boy reputation and the men want to be me. The furor around the brawls I pick up only stokes my fame. It’s what makes me irreplaceable."
"No one's irreplaceable."
"I am." I stretch out my legs. Her gaze drops to my thighs, then between them. She stares, then flicks out her tongue to touch her bottom lip. I’m instantly hard. My cock presses up against the fabric over my crotch, and her breath catches. I widen my stance, and place my arms by my sides, giving her an unrestricted view. Her chest rises and falls. No doubt, she remembers how it feels to have me inside of her, fucking her and making her come over and over again.
But that was only the beginning. I’ve had enough time away from her to come up with the filthiest fantasies of what I’d do to her when I saw her next. And while I hadn’t thought I’d get the chance to act upon them, I’m going to make the most of the opportunity that has presented itself.
I twist my lips and the pulse at the base of her throat beats faster. Fuck me, but she’s aroused. And so am I. And if we stay here any longer, I won’t be able to stop myself from throwing her down on the floor and taking her a-n-d… No way, am I going there. Not yet.
I clear my throat. She flushes, then tips up her chin. "Uh, you were saying?"
"I believe I have the makings of a plan."
"Oh?"
I nod. "You want to salvage my reputation."
"You mean you want me to salvage your reputation." She tips up her chin.
"Indeed." I incline my head. “As my Communications Manager, I’m sure you’ll want to do everything possible to restore my character.”
“I suppose I do,” she nods slowly
"Well then, it’s settled."
"Wait, what?” She leans forward. “What do you mean? What’s settled?"
"You’re marrying me."
29
Abby
"Not for real, of course. He claims it’s a fake relationship. We spread the word that I’m his fiancée, and make sure the media picks it up. That way, it shows he’s reforming, shows he’s ready to settle down. Also, it explains his possessive behavior." The words pour out of me as I talk to Solene on the phone.
There’s silence, then she clears her throat. "So, your brother asked Cade to take care of you, and he decided the best way was to offer you a role on his team. Then, because he needed your help in salvaging his reputation, he asked you to marry him.”
"Only he didn’t. It’s all a sham," I explain.
"Hmm."
I pout. "What does that 'hmm' mean?"
"It means, when two people pretend there’s nothing to it, there’s always something to it.” A secret smile curves her lips.
I shake my head. “There’s nothing between Cade and me—"
“Yet.” She searches my features. “It doesn’t mean he may not feel that way in the future.”
I shake my hair back from my face. “Oh, that’s not going to happen. Cade is too focused on his career. He enjoys his freedom too much. To him, I’m only an employee, and conveniently there, so he can use me to salvage his reputation.”
“Hmm.” She narrows her gaze on me. “Are you sure about that? The way he looks at you might suggest otherwise.”
I scoff. “You must be mistaking the loathing in his eyes for something else.”
“I’m not sure I’d call it that,” she coughs out.
“You forget, I knew him when he was a teenager. If he felt anything for me, he’d have mentioned it to me then.”
“Or not.” She tilts her head. “It can be difficult for teenage boys to share what they’re feeling.” She laughs. “Not that it changes once they grow up. But you’d think they’d know their minds better, although I’m not holding my breath on that… But you know what I mean, right?"
I nod, then shuffle my feet. "It’s more complicated than that.”
“Meaning?” She looks at me expectantly.
I shift my weight from foot to foot, “I know for a fact that he does hate me.”
“Eh?” She blinks, “What do you mean?”
“I... I caused him to be expelled from school.”
“You did?”
I nod, “He and Knight my brother were best friends, and both were my seniors in High School. I had a crush on Cade, but of course, he never noticed me. I think I was pissed at him, enough that when the rest of his team asked me to help them smear his reputation, I didn’t think twice. I called him for help, and he came right away. They framed him for vandalism. He lost his scholarship and got kicked out. Knight encouraged him to finish school somewhere else, and he did, but as soon as he graduated, he joined a gang.”
“OMG,” Solene gasps out.
“That’s not all.” I squeeze my eyes shut. “He got caught up in a gang war, ended up in the hospital, and Knight had to pull strings to make sure he didn’t go to prison. It’s thanks to Knight, he finally managed to start playing Club Cricket, and the rest ... Well, you know the rest.”
She shakes her head, “Jesus, that’s quite a story.”
I hunch my shoulders. “And it’s all my fault.”
“Hold on, you can’t go blaming yourself for what happened. You were just a kid—”