Page 104 of Even Exchange

She spins to me, her eyes full of fury, and I stop dead in my tracks, mouth zipped shut. I’ve seen her upset, but never have those molten eyes ever been directed at me. My throat constricts at her glistening eyes. “Iknewthe sex was just lessons. But as myfriend,you could’ve at least told me you were fucking someone else!”

“I’m not!” I assure her pleadingly.

“Right.” Her jaw ticks, and she looks at the ground.

Panic courses through me as Charlotte slips through my fingers.

“Look at me.” I reach towards her and lift her chin. “Please.” Her eyes slowly find mine. “I asked you before if you trusted me.” A silence falls between us. “And you said yes.”

“That was before I found a naked girl in your bed.”

“WasIin the bed?”

“Well, no, but?—”

“WasInaked?”

Her eyes slowly drop down, as if to confirm I’m fully clothed. “No.”

“Ask Theo and Elijah. Please. We walked in, and she was there.”

Please believe me, baby.

“But why would she think she can do that?” she asks, tone aching.

“Insanity, Char.” I shake my head. “That’s myonlyexplanation.”

Her eyes bore into mine, and I don’t dare look away. Don’t dare give her any possible reason to think I’m telling anything other than the truth.

“I promise I haven’t, didn’t, and wouldn’t ever sleep with her.”

She blinks up at me. “I want to believe you.”

“Please believe me,soffione?” She blinks, and I brush a strand of hair behind her ear. “Have I ever lied to you?”

“Not that I know of.”

My chest aches. “Never.” I rub my thumb across the pad of her lip. “She’s another reason I wanted to fake date in the first place. So she’d back off.”

“Well, that worked well,” she says, brow cocked.

I take her hands in mine. “Maybe she’ll get the point when you come to the gala with me.”

“She’ll be there?” Charlotte says, a worry crease on her forehead.

“She’s my boss’s daughter. Remember?”

“So that’s why you wanted me to come,” she says, dropping my hands and stepping away.

“No,” I say firmly. “Iwantyou there.”

So badly.

“Is this going to affect your play time? Is your coach going to bench you because you won’t date his daughter?”Is this really what she’s thinking about?

“I’m pretty sure he’d kill me if I did.”

“So is that why you’re pushing her away? Because your boss wouldn’t like it?”

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