Page 46 of Wicked Player

I stepped softly to the end of the bed and placed my hand on Brandon’s blanket covered feet. "I need to get back to work anyway. Thanks for letting me hang out with you this afternoon. I'll see you soon okay, buddy?"

Brandon's grin had to have the ability to melt even the hardest of hardened hearts. His teeth were slightly yellowed, and two of them had chips in them. Most likely due to chemo damage ravaging his little body. But even with the flaws, his smile was a shining beacon able to light up Times Square on New Year's Eve. Goddamn. He was cute.

“Come see me again?” he asked in that pleading, sweet voice of his.

“I will,” I promised. And I would. Even if Gage showed and made it clear he didn’t want me there. Whatever his problem was wasn’t my business. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“And bring Will?”

No kid should know as many newscasters as this boy did. I flashed him a wink. “Maybe I’ll bring Amanda, too.”

His cheeks flushed. A pale pink hue at the apples of his cheeks. “You…well…she…”

“She’s cute, I know. And she’ll like you too. Later this week okay?” I’d make her stop by with me on our way out for drinks. She’d be flattered by his crush on her. He might have liked my reporting, but it was Amanda’s boobs I was sure made Brandon flush like he was the healthiest pre-teen in the world.

“Thanks, Ms. Hayes.”

“I told you, Brandon. My friends call me Elizabeth or Beth.”

Out of the corner of my eye, Gage’s shoulders went ramrod and his head turned to me. With narrowed eyes, a gleam in them shone. Something fierce. Something hot. Something that’d whipped the breath out of my lungs.

With a dangerously low voice, he rumbled, “See you soon. Beth.”

I gasped. Stepped back.

His voice was gravelly. Rich and rough.

My hand went to the foot of the bed as I grappled for balance.

It washim?

It couldn’t be. I shook my head and without looking at either of them, grabbed my purse and hurried out of the room.

Outside, I plopped against the cool wall and stared at my feet.

See you soon.

See you soon.

Beth.

Fuck.

Hands on the dresser.

Give me that ass.

My eyes squeezed shut until bright little dots shone behind closed lids.

Itwashim.

John.

And it was like he wanted me to know with that look and that growl.

Oh God.

It had happened. I was falling for the man who masked me and screwed me senseless.

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