Page 89 of The Golden Goalie

I look around. “Did you...did you orchestrate this?”

“Yes.”

“I can’t be here with you.” I take a step backwards.

“Hey,” he says in a low voice as he puts a hand on my arm. “He’s not here; he can’t see you and neither can anybody else. You’re safe with me.”

“I—I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t you?” he asks softly.

“Rico, I can’t...”

“I just wanted to see you. Can’t you spare me five minutes?” My heart tugs in my chest. I finally nod, not trusting my voice to work. “It’s really good to see you; I’ve missed you. You look gorgeous tonight, by the way.”

“Why are you talking to me like this?”

“Like what?” he questions.

“I’ve been awful to you. Why are you being nice to me?” My voice breaks slightly on my words.

“At first I was mad, but then I looked at the pictures,” he says, utterly confusing me.

“What pictures?”

“The ones online of you and Adam.”

I take a step back again. “This is a mistake.” I turn to walk away, but his voice stops me.

“You weren’t smiling in a single photo.”

I pause and turn back, frowning. “Yes, I was.”

“No, Amber you weren’t. Oh sure, you might have been fake smiling, but I’ve seen the real thing. And that wasn’t it; not even close. So you know what I figured out? You don’t really want to be with him, but you feel like you have to for some reason.” He steps close. “I’m going to find out that reason and blow it to smithereens.”

I swallow and try to keep my emotions at bay. “I don’t know what you're talking about.”

“It’s okay, Amber. Play your game; do what you need to do. I know you wouldn’t do it unless you thought you had to.” He takes another step closer. “But know that I’m watching andwaiting in the shadows.” He reaches out and tucks a hair behind my ear so gently. “You don’t know this yet, but you’re mine, Amber Nicole. And I’m not letting you go without a fight.”

“Please,” my voice breaks. And I don’t even know what I want from him. “Please don’t.”

“I see you, Amber; and I’m coming for you. I just have to figure out what hold he has over you.”

I can’t take his nice words. Tears fill my eyes, and I spin around. “You deserve someone so much better, Rico.”

“I don’t want someone else; I just want you.”

With those words ringing in my ears, I leave the dark of the balcony and make my way to the bathroom to give myself a minute to recover. I toss the plate of uneaten food in the trash. When I come out of the bathroom, Adam is standing there. He looks angry. “What?” I ask.

“Where were you?”

I stare at him. “You literally just saw me come out of the bathroom.”

His eyes narrow on me. “Come on.” He grabs my arm and pulls me forward, surprising me. I try to jerk my arm away, but he won’t let go.

“Adam, let go of me.”

He turns back and scowls at me before stopping suddenly. I see what’s made him stop. Aiden stands in front of us. He’s got an inch or two on Adam, and he’s using it to his advantage to look down at Adam. “Brooks,” Adam growls out. “Did you need something?”

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