Page 117 of Playing Dirty
“Oh, I’m sorry. Do you need a walkie to hear it better?”
His taunt is a bucket of ice water, and from the deadly gleam in hiseyes while he continues backing toward the dugout, he knows it.
It’s like the ground has been swept out from under me, stealing my mental equilibrium as I try to process what the hell he meant. But I don’t have time, because Theo’s already approaching the plate.
But I can’t look at him. Not now, not for the rest of the game.
My teammates and I manage to pull out the W in the final inning, but while everyone else is on a high from gaining the lead for the series, I feel like anything but a winner.
Now that we’re off the field, Phoenix’s words come rushing back, invading my psyche while I shower and change. They play on a loop in my brain, dragging me through an endless cycle of possible meanings behind his cryptic words.
The walkie part is obvious; he knows we’ve been listening in on their raids. And while I’m annoyed he knows—and that the reason he probably does is because of Theo—it’s not the part I’m hung up on.
At least I’m not a pawn in somebody else’s.
For the life of me, I can’t decode the comment, and I’m still trying when I head out to the player’s lot to go home.
Theo’s waiting for me, his Bronco parked directly beside my car. Even with the massive smile spreading across his face when he sees me approaching, the knot still lingering in my stomach tightens.
“Took you long enough. I thought you fell asleep in the shower or something,” he jabs playfully.
He pushes off my vehicle as I toss my duffle in the trunk, and I shoot him a glance from the corner of my eye. “Shouldn’t you be back at your own turf by now anyway?”
“I wanted to congratulate you personally on a game well played.”
Coming around behind me, he rests his hands on my biceps and leans in to press a kiss to that sensitive spot below my ear. It’s a sensation I’d normally melt under, but instead, I find myself slamming the trunk in irritation.
“Apparently it’s not the only game happening right now,” I mutter dryly.
His touch goes stiff on my arms before he releases me entirely. When I turn around to face him, his head is cocked to the side, and his confusion shifts into concern when I take a step back to lean against my trunk.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You tell me, Theo,” I reply, gesturing toward him with one hand. “Feel free to explain why Phoenix knows we’ve been listening in on your raids while you’re at it.”
Realization crosses his features, and regret softens his eyes. It’s all the confirmation I need to know that at least part of my suspicion is right: He broke the promise we made to each other last month.
“Mads…”
He takes a step forward, reaching out for me, but I quickly pull away. I can’t let him touch me. Not until I have some answers.
“No,” I murmur, shaking my head. “We said no more Penny Play. That day you found the walkie, we agreed to it. So explain to me how anyone could know other than you.”
He glances around the now-empty parking lot before his gaze returns to me, and he swallows roughly. I can tell he doesn’t want to answer me; the horror and fear in those light-green eyes speaks louder than any words ever could.
And it fucking terrifies me.
What did you do, baby?
“You were caught sneaking out. The morning when we overslept.”The words come out raspy and laced with sorrow, and he shakes his head. “Hayes ratted you out when he came up to the house, and after Phoenix dealt with him, he had questions. I had to tell him something, so I…told him I’d been getting close to you to get intel on the pennant. And I used the walkie as proof.”
My brows clash together, not completely following the logic. “What? Why would he believe that?”
As far as I was aware, Phoenix and the rest of Theo’s roommates were under the impression we hate each other. Which, a few months ago, would’ve been somewhat close to accurate.
Theo’s fingers run through his hair before he tosses his hand out in front of him, utterly helpless when he says, “Because it was his idea to begin with since I wouldn’t—”
He stops himself, cuts the words off as his eyes widen. And if I thought I was worried before, it hasnothingon the way my heart just sank into my gut.
