Page 101 of Desperate Pucker
“Really? So are you dating regular dudes now? Guys who make less than seven figures a year?”
She hesitates.
I roll my eyes. “Didn’t think so.”
She tugs a hand through her blonde hair, shaking her head like she’s exasperated. “I thought we could have a little catch-up for old time’s sake. But, no. You just wanna rehash old wounds.”
“Because they fucking hurt, Alina.” I’m careful to keep my voice down, despite how pissed I am. “You never apologized for how you treated me. For all those shitty things you said aboutme and my family. You never apologized for shitting on the engagement ring I was gonna give you.”
She blinks, her eyes wide, like she’s in shock.
“You haven’t changed at all.” I take a step back, away from her. “I don’t want anything to do with you, Alina.”
I walk off. When I make it across the courtyard to where my teammates are standing, they’re all looking at me.
“Who was that?” Xander asks.
“My ex.”
All the guys go quiet. Ingrid and Sophie aim sympathetic looks at me.
“Yikes,” Sam says.
“All the fucking yikes,” I mutter.
“She’s hot though,” Camden says.
The guys glare at him.
I let out an exasperated sound. “She’s also vapid and shallow as fuck. If you’re not a billionaire, don’t bother to shoot your shot. She wouldn’t be interested.”
Sam claps a hand on my shoulder. “Sorry, man.”
I look around. “Where’s Madeline?”
“She went up to her room,” Sophie says. “She said she wasn’t feeling well.”
Dread sears through my stomach. I think about the forced smile on her face when Alina talked ot her. How strained her voice was. She’s probably upset at what Alina said to her…or maybe she’s upset at seeing Alina flirt with me?
An ugly feeling drags through my gut.
I want to go to Maddy and make sure she’s okay. I don’t want her to be upset or hurt.
“I think I’m gonna call it a night too,” I say to everyone.
They all tell me to get some rest. I head back into the hotel and straight for Maddy’s room, my heart thudding in my chest, aching to comfort her.
Chapter 35
Maddy
Isit at the desk in my hotel room and watch a YouTube video of a delivery guy leaving a bag of takeout on a porch, then shrieking and running away when a tiny orange cat strolls by him.
I don’t laugh. I don’t even smile.
Usually when I watch this video, I crack up. But I can’t right now. I’m too upset at seeing Ryker and Alina together.
I have no right to be—especially when it was clear as day how bothered Ryker was to see her. I know he didn’t want to talk or be around her.
