Page 63 of Triple Play
She hesitates. I can see the war happening behind her eyes.
Time to deploy the secret weapon.
I let my smile fade. Let her see the real ask underneath the charm.
“Please? I’ll keep the assholes away from you. I promise. You won’t have to deal with anyone you don’t want to.” I meet her eyes. “Just… give me a chance to show you a good time. No pressure. No expectations.”
She stares at me for a long moment.
Then sighs. “Fine.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. One party. A few hours. But if it sucks, I’m leaving.”
“Deal.” I light up. Can’t help it. She said yes. “You won’t regret it.”
“I already regret it.”
“That’s the spirit.”
She shakes her head but she’s smiling.
I’m still grinning like an idiot when I turn to head to my next class.
Then I see him.
Grant. At the top of the stairs. He must have heard the whole thing.
His expression is dark. Dangerous. The look he gets right before he destroys someone on the ice.
“A party?” His voice is flat. Cold. “Seriously, Dickson?”
I jog up the stairs. Meet him at the landing. “Yeah. Friday. You should come too, Cap. Might do you some good to relax.”
“I don’t need to relax.”
“You kind of do. You’ve been wound tighter than—”
“Don’t.”
The warning in his voice is clear. But I’ve never been good at heeding warnings.
“Jealous you didn’t think of it first, Captain?” I grin at him. All teeth. “Could’ve been your party. Your invitation. But you were too busy brooding in your room.”
His jaw ticks. “Stay away from her.”
“No.”
“Jordie—”
“You don’t get to call dibs, man. You had two years. You blew it.” I step closer. Lower my voice. “I’m not making the same mistake.”
“She’s not a mistake.”
“Then stop treating her like one.”
We stare at each other. The hallway suddenly feels too small. Too charged.
