Player(78)

Amelia appeared at Val’s elbow. “Come on. You apparently have to take birthday shots.”

She laughed. “Seriously?”

“House rule. That’s what Benny said at least. Come on!” She tugged at Val’s arm. “They’re on the house. Ladies only though. Sorry, Sam.”

I shrugged, laughing. “I’ll try to move on.”

“Well, if they’re on the house, I guess I really can’t say no,” she said before lifting up on her tiptoes to press a kiss into my cheek. “Be right back.”

“Be right here.” I smiled like a fool, slipping my hands into my pockets.

She walked past Ian, not seeing him following her with his eyes like he wanted to douse her in gasoline and light a match.

My smile flattened, my jaw popping. I strode over to him, cool on the outside, molten fucking lava on the inside.

“Something on your mind, Jackson?”

He sipped his whiskey. “You’re awfully fucking chipper.”

“And you’re awfully fucking bitter. What’s your problem?”

“Just processing my disbelief over you and Susie Spitshine.”

“I told you not to call her that, asshole.”

He chuffed and took another drink.

“What do you want? What’s your damage?”

“What do I want? God, you are so fucking naive. Guess. Guess what my fucking problem is.”

My jaw clenched. “You’re pissed you lost your wingman.”

“Don’t flatter yourself, Sam. Try again.” He took a drink.

My brows drew together. “You’re mad you lost the bet.”

“Warmer.”

And my frown fully set on my face. “You’re mad because I won?”

“Hotter.”

“You’re mad…because I’m with Val?”

“Ding, ding, ding. Somebody get this guy a drink.”

“But why?” I asked, searching my brain like a man who’d lost something vital. “I don’t get it. Why would you give a shit that I have a girlfriend?”

His eyes narrowed, his face pinched, his lungs expanded. And he snapped like a firecracker. “No, you don’t fucking get it, do you? You are such a dumb motherfucker. Always the honest one, always the hero. Your fatal flaw? Taking everything at face value. You trust everyone. Everyone. Do you have any idea how easy it is to play you?” His jaw tightened, his spine stretching to give him a couple of inches over me. “One of three things was supposed to happen with the bet; you were going to feel like a piece of shit for leading her on, or you were going to hurt her. Or—my best-case scenario—both.”

Fury rose in my chest, sending tingling heat down to my fingertips. “You didn’t ever want her.” I realized the depth of my mistake far too late. “You just wanted to fuck with me.”

He shook his head at me like the fucking idiot I was. “I’m always the one who gets slapped or gets a drink thrown in my face. And you’re always riding in to save the day. I’m fucking sick of it. I’m sick of living in the shadow of your high fucking horse. It’s your turn to wear the black hat. It’s your turn to be the bad guy.”

“You’re fucking sick, man.”

“Sure, right,” he said with a laugh. “Tell yourself that all you want. You act like you’re so much better than me, but you’re not.” A smile as friendly as a knife slash split his lips. “Although I’ve got one card left to play.”

Cold awareness shot up my spine. “Don’t.”

“I wonder what Val would think of our little wager. Think she’ll be hurt when she hears the whole thing was a joke? That you wouldn’t have asked out a fat girl if you hadn’t been—”

My hands shot out, connecting with his shoulders, sending him reeling. His glass hit the ground with a crash and splash of whiskey and ice. A couple of people next to us squealed and jumped out of the way, watching us from a distance.

I took a step, arched over him, closed my fist in his shirt, and pulled. “If you ever call her fat again, I’ll fucking rip your face off and spit down your throat. And I swear to God, Ian. Don’t you say a fucking word to her about the bet. Not. One. Word. Or I will ruin you. Do you hear me? Ruin.”

Ian laughed. That motherfucker kicked his head back and laughed that cold, soulless laugh I hated so deeply. “Oh, Sammy boy. I’m not fucking scared of you. You always were kind of a pussy.”

My hands tightened, one on his shirt, the other coiled to fly.

But in the second of my hesitation, his wicked eyes darted behind me. “Oh, hey, Val. Lookin’ good tonight.”

Her hand in the crook of my elbow was the only thing that stopped me. “Sam? Is everything okay?”

I let him go, smoothed his shirt, patted the spot on his chest too hard. “Everything’s fine. Ian here was just leaving. Weren’t you, Ian?”

“Who, me? Oh, no. I have the whole night ahead of me. Pussy to slay, secrets to tell.” Evil. Pure evil in his eyes, behind his smile. “I’ll see you later, Val.”

I watched him walk toward the bar for a long moment.

Val twined her arm around mine. “What was that about?”

I looked down at her and smiled, feeling the thin veneer of the expression on my face. I was a fool. A guilty, sorrowful, unworthy fool. Everything I wanted was at risk, waiting under the hammer’s shadow for impact.