Player(79)

I’d have to tell her—and soon. But not tonight. Not on her birthday. Tonight, I’d keep her away from Ian. I wouldn’t let her out of my sight. And tomorrow, I’d tell her the truth about everything.

Tomorrow, I’d find a way.

“Don’t worry about it, babe,” I said with my heart in a vise. “Gimme a kiss and let me take you for a turn, and we’ll forget that asshole even exists.”

She smiled and kissed me.

And for a moment, it worked.



Val

Sam never stopped twirling me, and I never wanted him to. Death by spinning, aside from sounding like a punishment in Willy Wonka, wouldn’t be a bad way to go. Especially not by Sam’s hand.

I didn’t miss his avoidance of Ian, nor did I miss Ian’s constant appraisal of us. He stood on the fringes of the crowd, watching. Waiting for something. For what, I had no idea.

Honestly, I was too happy to care. My curiosity as to why Sam had been ready to pound Ian’s face to a pulp had been watered down by the magic of the night.

All my friends were at the club—Amelia and Katherine, Rin and Court. Even Dante had come, and he’d been dancing with the same girl all night. I’d even say he looked happy, which was a feat of its own.

And all the while, Sam was by my side. When I went to the bar, he was ordering my drinks and carrying them back for my friends. Wherever I went, there he was. Always touching me somewhere—my hand, my shoulder, my back, my face, my hair—as if his hands were thirsty for me.

It wasn’t until the night was over that he pulled me in for a searing kiss, dipping me to the whoops and whistles of the people around us.

When we straightened up, he smiled that smile that told me he was up to something and kissed my nose. “I’ll be right back. Stay right here.”

I laughed and leaned into him. “I won’t move a muscle.”

“Good.” With one more kiss for the road, he turned and headed toward the stage.

When I looked to my friends, they were all tied up in conversation. So I turned to the dance floor and contented myself to watch.

“Heya, Val.”

For a reason unknown, Ian’s voice startled me. I tried to smile, unsure what my role was. I had no idea what had happened between him and Sam, but I didn’t want to be rude either.

So, I gave him a halfass smile and said, “Hey.”

“Kudos for reeling in the uncatchable fish.”

I hesitated for a beat, not knowing what to say. I finally settled on, “Thanks.”

“I mean, who knew our little bet would go so far?”

My heart stuttered, lungs frozen. “I’m sorry?” I whispered, turning to look at him.

He smiled amenably. “The bet. When Sam said he could date you for a month, I didn’t believe he could do it. He sure showed me.” His laugh was anything but happy.

A tingling crawled up my spine. I couldn’t speak. There were no words, not in my head or mouth or the world.

His face softened in mock pity. “Oh my God. You didn’t know. You really thought…” A laugh, a cold, cruel sound that matched the wind in my hollow chest. “You actually thought he liked you.” His smile fell. “Sam is a player, Val. Always has been, always will be. There’s a reason he’s never had a girlfriend, and opportunity isn’t it. He doesn’t want one. You were nothing but a bet to him, a means to beat me in a game. I’m sorry he hurt you. But don’t take it too hard, kid. It’s just his way.”

There was no air. I pressed my hand to my stomach and dragged in one shallow breath at a time as tears pricked my eyes.

“What was the prize?” I croaked.

“What’s that?” he asked, leaning in.

“What was the prize?” I repeated louder, clearer.

He smiled his monstrous smile and answered, “Sleeping with you. What else?”

The music stopped, and the guitarist of the band onstage stepped to the mic as my world was reduced to the thumping of my pulse and the bomb that had gone off in my chest.

“Hey there, Sway—we’ve got a special birthday in the house. You guys might have seen Val around. She’s played up here and shaken her bobby socks out there with you all, and tonight is her night. Happy birthday, Val! We’re so happy you’re ours. Come on, everybody, let’s sing to her!”

The crowd in front of me parted, and in there was Sam, smiling and beautiful, a sheet cake in his hands and his face illuminated by candlelight. And three hundred people began to sing me “Happy Birthday” in what should have been one of the most epic moments of my life.

He stopped when he reached me and the song ended. And for a brief moment, there was nothing but silence.

“Make a wish, Val,” he said, his voice velvety and deep and right.

I blinked back my tears and drew in a breath. Saw recognition cross his face and felt my heart break. And with my wish on my tongue, I blew out my candles, every one.



Sam

The candles went out, the crowd around us cheered, and my world came to a grinding halt.

The look on her face told me everything, named every sin.

“Val, let me explain—”

“I think I got the gist of it.” The words were singed and smoking in trembling tendrils.

The crowd around us went on talking, the music starting up again, and we stood on an island in the midst of it all.