The Bad Boy Bargain (Suttonville Sentinels #1)(40)

Staying in front of Faith, using the rest of his team to provide some cover, Kyle opened her car door and ushered her inside. The team hung around until he started the engine and backed out.

“Where to?” God, he was tired. The adrenaline from the fight was leaving him, and his legs shook whenever he tried to clutch or brake.

“Wherever.” Faith sounded just as tired, and belatedly, he noticed the tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Hey, it’s over now.” He reached over to pat her knee. “All done.”

“Do you think I hurt his feelings?”

Kyle’s mouth dropped open. “You care if you did?”

“Well, yeah.” She sniffled. “I’m such an idiot. I’m sorry, Kyle. I pushed things too far, didn’t I? He’s more hurt now than before, and he’s going to go after you again because of me.”

“I’m big enough to take it.” His hands tightened to crushing force on the steering wheel, like he wished they had around Cam’s wrist. “Don’t worry about me. And don’t worry about him. He’s not worth the time. He hurt you, Faith. Over and over. You deserve a guy…” He swallowed hard, knowing he was about to throw away one of the best things to ever happen to him. “You deserve a guy who’s honest with you. Who gives you all his attention. Not someone who sees you as a distraction.”

She gulped down a shuddering breath. “Could we go somewhere? Just for a minute? If I go home crying, my mom will ask a bunch of questions. And my dad might shoot at you.”

“I know just the place.”





Chapter Twenty-Eight


Faith


Faith should’ve expected that Cameron would cause a scene, and she knew she shouldn’t feel guilty, but she did. Kyle was right. Cameron could’ve replaced her with any girl and been just fine. Still, the look on his face, the betrayal. It was worse than she’d expected. And Holly had looked like someone had sucked all the air out of her lungs. Faith had a feeling Cam wouldn’t have his new girlfriend for long after all that.

Maybe she should’ve left him sooner, before she’d ended up hurting four people instead of two.

When she nudged that thought, tears welled up in her eyes again. She was embarrassed. Stupidly, foolishly embarrassed. What had gone wrong? This was supposed to be the perfect revenge, and instead she felt like a bitch who had played two guys who hated each other into fighting over her. That hadn’t been what she wanted at all, but it’s what she deserved.

They turned onto a gravel road, and the Charger bumped its way down to a park. It was dark enough out that Faith couldn’t see much more than big trees everywhere, and the sign in the headlights said MORTON ATHLETIC COMPLEX.

“Where are we?” she asked.

He let out a soft, sad laugh. “My Little League fields. Whenever I’m strung out, this place makes me feel better for some reason.”

Now she could make out the chain-link fences surrounding the park. Here and there, widely spaced streetlights shone down on the infields—at least four of them. “Did you play select ball?”

“Yeah.” He cleared his throat. “It’s the only thing I’ve ever been good at.”

“That’s not true. You’re good at plants.” She wiped her eyes on her sleeve, hoping he didn’t notice, and added softly, “And winning girls’ hearts.”

Kyle let out a soft sigh. If she hadn’t been straining to hear, she would’ve missed it. “I’m only good at one of those things, Faith. I’m better at breaking hearts than winning them.”

“You haven’t broken mine,” she said, reaching for his hand.

He let her hold it, but he didn’t move to squeeze hers in return. “Yet.”

She shook her head, refusing to let go of his hand. “The Kyle I know doesn’t seem like a heartbreaker, no matter what you, and the whole school, keep telling me.

His hand finally tightened a little on hers. “I’m nothing like you think. I liked playing a part this week, but tonight made me realize that this isn’t going to work. Once we’re back in school, I’ll go back to being…me, and you’re you, so…”

“What are you saying?” Her voice quavered, and she hated it. “Have you been playing me this whole time?”

“No.” His tone was firm. “But Faith, you deserve better than me. After tonight, it’s probably best that we act like we broke up. Blame me, tell everyone whatever you want. I can take the heat. It’ll get Cameron off your back, and things will be better for you.”

She let go and sat back in her seat, feeling like she’d taken a bad fall and knocked the air out of her lungs. “You keep saying I deserve better. But so far, all I see is a really nice guy pretending to be an *. Why push me away? So far, we seem to be working out pretty well.”

He flinched. “Nothing is that simple. Look, I’ll only end up hurting you in the long run. If we end it now, it’ll be easier.”

He sounded hurt. Nothing made sense. Nothing. He’d made her believe it all week long, and now he was pushing her away. “I don’t see how.”

He wouldn’t look at her. “I should probably take you home.”

His shoulders were up around his ears, and there were tight lines around his eyes. From the way he crushed the steering wheel in his hands, if she didn’t know better, all these signs said he was upset with his decision.