Chapter 5

VINN

“Tonight’s game was insane!” Logan, my ever-loud teammate, said next to me, his voice rising over the music pulsing through my veins. He pulled Donavann into a headlock, grinning. “You were crazy out there, man. I almost thought you were a different person.”

Donavann barely reacted.

For the umpteenth time, I glanced at the clock on the wall. My jaw ticked. She still wasn’t here. She missed my damn game. Was she going to miss the after-party too?

“You’ve been staring at the clock since you stepped in.” Donavann’s voice reached my ears. He shifted to the edge of the couch and grabbed a canned beer off the table, tossing it at me. “Perhaps it would help you loosen up?”

I easily caught it. “Thanks.”

I lifted my head to check the time again, but something else caught my eyes. Megan fucking Qing. She stalked into the bar like she owned it, her glittering red gown riding up her thigh with each step she took. She paused for a second, scanning the room, then her blue eyes met mine. Her face instantly soured.

I smirked.

She made it.

Left with no choice, she had eventually agreed to fake date me. She made it so clear that she was doing it for James, but it was obvious that the main reason was because of her admission.

She started to walk towards our table.

Logan whistled. “Who the hell is— the girl from yesterday? The one assigned to our team?”

Donavann couldn’t tear his eyes off her.

“She’s hot,” Logan added. “Fucking hot.”

She effortlessly moved through the crowd before finally pausing at our table. Her confidence faltered. She literally looked like a bunny now, not like the viper that had wanted to suck the damn life out of me at that date. I pulled her into my lap and she sucked in a shaky breath.

“Hey, baby.”

Her eyes flared at the nickname. “Don’t call me that,” she muttered under her breath, forcing a smile when Logan immediately grinned at us.

“Oh, this is interesting.” Logan leaned forward. “How the hell did this happen?”

“She fell in love with my face,” I answered easily.

Megan nearly choked. “In your dreams.”

Donavann made a choking noise of disbelief while Logan burst into laughter. I could tell she was uncomfortable on my lap due to how she kept shifting, but I kept my hand around her waist to stop her from standing.

“Can’t handle sitting on a guy’s lap for a few minutes?” I murmured near her ear, and she finally stopped shifting, like she was accepting the challenge.

“You didn’t tell us you had a girlfriend,” Logan said.

“She didn’t tell me she was showing up tonight either,” I met Megan’s gaze. She nearly choked. She really sucked at acting. I glared at her, and she forced another smile, though this one was even stiffer.

Her whole body went rigid the second she glanced over my shoulder. I followed her line of sight and instantly regretted it.

James Martin.

Standing across the room next to a blonde that was clearly desperate for his attention, he said something to her and she laughed like her life depended on it. The stiff smile on Megan’s face faltered so quickly it almost pissed me off.

Of all the guys she could crush on, it was James Martin? Not that it was any of my damn business, but James Martin was the true definition of a sly snake.

The sight of him disgusted me to the bone.

“Excuse us,” I suddenly said, standing with Megan.

Her eyes widened. “What are you doing?”

I ignored her and led her deeper into the crowd where bodies moved recklessly under neon lights and deafening music. Her heels stumbled once before my hand settled firmly on her waist.

“There’s barely any space here,” she deadpanned.

“Good,” I said lazily. “The less space there is, the more real it seems.”

Megan swallowed hard when I pulled her closer. Her chest brushed mine and warmth instantly spread through my system. She smelled sweet, like vanilla and something else that was quite distracting.

“We’re too close,” she whispered.

“And you’re a terrible actress,” I murmured back.

She glared at me.

I lowered my head until my mouth brushed the shell of her ear. “Your crush is watching. You know that, right?”

Like she had been practicing for this exact moment, her hands slid up my shoulders and around my neck. Her body softened against mine as she swayed with the music. Now she was fucking acting.

But she was too good now.

Because my pulse was starting to feel uneven. She suddenly laughed at something I didn’t even say, lifting her chin until she was staring right at my face. From a distance, we probably looked like a couple insanely in love with each other.

Megan’s fingers tightened slightly against the back of my neck. “Is he still looking?”

“Yes,” I answered, my voice rougher than before.

Her lips parted softly, and for one dangerous second, my eyes dropped to them. Damn. I couldn’t believe the thought crossing my mind right then, but Logan was right. She was hot.

“Wow.”

A sharp voice instantly made me pause. Megan stopped as well, following my gaze as a small frown sat between her brows. Nina stood a few feet away in a tight silver dress, arms folded across her chest. Her eyes dragged slowly over Megan before settling on me.

“You replaced me with her?” she asked coldly.

Megan instantly tried stepping away, but I tightened my hand on her waist without thinking.

Nina noticed and her expression darkened.

“Relax, Nina,” I smirked. “You’re starting to look jealous.”

“Jealous?” She laughed sharply. “Please, I’m just surprised. She doesn’t really seem like your type.”

Megan tensed beside me.

“She’s exactly my type,” I said smoothly. If we were going to fake date each other, then I better make this as believable as possible. I couldn’t have Nina blurting out the truth to my grandmother. “I don’t know what you think you might achieve by interrupting us, but you should leave. We need to get back to dancing.”

Before Nina could speak again, another voice joined us.

“You’re dating him?” James directed the question at Megan, but she was too stunned to speak. “After what he did at that fucking restaurant?”