Chapter 4

The car suddenly felt too small for the both of us. Jace stayed stiff for some moments and my heart was pounding against my chest.

Was he dangerous? Does he harm people? Would he harm me now for finding out?

Jace leaned in, pinning me against the car door cutting my train of thoughts and I swallowed hard. He put his hand on the seat next to my head.

"Who sent you that?" he hissed.

"I don't know! It was an anonymous number!"

Jace’s grip on the seat tightened. I heard the leather groan.

"Show me." He ordered and I pulled out my phone with shaky hands, showing him the text.

Jace stared at the screen. His jaw was so tight I thought he might break a tooth. He snatched the phone from my hand and threw it onto the floor of the car.

"Forget you saw that," he said in a dangerous growl.

"I can't forget it! Jace, what were you doing? Who was that person?"

Jace grabbed my shoulders. He didn’t hurt me, but his grip was firm.

"Listen to me very carefully, Lenny. That video is why I need you. That video is why I’m fixing my image. If that gets out, the NFL is the least of my worries. I’ll be lucky if I stay alive." He explained, and I noticed his shaky breaths. I stared at him with my heart racing.

Was it that bad?

"What did you do?" I asked in a low voice and Jace looked at the window. The rain started to fall again, streaking the glass.

"I did what I had to do to protect my family. And now, someone is trying to use you to get to me." He explained and my brows creased.

"Who?"

Jace looked back at me, there was a look in his eyes I had never seen before. It wasn't anger. It was fear.

"The same person who gave you that master key to the Dean’s office," Jace said and I froze. My blood ran cold.

"How did you know about the key? I never told you where I got it."

Jace leaned closer. His forehead was almost touching mine.

"Because he knew about you because of me.” He whispered and my eyes widened.

This was the most confusing and shocking explanation ever. He had just told me that his enemy knew about the whole Dean’s situation beforehand. What if everything was setup?

“What do you mean?” I asked with a shaky voice and I could tell that Jace had seen the suspicion in my eyes.

“I meant he told me in a text that he had given you the master keys to solve your problem. A problem he created in the first place.” Jace explained and my eyes widened in realization.

So Jace's enemy had planned everything? He had sent that letter! He helped me get the master keys and obviously wanted me to get caught in the process. But why? How does him hating Jace have to do with me?

“So they targeted me because of you?” I confirmed and Jace's jaw clenched.

“Yes.” The words barely came out above a whisper and I stared at him, horrified.

“Why?” I asked and he looked out the window like that was the last thing he needed to answer.

“I mentioned you a few times, that's all.” He answered and my lips parted.

Why would he mention me a few times? I didn’t know he had noticed me before that night.

“Wh…” I was about to ask again, but Jace interjected.

“Don’t ask me.” He said firmly, then he turned on the radio.

Throughout the remaining part of the journey, we didn’t talk to each other, but I had a billion thoughts going through my mind.

I realized I wasn't just a victim of a fake dating scheme. I was a piece in a game I didn't even know was being played.

And the person I thought was my captor might be the only thing standing between me and the person who actually wanted me dead.

When the car finally came to a stop, Jace gestured for me to get down, but I glared at him.

"Why? Why me?" I choked out and Jace looked at my lips, then back at my eyes.

“You knew that everything was set up by your enemy, yet you chose to blackmail me with it, why?” I asked with pain evident in my tone.

Does he even know what I have gone through because of this stupid arrangement with him?

"Because you're the only one who doesn't know how to lie. And that makes you the perfect weapon to restore my image. No one would doubt this.” He explained, but just then my phone buzzed.

I looked down. A new message was on the screen.

Unknown: He’s lying, Lenny. Look in the glove box.

I looked at Jace. He was watching me and he had seen the message too.

"Don't," he said.

I nodded in obedience. I didn’t want to dare him. But I couldn’t help, but wonder what was in the glove box?

And why did Jace Callahan suddenly look like he wanted to jump out of a moving car?