Semua Bab Play Me Like You Mean It: Bab 11 - Bab 20

Walking into the training facility felt less like showing up for work and more like stepping into a courtroom, and I was already the defendant.It started this morning, when I went to Cade’s place expecting to ride with him.No Cade.Just a folded note on the counter in his terrible handwriting:Since you’re miraculously well enough to hang out with Kelvin, I bet you can find your way to the training ground just fine.I stared at it for thirty seconds, debating whether to laugh or set it on fire. In the end, I shoved it in my bag.By the time I made it to the facility, the place was alive with the sound of squeaking sneakers, bouncing balls, and the low hum of men who’d been up since dawn.A tall guy in team gear spotted me just inside the door. “Uh, media day’s not today.”“I’m not media,” I said, hitching my bag higher.He looked me over like that answer still didn’t compute. “Family?”“Worse. Personal assistant.”His brows went up. “Ah. So you’re here for Reeve.”“Unfortunately, ye

My hand lingered on the doorknob longer than it should have. Zayne Reeves had a face cut from stone and eyes that didn’t just look at you, but unearth what lay beneath.When his gaze locked on mine, I realized I’d been looking too long.“Planning to stand there all day,” he said, his voice carrying the kind of quiet authority that wasn’t up for debate, “or let me in?”Heat crept up my neck. I stepped aside, hoping it looked polite rather than flustered.He walked in with the kind of presence that didn’t need volume to fill a room. Cade was the type to burst in like a storm; this man carried himself like the weight of the room naturally shifted toward him.His eyes held mine for a beat before he spoke. “Your name?”“Mira.”He nodded slowly. “And you are…?”“Cade’s assistant.”Something flickered in his expression, gone too fast to catch. “At least he’s smart enough not to…” The rest trailed off, quiet enough that I wasn’t sure if I was meant to hear it.Before I could ask, his eyes sha

Spending so much time with Cade was changing the way I saw him.It was in the way he cheated shamelessly at cards, grinning like he’d just invented new rules.In the way his laugh burst out, careless and alive.Also, how I sometimes caught him staring when he thought I wasn’t looking, eyes lingering on my mouth like he was imagining something he had no business imagining.Something between us had shifted, especially after Kimberly’s ultimatum, when Cade told her to leave instead of asking me to.We never spoke of it. We acted like nothing had changed. But I felt it in the silences, in the way my chest tightened when he looked too long.And I hated it. Because this soft spot I was developing for him? It wasn’t part of the plan.So when Kelvin messaged, asking how Cade was holding up, I told him Cade was fine. When he suggested we hang out, I said yes.Partly because Kelvin was fun, easy laughter, no heavy edges.But mostly because I needed the distraction. From Cade. From myself.I inf

Jesse had school in the morning, so after we dropped him off, Cade insisted on coming with me to my house.“You really think you’re going to be useful with that ankle?” I teased as we drove, one eyebrow raised.“I can supervise,” he said, flashing the cocky grin of someone convinced that watching was work.I rolled my eyes. “In other words, I work, you watch.”When we pulled up, I braced myself for the destruction, shattered plates, toppled furniture, books scattered in wild disarray. But the second I opened the door, I froze.The house was spotless. Not just cleaned, restored. The center table was new. A flat-screen sat where the broken TV had been. If you hadn’t seen it yesterday, you’d never know havoc had torn through here.My stomach flipped. “Am I hallucinating? Cade… tell me I’m not going crazy.”I turned, and there he was, grinning like he’d just won a bet.My eyes narrowed. “Cade? You did this?”“Surprise.”“But… how? I didn’t give you the keys.”“I borrowed them.” His grin w

After Cade left, Jesse strolled into my room, giving one polite knock like he’d just discovered what manners were.I narrowed my eyes on him. “Careful, Jesse. Whatever comes out of your mouth next determines whether you walk out in one piece.”He grinned. “Relax. I’m not here to tease you. I’ll save that for later.” His tone shifted, serious now. “I came to tell you something.”That got my attention. Jesse rarely turned serious unless it was important. I sat up straighter. “Out with it.”He stuffed his hands in his pockets, rocking on his heels. “Cade asked me if it was okay to take Mom to rehab.”For a second, the words didn’t land. Then they did, and it felt like a weight cracked open in my chest. Cade didn’t have to say a word to Jesse. But he had. It wasn’t just about me, he saw Jesse too. He respected him enough to ask.“He’s cool with it,” Jesse went on. “And Cade said I should be the one to convince you. His words, not mine. Apparently you’re too ‘prideful’ for your own good.”