Careful, baby girl.
I might hold you to that.
Baby girl. The words settle low in my stomach, heavy and warm, like he reached straight through the phone and pressed them there. A shiver runs down my spine, and I bury my face in my pillow to muffle the ridiculous squeak that escapes me. Whoisthis man, and how is he already in my head like this? How is he alreadyunder my skin?
For a second, I think about sending something bolder, pushing back with my own brand of flirtation, but instead, I hug my pillow and let the butterflies have me.
Chapter 8
The stadium hums like it’s alive, a low current of voices and footsteps and mic checks vibrating in the air. Hundreds of people wearing headsets and polos are darting around, each one moving with the kind of frantic purpose that makes me nervous just watching them.
I’ve been here since sunrise, and now the clock is ticking down. Doors are about to open. Fans are already lining up outside. It's the Strikers’ biggest media event ever, and somehow, I’m at the eye of the storm.
My pulse is a mess, half excitement, half terror. I can’t help but wonder how Rogue is going to handle all this. Will he have a speech ready? Will he just wing it with that gravelly brogue and let people swoon? Is he even aware they’re expecting him to talk to the crowd? Honestly… probably not. But does it matter? No.He could stand there scowling and people would eat it up. That’s the maddening thing about him.
For the first time all day, I steal a second for myself. I sink onto one of the plastic seats in the lower stands. My headset crackles with chatter I’m pretending not to hear, and I pull out my personal phone and send a quick text to Bri.
ME:
Your tickets are at will call. Two, under your name. Don’t ditch me last minute for your mystery date.
Satisfied, I flick over to Veil. My thumb hovers, guilty and giddy all at once, then I cave.
@OneLastLine:
I hope you’re having a good day.
The typing dots appear almost immediately, and my stomach flips.
@HalfWritten:
It’s been a good day so far. Getting a few things done at work. How’s yours?
I grin at the screen like an idiot.
@OneLastLine:
Busy, also still at work. Big event today. I can’t wait to get home and cuddle up in bed.
@HalfWritten:
Well… I hope the rest of the day runs smoothly, and when you’re cuddled up and comfortable, you know where to find me.
Heat curls in my chest, a little ember of something I don’t want to name. I’m still smiling down at my phone when a voice jolts me back to reality.
Emily beams as she waves the group closer. “Guys, this is Cat—she’s going to be your main point of contact for the day.”
I push my phone into my pocket and stand, smoothing my jeans before offering a smile. “Hi! I’m so excited to finally meet you all in person. I’ve been watching your content for weeks, so this feels a little surreal.”
One by one, I shake their hands as Emily rattles off introductions. There’s Marcus, all clean lines and sharp jaw, who specializes in sports edits. Tasha, whose bubbly energy practically bounces off the concrete. Dylan, quiet but with the kind of intense eyes that screamcinematographer. Priya, queen of behind-the-scenes lifestyle reels. Leo, a well known sports creator who is known for creating content with all the professional teams in Great Lakes, And then… June.
She can’t be more than twenty-two, bright-eyed and eager, a little starstruck but trying to hide it. She tucks her phone into her back pocket and gives me a quick, firm handshake.
Emily checks her watch. “I need to run up to the press box, make sure the feed’s running smooth. Cat’s got you from here.” She shoots me a knowing grin before jogging off, already speaking into her headset.
Which leaves me standing with six creators staring at me like I’m their team captain.
“Alright,” I say, slipping into manager mode. I grab my bag, unzip it, and start handing out the sleek black phones we’veprepped for the night. “These are going to be your lifelines today. They’re synced to our cloud so everything you shoot uploads instantly. My number’s already programmed in, if you capture something you think needs to go up right away, message me and I’ll greenlight it.”
