Chapter Twenty-Two
Levi
We have one last chase planned before they tell Tate who is behind the masks. For the record, I think it’s a terrible idea. They should have dropped it, and then he would never have known the connection. When Tate finds out, it really won’t impact me, because either way I get the girl, but I think Landon and Abby are going to get their hearts broken. They are grown-ups, though, and if this is how they want to play it, I will support them.
Tate’s car pulls into the empty lot of the old, abandoned ice rink—Landon’s truck is parked around the back, out of sight. We watch as he gets out and turns on his phone flashlight, then heads toward the building.
We take our positions, and when he walks through the doors, I flick on my mask. With how close we are to him this time, he startles and takes off running.
I grin behind the mask and race after him.
Landon flanks wide, exactly where I expect him to go.
Tate ducks around the corner, trying to lose us, but he has limited places to go.
Abby cuts him off, causing Tate to skid to a stop. Then he spins and bolts off in the other direction, straight toward me.
I don’t grab him, instead letting him pass since I don’t want to ruin all their fun. I love the chase, knowing at the end I get to touch Abby. Anything she wants me to do, if it means I get to see her naked, I’m down for it.
Tate ducks down a hallway, and we all take chase.
We head upstairs, but though we all search for him, he is gone. The three of us head back downstairs, thinking he must have slipped past us.
“Up there,”Abby says, pointing up at the old viewing platform.“I’ll go. You two wait down here.”
We wait while she races back up the stairs, and within minutes, Tate is running back down. He passes straight past us, not slowing, and vaults over the boards and into the main bowl. It’s a shame there’s no ice, as I would love a chase on a challenging surface.
Tate slows, and his shoulders tense. Landon and I stop several feet behind him, and when he turns to face us, I can already tell he knows the truth.
“You never did like to let me win,” Tate says.
I look at Landon. He’s frozen, as if he’s been caught mid-hit and doesn’t know which way the collision has come from.
“Take them off.”
I pull my mask free first, and Landon follows. Abby walks over and removes hers as well.
Tate’s jaw tightens. “Are you fucking serious?” he snaps. “I knew it was you just by the way you move together.”
Landon steps forward. “Tate?—”
“Don’t ‘Tate’ me. I should have known you wouldn’t take anything seriously. If anyone caught wind of this, it could have ruined my career for a second time.”
Landon shakes his head. “But you were considering dating us without the masks.”
“Yes,” Tate fires back. “And that would have been my choice.”
As he steps closer, his eyes glass over. “You took that away from me by doing this. You didn’t give me a say. You decided this for me.”
I swallow hard. We crossed a line without even realizing it was there.
“I’m sorry,” I say quietly, because I, for one, feel like a huge asshole right now.
“You’re sorry? No, you’re not... none of you are. What do the Kane brothers have to lose, huh? You have no idea how much my grandfather and brother fought to get you on our team. It’s my job that would be gone, not yours.”
“Please let us explain,” Abby says, and he turns his attention on her.
“Do you know that you being behind this actually hurts the most? I thought I could trust you and you fucking stabbed me in the back.”
