My heart accelerates.“Okay.”
“I’m working on a trade to LA.”
I stop walking and stare at him.
Guilt clouds his expression as I try to process what those words mean.
The most obvious one is he’s not staying in Denver.He’s switching sides, joining the same men who were his opponents tonight.Moving to this place of glitter and palm trees.
It hits me hard in the chest, though I can’t point to exactly why.I’m not the one losing him, but it feels like a betrayal.“Does Harlan know?”
“No.And you can’t tell him,” Clay says firmly.
“Because you have a problem with him.”
His lip curls.“Only problem I have is one he caused.”
“Which is what, exactly?”
He shoves a hand through his hair but doesn’t answer.
My head is still spinning about the rest of it as I pace the sidewalk.“I thought it was Harlan’s job to sign off on that stuff.”
“But he doesn’t need to know I’m working on it until he gets an offer he can’t refuse.Locker room rumors sink a team faster than anything, and I won’t do that to the guys.”
I get his reasoning, but hiding doesn’t feel good.“I don’t want to lie to my sister again.”
“Aren’t you already doing that by sneaking around with me?”Clay grabs my arms and spins me to face him.
I frown.“Why did you even tell me if you were going to put me in this position?”
He strokes my cheek with his thumb.“I guess because I’m used to keeping shit inside, and it feels good to tell someone.Plus, I don’t like keeping it from you.”
His words, or the vulnerability in them, make my frustration evaporate.What was going to be a hard decision is suddenly obvious.
“Then I won’t say anything,” I whisper.
Clay stills, his eyes widening with relief.“You mean it.”
“Yeah.”My lips curve.
He glances over his shoulder.“Come back to my room.”
There’s an urgency in his voice.
“That’s not against the rules?”
He drags my mouth up to his, kissing me until I’m breathless.“I don’t give a fuck.”
24
CLAY
“All clear?”Nova whispers.
I look both ways.“For now.”
We sneak down the hall to my hotel room.I fumble with my card before the light blinks, and we trip inside.
