Page 53

Before I can reply, Liam’s door creaks open, and I close my computer, not wanting him to know all the moving pieces of my plan.

“Look. I—” he begins. “I’m sorry. I know you’re trying to make the Pierce family pay for everything they did to our family business. I just?—”

I blink as I watch a range of emotions run across my brother’s face. He’s torn, and I recognize he might like this girl genuinely. “Don’t worry about it, Lee. I can do this?—”

Holding his palms up, he interjects, “No. I don’t know anything about Eva, and my feelings for her can’t be anything more than superficial—something brought on by lust.”

“You succumbed to the will of her pussy,” I joke, trying to diffuse the seriousness of the moment.

He tries to smile, but I can see the hurt. “It’s more than that, but like you said, there’s no chance after what I did in class that day. So, why risk our relationship and family for a what-if?”

“Lee, I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to.”

He shakes his head. “No, I’m not putting her before us.”

A small smile appears on his face as he tries to hide his true feelings, which only makes me feel like shit.

“Why don’t you think about it more? It’s not like you need to decide right now,” I suggest. “Take as much time as you need. You know I’m always here.”

He nods and stands before exiting the living room, leaving me to decide how to proceed. I have no choice if I want this to have as little fallout for him as possible.

With my decision made, I open my laptop and log back into the site.

Z_Av3g3r: I’ll have your money to you by the end of next week.

22

eva

My nerves areon edge as I rinse the shampoo from my hair and contemplate my visit to see Cooper and Colter.

How do I begin to apologize for what I’ve cost them?

Will they even forgive me?

“You can’t,” I mutter to myself, washing the last of the suds out. “No amount of sorrys can replace the blow you caused.”

Heaven knows I can’t forgive myself.

Shutting off the faucet, I push my intrusive thoughts to the back of my mind, locking them in an ironclad box. Then, I wrap a towel around my hair and another around my body before hopping out of the shower.

The boisterous ramblings of my teammates greet me as I enter the locker room.

“We’re so going to kick ass at this week’s game,” Mindy exclaims, her joy momentarily making me forget my worries and smile.

Today’s practice was one of our best to date. Everyone served, passed, blocked, and spiked the ball like well-oiled machines. There were more than a few times when we volleyed the ball until a side earned a point.

“The Bobcatswon’t know what hit them,” Ayana declares.

“Pun intended?” I quip as I dry off and lotion my skin.

Laughter fills the room. “She wishes she was that clever,” Paisley teases.

Shaking my head, I continue to listen to their banter. Then, I get dressed, towel dry my hair, and put it into a bun.

Little by little, the noise in the locker room dies down as girls gather their belongings and leave.

I’m slipping on my Biscay Bay-colored Birkenstocks when Camiel asks, “Are you coming with us to grab dinner?”