Page 21 of Desperate Games

Remy still hasn’t let go of my arm.

Why hasn’t he let go?

Why am I not pulling away?

Why is my body a live wire under his palm?

“Callahan invited me,” he says, all casual charm. “Said it was just a small thing.”

“Nothing’s ever small when it comes to this family,” Sammy mutters.

Then his eyes narrow, flicking between me and Remy. His brow furrows like he’s doing some internal math and doesn’t like the sum.

“What’s this?”

“What’s what?” I ask, trying to play off the fact Remy still has a hold of my arm.

Thankfully, Aella calls him over to help with their baby, distracting him.

“You two are being fucking weird,” he mumbles.

Sammy finally walks away, muttering to himself the whole time.

I exhale like I’ve been holding my breath for ten years.

Remy leans in, voice low and unmistakably teasing.

“So, Sammy didn’t punch me.”

“Yeah, we’re all so proud. He’s practically house trained,” I mutter, trying to sound breezy even though my heart is racing like it’s in a damn racecar.

“You said he’d deck me if he found out about us.”

“There is no us,” I reply too fast. Too defensive.

Remy lifts a brow.

“Right. Just one night in paradise. No big deal.”

“Exactly.” I nod, as if I’m convincing him. Or myself. “People have those. It’s not, you know, uncommon.”

“You keep saying that. Like you’re trying to believe it.”

My mouth opens, then closes.

He’s not wrong.

Remy watches me too closely, like he’s waiting for me to unravel.

And honestly? I might. Right here. In my cousin’s foyer.

“Look,” I whisper. “Whatever that was—on the island—it was fun. Wild. But you don’t have to pretend like it meant something.”

He steps closer, voice dropping even lower. “What if it did?”

I don’t get the chance to answer because—cue the Auntie Parade.

“Oh, is that my beautiful niece?”