Page 71 of Filthy Little Pretties

“And they’ve never beat you?”

Grey’s deep voice comes from beside me. “Never.”

It seems insane to me that Grey and Liam have never lost. But that’s precisely what Grey needs. To be given some humility. To lose something he treasures so he appreciates what he’s been given.

“What makes this year different?”

The thought that was circulating begins to take shape, enough for me to grab hold.

Liam leans in to answer. “They have a bigger powerhouse…or middle of the boat, so they’ll likely take Kai, but even if we take one of their powerhouses, their remaining guys are bigger than ours.”

“Which means you could lose.”

It’s not a question even though they all nod. My teeth find my bottom lip, gnawing, as my eyes drift between all of them.

“But what do you lose?”

I know the answer before they say it.

“Pride,” Grey responds, but I don’t look at him, instead directing my eyes at Kai.

Of everyone at this table, Kai’s the person who will take the bait and run with it. Be prepared to be taken down, Grey. A whole ton of pegs.

“Ouch. It seems to me that you need a motivator. Something you want to win, more than the hatred you’ll feel over losing your pride. You know, up the ante.”

Everyone sits silent. They’re considering what I’m saying. My fingers slowly twist a bottle cap from Liam’s soda on the table when Ethan pipes up. “Money?” But everyone shakes their head.

Kai smiles, looking at Grey. “A car?”

I should push that, then cross my fingers he loses that beautiful machine, but I have an even better idea. A foolproof one.

“Very James Dean of you, but probably not,” I teasingly counter, popping a grape in my mouth and waiting for my moment.

“There’s nothing,” Grey states resolutely. “Nothing that we’d wager over our pride.”

“Nothing?” I question, turning to face him, this time trying to hide my smugness.

“No.”

“What about a kiss?” The muscle in his jaw ticks. “From me?”

I hear Kai say, “Oh shit,” in the background, but it’s the anger in Grey’s dark brown eyes that entertains me. I turn to the table and place my palms on the wooden table.

“We win, I kiss Kai. We lose, I give Paul Hearst a big fat juicy tonguefest.”

“No, no, no, no” is rung out around me, furiously by Kai and Liam, but Grey’s silent.

Cat got your tongue, or are you pissed you won’t have mine? That’ll be two people before you ever got your chance.

His glare is boring a hole right through mine. Grey’s pissed. And I’m satisfied.

“No fucking way,” he growls.

Kai sits back in his seat, pushing his hands against the table to tip his chair back. “Actually, it’s an obvious motivator. No offense, but the girl’s got your number. You might be an evil genius, Blondie, but there’s one hiccup.”

My eyes meet Kai’s, wondering where I could have misstepped. There’s no hiccup.

“Caroline would declare world war three and you just made peace. You’ll have to kiss one of them.”