Page 77 of Offside Attraction

But standing here, looking at him now… I don’t have an answer ready.

Hayes doesn’t push. He just waits, like he’s giving me space to figure it out on my own.

“So?” he says quietly. “You wanna get out of here?”

There’s no arrogance in his voice. No challenge. Just… patience. And that scares me more than his threats ever did.

I exhale slowly. “Why do you want to leave with me?”

He shrugs again, but this time it’s real. “Maybe I don’t feel like being around them either,” he says, nodding toward the house. “Call it a truce. Just for tonight.”

I should say no.

I’ve trusted him before. Four years ago, and it wrecked me. I trusted him again during the dare, and I got hurt—just like I knew I would. Hayes Griffin hasneverbeen safe.

And now he’s asking me to trust him again by offering to get out of here with me.

The idea doesn’t feel as ridiculous as it should.

Part of me is still suspicious, still waiting for the other shoe to drop, but another part of me—one I’ve been trying to ignore for a long time—wants to take him up on it.

I want to say no, but this other part of me that is drawn to the danger that’s this boy, the part I hate admitting exists, makes me hesitate, pulling me toward him despite everything.

Hayes Griffin is an asshole. A manipulative, conceited, and corny asshole, but for some reason that doesn’t seem to scare me off, instead it keeps pulling me toward him. Toward his witty charms. Everything about this boy should scare me away and not draw me closer.

But the more I think about the million reasons why I should say no, the more reason I want to agree to get the fuck out of this place with him.

This is messed up. Everything about my feelings for Hayes Griffin is messed up. He’s cruel. He’s the enemy. I shouldn’t be falling for the enemy. I know that, but my brain chooses to disagree.

After a long moment, I finally mutter, “Fine. Truce. For tonight.”

Hayes grins, and it’s different from his usual smug smile. It’s…real. “Good,” he says, his tone lighter. “Let’s get out of here.”

“And if you try any fucked up shit with me tonight, I’ll fucking hurt you. I ain’t playing,”

Hayes smirks, the little show of emotion pulls at my heartstrings and I want to gag. “Promise.”

And against every instinct I have, I follow him—wondering if maybe, just maybe, things don’t have to stay broken forever.

CHAPTER 18

TheGriffin’sgarageismassive, more like a showroom than a place to park cars. My eyes flick over the sleek, polished luxury cars lining the space—BMWs, an Audi, some SUV that probably costs more than a year’s rent in New York. But none of it fazes me. I don’t give a damn about the Griffins’ wealth. This has never been about the cars or the mansion or the money. It’s about the guy standing in front of me, tossing a helmet my way like this is something we do every day.

I catch it, my brows furrowing as I look between the helmet and Hayes. “What do I need this for?”

Hayes smirks, nodding toward the motorcycle parked in the corner of the garage. It’s sleek and black, looking like something straight out of a movie, the kind of bike guys like him ride to look even more untouchable. “We’re going for a ride.”

My stomach twists with uncertainty. Going somewhere with Hayes—alone? It feels like I’m walking straight into a trap. But then again, if there’s one thing I’ve learned since coming back, it’s that playing it safe isn’t how I get back at him. Besides, it’s just a ride. What’s the worst that could happen?

I hesitate, running my thumb over the smooth surface of the helmet. “Where are we going?”

“It’s a secret,” he says, that smirk still in place.

A secret. Of course it is. I shoot him a glare, but something about this feels…different. Hayes doesn’t have the usual edge in his voice, and there’s something about this whole thing that feels like less of a challenge and more of an invitation.

“I know you don’t trust me and you don’t have to. Because if this were another scenario, this is the part where I ask you if you trust me, which you don’t.”

“You haven’t given me a reason to trust you, Hayes.”