Page 107 of Playing Dirty

I know Kason already left for the NFL Combine this weekend, and Camden should be at practice by now. I’m pretty sure Logan has a class first thing on Fridays too, so I only have to worry about Holden and Phoenix coming upstairs at the worst time possible.

Still not the best odds, but I’ll take it over all five of them being home.

Madden is dressed, bag in hand, and ready to make a break for it when I close us both back in my bedroom a few seconds later.

“Well? The window or the door?” he asks, but I notice the teasing tone is gone.

Guess he finally realized how serious this actually is.

“No one is down there, but you’ll still have to sneak out in case one of them is home.”

He rolls his eyes, and I can sense his irritation. I just don’t have it in me to worry about both right now.

“Maybe it’s time we move the sleepovers to my place instead.”

I nod in agreement and silently motion for him to follow me. There’s not a chance I wanna go through this kind of panic again; I don’t care if it means spending every goddamn night in enemy territory to avoid it.

Together, we tiptoe our way down the stairs and across the living room toward the front door. Every creak the floorboards make beneath my feet has my anxiety spiking, ratcheting up my heartrate to the point where I think it might actually explode.

Meanwhile, Madden is glancing around like he’s getting a fucking tour of the place.

“Damn, this is nice,” he whispers, and I shoot him one of thoseyou’ve gotta be kidding melooks over my shoulder.

“Really? Right now?”

“If you weren’t hell-bent on keeping me locked in your room, I wouldn’t feel the need for commentary,” he bites back.

As quietly as I can, I flick open the lock on the front door and send up a silent prayer for no one to be in the midst of coming into the house.

“I’ll lock the door behind you. Don’t stop for anyone until you get to your car.” I turn to look at him, finding him already staring back at me when I murmur, “Good luck this weekend.”

There’s a flicker in those hazel eyes, causing them to soften around the edges. “One more week, and I get to see you on the other side of the field.”

He presses his lips to mine in a quick kiss, and though I want to killhim for lingering longer than necessary, I still have to force myself to not reel him in and keep him here longer.

Then he’s out of the house, but not without shooting his attention back at me as he heads down the front steps. The corner of my mouth curls into a smile as I close the door behind him, firmly flicking the lock into place before I sigh in relief.

Relief that is obscenely short lived, because a knock on the front door less than a minute later has my stomach twisting itself back into knots. Panic and irritation battle for dominance as I quickly bolt over and unlock it, ready to absolutely ream Madden a new asshole for being so reckless.

“Seriously? I saidsneak—”I pause, frowning when I realize the dark-haired guy on the other side of the door isn’t Madden. “Oh. Sorry, you’re not who I thought you were.”

The guy blinks at me a couple times before shaking his head and asking, “Is Kason here?”

My brows hike up instantly, not expecting this turn of events.

“Maybe. Who the hell are you?” I ask, though, if my suspicions are correct, then this must be the ex-roommate—the one he had before moving in with us last month.

“I’m Kason’s—”

“What’s going…Hayes?” Phoenix’s voice comes from behind me. I glance over my shoulder to find his head popping through the door. “What are you doing here?”

“Looking for Kason, apparently,” I supply.

Phoenix’s gaze bounces between me and the guy—Hayes—before replying, “Kason’s not here.”

“Do you know when he’ll be back? I can wait if—”

“He won’t be back ‘til Monday,” Phoenix cuts in, frowning. “He’sdown in Indianapolis for the Combine.”