Page 144 of The Illicit Play

I need to get out of here. Hide away.

Something!

Grady. Where are you? I need you to take me away from here. Please!

CHAPTER 49

GRADY

Zander’s garage feels hot and stuffy, but I think that’s just me.

As I stare across the room at Zoey, snuggled up on her mama’s lap, fast asleep, bundled under a blanket and looking as peaceful as ever… I know it’s just me.

I’m the one with the leg jackknifing while Zander calmly looks at me from his perch on the arm of the two-seater.

Pressed against the other side of the sofa, I avert my gaze from Zoey’s cute little face and Sienna’s pained smile. Her compassion is killing me.

When I first walked in here, they were on the bed together, gazing down at Zoey with these adoring smiles. Their whispered words were going over their daughter’s head, and I felt like the worst intruder. I started backing out of the garage immediately, but Zander waved me in.

“I don’t want to wake her,” I whispered.

“She can sleep through a fireworks display.” Sienna grinned at me. “Don’t worry about it.”

She might have been saying that, but she’s still kept her voice low this whole time… and when her expression started to fold as she took me in.

“Are you okay?” Zander asked for the both of them, and before I could stop myself, I slumped my butt on the edge of their couch and fessed up with zero coercion on their part. The guilt just tumbled right out of me, splattering all over their floor until they were both blinking at me in surprise.

“So, what are you gonna do?” Zander crosses his arms, his expression serious.

Yeah, I know! I know! I broke the bro code!

Leaning forward, I rest my elbow on my bobbing knee and shake my head.

Then I sigh.

“Fuck,” I mutter. “I need to go talk to Wily. If he’ll let me. You should have seen his face, brah.”

I look at Zander. I have no idea what my face is doing, but it must be pretty pained by the way his forehead is wrinkling.

“I screwed this up so badly.”

“Do you love her?” Sienna’s question makes my head pop up. I blink at her, not sure what to say. “Or was this just wild sex in the woods?” Her lips twitch.

I let out a breathy laugh and shake my head. “It wasn’t just that,” I assure them both. “I mean, we thought it would just be a fling, you know? And then we’d come back to Nolan and pretend it never happened. But…” I shake my head. “I couldn’t do it.”

“So, you do love her.” Sienna’s face brightens.

I wince, rubbing my forehead. “It’s been a week.”

“So? People fall in love that quickly all the time.”

“I don’t know if I’m ready for that again. I mean, that breakup with Teah was brutal and?—”

“You’re still not over her, are you?”

“I…” My shoulders shrug before I can stop them. “No. Yes. I mean… I…” Squeezing my eyes shut, I force myself to think it through.

Am I still in love with Teah the way Wily thinks I am?