RISKY PLAY (RED CARD #1) BY RACHEL VAN DYKEN Page 0,32

piss me off. I’d rather have him angry than silent. “It’s an NDA—one I would have given you in Mexico had—” He shrugged. “It’s something I missed, alright? I need you to sign it.”

Tears stung the back of my eyes as anger surged to the surface just a little bit faster than the sadness and embarrassment. “You’re a piece of work, you know that?”

He sighed and then put both of his hands on my shoulders like I was the one that needed to be calm. “Mackenzie, it’s to protect both of us, alright? What if a reporter asks you about me? If you sign something, you don’t have to say shit.” The asshole actually smiled like he’d just made it all better. And I wasn’t stupid! I didn’t have to say anything with or without the NDA.

“No.” I dropped the pen.

“No?” He ran a hand through his overgrown gorgeous hair. “What do you mean no?”

“I mean no. I won’t sign it. I wasn’t . . . I don’t need your money. I don’t need your fame. Trust me, the last thing I want is to be in the spotlight. I’m taking care of your houseplants, for crying out loud!”

“Do I even have houseplants?”

“That’s not the point!” My chest hurt. I jerked away from him and stood. “That’s . . . you’re making it . . . you’re making what happened between us . . . like a business deal gone wrong. You’re making it . . . so heartless.”

Slade wiped his face and sat back in the chair. “I’m protecting you.”

“No! You’re protecting you. Because you’re all you care about! This isn’t about me! This is all you. And you know the worst part? I missed you. I missed you so much, and when I found out you were gone I felt so used. You were so—”

“Don’t.”

“Tender,” I whispered. “You’re not even that person. It wasn’t even real, you know? It wasn’t . . .” I wrapped my arms around my stomach. “I’m going to go take Alfie for another walk.”

“Mackenzie.” He stood and grabbed me by the elbow. “I’m trying, can’t you see that? I’m doing the best I can!”

“Do. Better.” I grabbed the leash.

“Fuck!” I could hear his loud, angry footsteps as he followed me into the entryway. “Would you just stop walking away and listen for one damn minute!”

“No!” I bent down and hooked the leash to Alfie’s collar. Before I knew what was happening, Slade grabbed my hand and pulled me against his chest. I stumbled and braced myself against his biceps.

“Let me go,” I said weakly.

His golden gaze darted to my lips and then back up to my eyes. “What’s it going to take for you to sign this? To promise me you’ll never go to the press about that night. To promise me you’ll never come back and write a tell-all for some blog about your night with—” His eyes lit up and then he was kissing me, backing me up into the wall, his tongue deep in my mouth, his taste etching itself on my soul.

My heart thudded to life as he pressed his body against mine, trapping me, tasting my lips between his in slippery hot kisses that made my blood heat. The back of my head pressed against the wall while he cupped my chin with his hands, tried a different angle, then kissed the corner of my mouth again and again before pulling away breathless.

“Sign it. Please.”

I slapped him across the face.

Uh-oh. Not part of my plan.

In fact, I was so shocked I did it, I immediately covered my mouth with my hands. “Never . . . kiss me again to get me to do something. You’ve already taken enough, don’t you think?”

I wouldn’t let him see the tears escape my eyes in rapid succession.

I wouldn’t let him hear the sound of my heart breaking for a second time since seeing him again.

I wouldn’t let him think he’d won.

I would, however, call Jagger first thing after my walk with Alfie.

Chapter Twenty-Five

SLADE

I shouldn’t have fucking kissed her.

I saw her tears.

And it haunted me the entire ride to practice. When I passed her on the street, she didn’t look up, didn’t acknowledge me even though Alfie started barking.

Shit.

I dialed Matt’s number. “Hey, I need you to send flowers to my house.”

Matt sighed like I was the most irritating client in the world. “Sending flowers to yourself to make your lady friend jealous? Is that what we’re doing here? Nothing better up your