Hooked on the Game

by C. M. Owens

  I shake my head as I stand. "She doesn't hate you. Never did. She just hated what you did to earn that money."

  He forces a tight smile just as they announce visiting hours are over. I'll be glad when I can hug my father again. As we say our awkward farewells, I turn to walk out. In just a few more months, I'll have my father back.

  Chapter 11

  Baby Steps

  The house is quiet when I get back. Kade is most likely out with some friends. We leave for Aspen early tomorrow morning. It's already seven in the evening. He begged me to tell him my plans, but I just told him I had errands to run. I hated to lie to him, but it wasn't exactly like I could tell him the truth.

  I'll have to find a way to ease him into understanding where I come from, and then pray he accepts it better than the others who have found out.

  A knock at the door draws my attention just as I finish settling into a pair of sexy pajamas I hope pique Kade's interest. Ember called earlier to see if she could borrow a dress from my closet, so I guess she's here to collect.

  When I swing open the door, my greeting smile turns to fear. I'd know a Fed anywhere, and this guy has it tattooed on his forehead. Clean-shaved, sexy but militant hair, a charming but authoritative grin, and a rigid, dominant posture that seals the deal.

  "What did he do?" I groan, cursing my father silently.

  He laughs momentarily, but it turns into a sharp breath when his eyes scale up and down the length of my body, settling on my exposed inch of stomach for a minute, and then they ride back up to my cleavage.

  "Damn. Not what I was expecting," he murmurs to himself, seeming a little breathless.

  Ha. Me leaving someone that looks like him breathless. That's laughable.

  "What did he do?" I ask again, crossing my arms over my chest since he can't seem to stop staring.

  He snaps his eyes up to meet mine as a grin grows on his face.

  "How did you know who I am?"

  "You wreak of FBI. Call it a gift."

  He tilts his head as a challenge streams across his deep brown eyes. "Should we be watching you, Ms. Capperton? You're a little too good at spotting agents, considering I'm in street clothes"

  His street clothes are very... aesthetically pleasing to say the least; a tight black shirt tucked into a pair of jeans. His black belt is simple but sleek.

  "You can watch me if you want to be bored to death."

  "Something tells me I'd never be bored," he says under his breath, making my cheeks flush. "Ray sent me. I have a gift for you. Can I come in?"

  I step aside to show him in, and then I push the door shut behind him as he wanders into the elegant living room. He looks around, seeming to gauge my very lavish surroundings. Crap. It probably looks like I'm running a con. How else would a girl from the trailer park end up in such a snazzy home.

  "They bulldozed my house," I blurt out, needing to explain myself. That sounded so random.

  "Ray told me," he says, grinning as he continues to look around. He lets out a low whistle when he sees the numerous works of priceless art hanging proudly in various places. "Don't invite Ray over."

  I chuckle, but then I tilt my head. "Are you Agent Sparks? His handler?"

  He finally meets my eyes again as his beautiful smile stays fresh. He's almost as tall as Kade, just not quite. If this is Brody, he's not at all what I was expecting. He can't be older than twenty-three, twenty-four.

  "Just call me Brody."

  Well I'll be damned.

  "Mmkay, so, what's going on?"

  He tugs a folded envelope from his back pocket and hands it to me. Warily, I accept it and open it up. A loud gasp falls through my lips when I see at least three thousand dollars tucked inside.

  "You're supposed to be FBI," I whisper, feeling as though now I'm actually being watched and listened in on.

  "I am," he whispers back teasingly. Bastard. He laughs and then continues, "Ray said you didn't believe the money was clean. In fact, he said you wouldn't believe it unless he sent someone you knew for a fact couldn't hand it over to you without definitively disputing how very untainted it is. So here I am; delivering this money I can assure you has not been acquired by any illegal means."

  I smile down at the envelope that holds more meaning than the dollar amount. My father cares. Really cares. He's been trying, and I've been refusing.

  "Thank you," I murmur softly.

  "Anytime. I have to say... Ray never mentioned how... grown up you are. I was almost expecting a child to answer the door."

  I chuckle and then shake my head. "I was just a kid when he was locked up. He's still catching up. I go to see him at least once a month, but it isn't enough to let his mind wrap around the fact I'm an adult."

  "He'll have time to adjust soon. Are you going to move in with him?"

  "I don't know yet. I'm actually-"

  The door opens before I can finish that sentence, and I hear Kade's voice filling the foyer on his way toward us.

  "Raya? You home? I went and got everything we need for tomorrow..." His voice trails off as he rounds the corner to join us in the living room.

  He eyes Brody for a minute, probably wondering what some strange guy is doing in his house. When he looks back to me, his jaw is tense.

  "Raya? Care to introduce me to your... friend?" he asks, sounding a little irritated.

  Crap. How do I explain Brody?

  "This is Brody Sparks. A friend of my father's. He came by to drop off a gift from my dad. I told him I was going with you to Aspen, so I guess he wanted to make sure I had some cash to spend."

  Kade's eyes soften, and I realize this is quite possibly the first time I've ever mentioned my dad in front of him. Brody doesn't correct me and tell Kade about Ray being a convict or a con artist. I'll thank him one day for that.

  "Raya, I was planning on covering all the costs. You don't have to spend your money," Kade says, sounding like he wants to soothe me.

  I'm the mooching friend. Fucking eh. Not this week. This week is going to be different. It can be.

  Brody's grin continues to grow as he watches us. I roll my eyes as I go to stand beside Kade.

  "I'll go show Brody out, and then we'll watch a movie if you want. Unless you're going out," I murmur, trying to sound brave. I want to spend time alone, possibly seduce him. I don't know. It almost sounds ridiculous.

  "Ah, being tossed out. Well, it was nice to meet both of you. Raya," he says walking up beside me as I lead him away, "I'm sure I'll see you around. Have fun. I mean that. You deserve to kick back a little."

  I smile tightly, and then hold the door open for him to leave. He does so without any further awkward moments. When I turn around, Kade is leaning against the doorframe of the foyer.

  "Your father? So he's alive?" he asks, acting as though he's been waiting patiently for Brody to leave so he could question me.

  I rack my brain, trying to think of anything I might have said to make him think he was dead. Nothing.

  "You thought otherwise?" I ask while moving back toward him.

  His arm slides over my shoulders like it so often does as he takes me back into the living room. "I assumed he was because you never talk about him. He's alive but you're not close?"

  I sit down on the couch beside him as I try to think of vague but informative answers.

  "We're close." That's just vague. It won't sate his curiosity.

  "That's all I get?" he chuckles out.

  I don't want to lie to him, but I'm not ready to pour out the truth, either. "My father and I are really close, but things are... complicated. I'll tell you one day. If you decide to hang around me after the end of school."

  "I think you're stuck with me at this point," he says with a grin, but the butterflies shuffle through my stomach without any concern for how they distort my face. "You okay?" he asks.

  I wish I knew what he meant by that. How am I stuck with him? Romantically? Are we friends? Are we only ever going to be friends? So frustrating.


  "I'm fine. So we're flying out tomorrow, right? On your dad's jet?"

  "Early tomorrow, as in four in the morning. My dad loves to be the first on the slopes."

  Rich people and skiing. I've never understood it.

  "I've never skied before. Is it hard?"

  His grin spreads over his face when he finds amusement in that.

  "You've never skied? At all?"

  I snort out a laugh. "Don't sound so surprised. You saw my home. I lived there from twelve until I moved out here. People from Springton trailer parks don't spend much time in Aspen."

  His smile quickly dissolves, and I look away when I see pity. I can't handle that. It's too embarrassing. I shouldn't have said anything. I was trying to be funny. Now this just got too heavy.

  "So you didn't always live there?"

  Good. He's not going to comfort me with all the poor-pitiful-you speeches.

  I look back up to meet his eyes as memories flash through my head of a warm tan house with a big backyard. It was small in comparison to what Kade is used to, but it was home. It was full of love and life. My father had millions, but he didn't flash it around for all to see because he needed to stay under the radar. So, he found a small but comfortable home to be with his family.

  Nice, but reasonably priced vehicles stayed in our driveway. My room was big and perfect. He'd made sure of that. It's those memories that kept me close to him all these years, despite his betrayal.

  In my opinion, no saint goes without sinning, and no sinner goes without having some saintly qualities. You can judge one for their mistakes, or you can love them for the flaws they try to correct. I choose to love my father. That might make me stupid, but I'd prefer to be called stupid instead of cold. You only live once.

  "I had a house once, with my father. It was nice. We were happy. But we lost it later on."

  "Did he leave you and your mom?"

  I wish I could just tell him.

  "Yes and no. He left because he had to; not because he wanted to. It's a long story I don't want to delve into tonight."

  He nods, but I can see the determination in his eyes to pry further.

  "Did... did he do something to hurt one of you? I'm trying to understand, Raya, but I'm starting to feel like I should hate him. I don't see how someone just runs off; no matter what the reason."

  My heart swells with so many emotions. It's adorable to see him so concerned and protective.

  "My dad isn't a bad man. He's good man that made some bad mistakes. Believe me, I know the difference. I promise I'll explain one day. Right now, you need to help me learn to ski. I don't want to look like an idiot."

  His smile returns and his laughter breaks free.

  "You're going to look as goofy as a baby deer learning to walk. Get over it, Raya. You can't always be perfect," he teases.

  "Perfect," I scoff playfully, shaking my head. I've never been perfect. Jaded? That's me.

  Chapter 12

  Hot and Cold

  My ass is cold, wet, and in pain. I've spent more time on it than on the skis. This is ridiculous. I hate all these frigging pros right now.

  I slap the ground again, landing straight on my ass... again, and the skis clank together and rattle once I thud against the snow. My teeth are probably chattering, but I'm too numb to feel them. Who chooses to vacation somewhere this miserable? And who thought it would be fun to try and stand up on two slick sticks attached to your feet?

  That fluffy white powder is more deceptive than my father on a con. It looks soft and inviting, but it's a trick. After you flop down numerous times, it eventually hurts. Not to mention... It's. So. Cold!

  With the beating I've endured today, I feel like the roof collapsed on me again before someone tossed me in a cooler for hours on end.

  "You'll get the hang of it," Kade chuckles as he comes to help me up. I swat him away, refusing to let him keep picking me up off the ground.

  "I don't think so."

  "Your brother said you're a genius; that you soak up information like a sponge. You'll seriously get it."

  "Compared to my stepbrother, I am a genius. As for skiing, it's not information to soak up. It's athletic, and I'm not coordinated. It has nothing to do with intellect."

  He snickers but smothers the sound with his hand when I shoot him a warning glare. I start scrambling around, too far past the point of worrying how stupid I look out here. I shuffle to my feet, and attempt to go again, but the second I get to the small hills of snow, I crash again, landing straight on my ass. So terrible.

  "Ow!" I screech when I try to stand, only to fall back to the ground and land awkwardly on my booted foot that is still strapped to the ski.

  Kade's laughter flows again. I refuse to look at his smug self gliding across the snow like the perfect prince he is. Jackass. He makes it impossible to not see is haughty grin when he comes to a perfectly executed, graceful stop beside me.

  "I'm done. I've been out here all day, and I'm still on the bunny slopes. I'll never make it any higher before the week is up. I vote for hot cocoa and a warm blanket."

  I sniffle and wipe my nose that I'm afraid is running. It's too cold to tell. The wind bites at me, but Kade seems unfazed, as if he's from here instead of the warm air of Sterling Shore.

  "Oh, Raya. Don't give up. You're getting better," he lies, stifling his laugh.

  "Kade, I'm going to have huge bruises on my ass as it is."

  Roaring laughter comes from behind me, startling me.

  "Damn, Kade! What've you been doing to her precious ass to leave bruises?" Tag says, making my cheeks heat up and burn with humiliation.

  Kade rolls his eyes, but he can't wipe the teasing grin from his face when he sees how utterly mortified I am.

  "She likes it rough," Kade jokes, making me blush all the more.

  Tag bursts out laughing with Kade as I start throwing snowballs from the ground, still unable to get up on my own.

  "You're both jerks," I mumble, only fueling their laughter.

  "Aw, don't be mad," Kade says, mocking me all the more with just his tone. "Come on. Let's head to the lodge and get you dried and warmed up."

  He's not even wet. Of course, I've been on the ground for most of the day, and he hasn't fallen once.

  "You wasted the whole day trying to teach me to ski," I grumble, feeling like the worst guest ever.

  Tag goes to help him when my knees try to buckle. With one of them on either side of me, they slowly start leading me back, laughing in tiny spurts at my pathetic skills on snow.

  I poke my lips out to exaggerate a pout, but Kade's laughter ceases instead of continuing like I expected.

  "Damn, put those away, girl," Tag jokes.

  Kade's eyes go to my lips as I pull them back in. He reaches up with his hand to gently stroke my lips with his thumb, and my heartbeat quickens to the point I'm worried it'll explode. Tag becomes a forgotten fixture on the snow as I shuffle closer to Kade, praying he's about to finally kiss me for real.

  "Kade! Tag!" Wren yells, laughing loudly with Erica, his fiancée, attached. "Let's head up."

  Kade's hand falls from my face, and he lets out a ragged sigh before letting his eyes drift to Wren.

  "Not right now. Raya is cold and needs a change of clothes. Not to mention, I'm starving."

  Tag winks at a few passing girls who are skiing by us. The girls smile and wave, giggling lightly to themselves as they pass by with expert strokes.

  "I'll catch up with them later," Tag says with a grin.

  "You can head on. I've got Raya," Kade says while kneeling in front of me to start taking off my boots.

  We're not close to the lodge, and it's going to be hard to walk in this snow. He waves at a guy riding around on a snowmobile, and the guy doesn't hesitate to meet us, killing the engine the second he reaches us.

  "Carry her up to the house for me," he says to the guy who nods compliantly. Then Kade starts helping me up on the back of the snowmobile.

  So I'm going to the
house?

  "Come meet me at the lodge when you have on dry clothes, and I'll have you something warm to drink ready and waiting," Kade says as he steps back.

  "We'll come hang out with you for a few minutes," Erica says when they reach us.

  I clutch onto the back of the guy's jacket as he roars the engine to life again. My eyes go to Kade who offers me a small wink before I'm being whisked away. It doesn't take us long to get there, and I see Kade and the others laughing together in the distance.

  It feels right to be here with him, and no one has made me feel out of place. I can do this.

  Paul Colton has a house that can only be described as perfect, and it's a short walk from the lodge. Fortunately, there are sidewalks that stay shoveled that take you to and from.

  Margaret, Kade's mother, greets me at the door when I fumble with the key they told me to keep this week.

  "Hey," she says softly as she steps aside to let me in. "Where's Kade?"

  "He's waiting at the lodge. We both realized I have no Olympic potential in skiing."

  She laughs, and for the first time since I got here, she seems to actually enjoy my presence. As I head toward my bedroom, which is directly beside Mr. and Mrs. Colton's bedroom, she follows me.

  "You like my son, don't you?" she asks with a knowing grin.

  Shit. Am I that obvious?

  "Of course I do. He's oddly enough the first friend I've had since I moved to Sterling Shore."

  Her look softens, and she sighs out. "That's not what I meant. I think you know that, though." I swallow hard as she continues. "For what it's worth, I think you're the first friend he's ever had outside his family. And Tag is family, too, before you mention him."

  I laugh, but that's not true.

  "He has tons of friends at school."

  A sad smile graces her perfect lips. "Not friends, Raya. Those are people he keeps at arm's length. You... he acts his age with you. It's refreshing to see. Even with the girls he's dated over the years, he seemed detached, as though he was watching life rather than living it. I was starting to worry he'd always be that way, but with you... everything is different. He's constantly smiling or looking for you. He mentions you in random conversation, and he can't seem to stop touching you. The change in him is so amazing. My son adores you, and that says so much."