Crossing the Line

by Nicola Marsh

  Dani never cried. Not once in all the years we'd been friends had she shed so much as one tear. It made me feel like a bitch.

  "Look, just forget it—"

  "No." Dani squared her shoulders, her stare icy despite the shimmer of tears. "Feel better, getting that off your chest? Because you've obviously been stewing on it for a decade."

  Her upper lip curled in a sneer. "Anything else you want to give me shit for?" She tapped her temple, pretending to think, before snapping her fingers. "I know. Why don't you tell me what you really think about all the guys I've slept with. Just call me a slut and be done with it. Or how you've never forgiven me for not following you to the ass end of the earth and attending DU with you."

  Dani's voice had risen with each accusation and rather than making me want to back down, I was spitting mad again. Because the truth was, she'd articulated some of the stuff that had bugged me for years, and now that it was finally out in the open, maybe I would get some answers.

  "Why do you do it? Sleep with so many guys?"

  If I'd scored a direct hit, she didn't show it. Instead, Dani steeled her expression into a hardness I'd never seen. "Who says I sleep with them all?"

  It was the first time I'd heard her admit what I often suspected: that Dani liked to portray herself worse than she was. "You do. It's all you ever did when we were teenagers, boasting about your conquests, taunting the other kids at school into calling you a slut." I shook my head, sadness replacing my anger. "I hated how you belittled yourself like that."

  She glanced away, but not before I'd seen a flicker of pain. "It's all in the past."

  "Is it?" I pointed at the clubhouse in the distance, visible through the front window. "Because even our first night together, when I wanted to stay in and catch up, all you wanted to do was pick up some random guy." I puffed out a breath. "You're still doing it, Dani. Whenever we're together, all you want to do is hit on guys or rustle up a party or scope your next prey."

  That last comment was catty but now that the truth was tumbling out of me, I was on a roll and couldn't stop. "As for you not coming to college with me? That didn't bug me half as much as you not telling me the truth as to why."

  Dani sagged a little and I almost went to her. Almost.

  "Not everything revolves around you," she said, her tone frigid. "You have your secrets, I have mine."

  "What secrets …"

  Damn, if she knew how involved I really was with Kye, there was no telling what she'd do in this mood. Would she betray me to my dad? I sure as hell hoped not.

  "I saw the Aussie leave her a little while ago." She pinned me with a stare that meant business. "You should be proud, banging the hottest jock."

  I winced at her crudeness and she sniggered.

  "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me." She glanced at her watch and faked a yawn. "Pity though. By the time you've finished playing with your newest toy, vacation will be over and we won't have any time to hang out."

  She fake-knuckled her eyes. "Boo-fucking-hoo."

  I stared in disbelief as the one, true friend I had in the world flipped me the finger and strode toward the door, slamming it on her way out.

  Chapter 22

  KYE

  My morning may have started off pretty frigging great, waking up next to Mia after our first official date night, but the day had gone downhill from there.

  Despite a positive game analysis from Dirk, where he'd ripped apart every forehand, backhand and serve in my last match, highlighting the good, encouraging where I could improve, I'd been on edge.

  I didn't like lies and sitting next to Dirk for two hours while he gave me tips to take my game to the next level made me feel like a first-grade prick.

  He'd warned me off his daughter. And I didn't give a shit. Not sure when the truth hit. Sometime between him praising my third return in the fourth game of the second set and Dirk suggesting I come to LA to meet with some of his old sponsors next week. I should've been over the moon. Sponsors meant money. Money meant security. Security meant following my dream of being the best.

  But was it? Was playing in Grand Slams really my dream? Or had this game I'd first played to blow off steam snowballed into much more than I wanted?

  I liked tennis. Tennis was good for me. It kept me centered and focused and the darkness at bay. But since I'd met Mia I'd realized that anger didn't need to fuel my tennis. I could win without it. The million-dollar question was, did I want to?

  Because sometime during Dirk's analysis, I'd realized that I wasn't hungry enough. Winning Grand Slams wasn't the be-all and end-all for me. Initially I'd used tennis as a release, lately as a way to pay back my dad and hopefully gain his respect.

  Now? It didn't seem to matter so much. Talking with Mia, tapping into feelings I hadn't known existed, made me see that I didn't need to play tennis to be a halfway decent human being.

  I could do that on my own.

  All I had to figure out was how to break it to Dad and where did that leave my future?

  I entered my villa and dumped my workout bag near the door, spying a folded piece of paper that had been slipped under it.

  I picked it up and opened it, unable to stop a stupid grin as I saw who'd written it.

  EVERYONE ATTENDING CLUBHOUSE DINNER AT 6.

  MEET ME AT THE POOLHOUSE.

  M

  Considering how fired up we'd got at the pool house last time, I couldn't wait to meet Mia there. Maybe I could discuss the stuff bouncing around my head, see what she thought. She'd been amazingly insightful so far and the crazy thing was, I couldn't imagine talking to anyone else about my private thoughts the way I did with her.

  I knew this thing we had would end when she went back to uni and I figured out what the hell I wanted to do that didn't involve following a futile dream here at the academy. But I'd never expected to feel this … sad, at the thought of not having her around anymore.

  A quick glance at the digi clock on the counter showed I had ten minutes to shower and meet Mia. Ten more minutes to mull answers to questions I was too scared to contemplate let alone want to acknowledge.

  Questions like, how would I extricate myself from the deal I'd made with my dad? How could I leave the academy without pissing off Dirk and ultimately affecting my chances with Mia? And the biggie, why the hell was I even considering a future with Mia beyond her holiday fling?

  No amount of vigorous shampooing or hot water cleared my head and as I headed for the pool house I couldn't help but hope things would be clearer once I saw Mia.

  As corny as it sounded, everything seemed better when I was around her.

  The pool house was in darkness, bar the solar-powered lights that ringed the pool. Perfect place for a secret assignation, as I'd found out the first time she'd followed me here.

  The chlorine-tinged humidity engulfed me as I entered. "Babe, you in here?"

  Silence, punctuated by the soft hum of the filter. Wishing she'd get here already, I sank onto one of the sun loungers and lay back, hands behind my head, legs outstretched.

  I hadn't had much downtime since I'd arrived here. Every minute of every day was taken up by practice or team meetings or lectures from the sport scientists/psychologists/exercise physiologists. And when I wasn't on the court, I was expected to schmooze with my fellow academy wannabes. The rest of the time? I'd been with Mia. And that's what I wanted more of.

  My eyes drifted shut as I imagined what we could've been like if we'd met under different circumstances. What it would be like to date her.

  She was quirky and funny and beautiful, inside and out. I'd never met anyone like her. And I'd miss her more than I cared to admit.

  "Glad you came, Big Boy."

  My eyes snapped open in time to see Dani straddle me, lean forward and kiss me.

  It took my befuddled brain several seconds to process what the fuck was going on and by the time I sat up, grabbed her waist to haul her off and wrenched my mouth away, it was too late.

  Mia
stood outside the glass door to the pool house, staring at me like I'd stabbed her in the heart.

  "Get the fuck off me," I growled, shoving Dani away, not caring when she sprawled on the cold tiles at my feet. "What kind of a sick bitch comes onto her friend's guy?"

  "The worst kind," she murmured, the bleakness in her eyes not stopping me from stepping over her on my way to Mia.

  However, by the time I glanced up, Mia had gone.

  Chapter 23

  MIA

  I ran.

  Ran as fast as I could, channeling every ounce of pain and devastation into my feet, willing them to take me as far from the ugliness as I could get.

  I had no idea where I was headed, until I reached the main house. This was where I could hide. Regroup. My sanctuary.

  I let myself in the back door and bounded up the steps, taking them two at a time, needing the safety of my old bedroom, the one place in this topsy-turvy world I'd always felt safe.

  I burst into the room, half expecting it to be converted into another of my dad's trophy rooms. Instead, it was like entering a time warp. Nothing had changed. Nothing. The queen size bed covered in a pink satin throw. The dressing table covered in hairbrushes and make-up and jewelry. The bookcase stacked to overflowing, paperbacks and hardbacks jostling for position three-deep. The corkboard covered in postcards from around the world, from every city my dad played in.

  The familiarity drew me in, comforted, as I locked the door, crossed to the bed, and dove under the covers. Where I lay for the next two hours, alternating between crying my eyes out and formulating my plan.

  I had to leave tonight; there was no question of staying.

  And I couldn't see Kye, that was a given.

  Kye.

  The guy I'd fallen in love with.

  The guy who'd been kissing my best friend.

  The guy who'd been lying, cheating scum.

  God, I was such a fool.

  Had he been playing me all along? I didn't think so, but then, what did I know? With no relationship experience, a guy like him could tell me anything and I'd believe him.

  Shit, I had. Believed it all. Every single word he'd fed me.

  Had it all been a lie? Or was he tired of me and suring up his bet for once I left? Maybe that was it: Dani would be around once I headed back to Denver and he wanted to move from one girl to another.

  As for Dani, nothing she did surprised me anymore. We'd been growing apart for years and our fight had cemented what I'd known for a while. We had nothing in common any more. I was working hard at college to make it on my own. Dani was living off her trust fund, drinking and partying and sleeping her way around LA.

  And apparently, she'd decided to sleep with my boyfriend.

  The pain gutted me anew, like someone had stuck a knife in my stomach and ripped upward, leaving a jagged, gaping hole leading directly to my heart. It ached with a fierceness that made me gasp for air.

  I had to escape. Tonight. Without arousing Dad's suspicions and ensuring Kye kept out of my way.

  In the end, it was too easy. The simplicity of my plan would guarantee success.

  But it all hinged on one thing: me being able to pull off the biggest con job of the century.

  That I was a perfectly normal girl eager to get back to college to help out a friend in need. A girl who hadn't just had her heart torn in two by an absolute bastard.

  #

  I knew Dad's official clubhouse dinners took three hours, so I texted him to meet me at the house when he was done and spent a good thirty minutes making myself presentable. Washed my face. Practiced smiling in front of the mirror. It didn't look like a grimace and I almost believed I could pull this off, until I saw my eyes. Dull. Lifeless. Empty. Like a light had been switched off.

  I blinked several times, trying to erase the devastation. It didn't work, but hopefully Dad would be preoccupied as usual and wouldn't notice. Wouldn't be the first time.

  I heard the front door open and close, and took a few more seconds to compose myself before heading for the den, where I knew Dad would be pouring a post-dinner scotch.

  He never invited people up to the main house, something I relied on as I knocked once before entering.

  "Hey Dad, how was dinner?"

  "Same old," he said, not looking up from the glass in one hand, crystal decanter in the other. "What did you do tonight?"

  Saw two people I care about betray me. Had my heart broken. Just your average evening. Not.

  "Stayed in, grabbed a sandwich while I watched a movie." Thankfully, my voice didn't quiver at all. Good. I could do this. "’Til I got a call from my roommate, and then I packed."

  He glanced up, a frown creasing his brow. "Packed?"

  "I'm heading back to Denver tonight, Dad." Mustering my best hangdog expression, I sat on the leather sofa, trying to appear relaxed. "Andie's having a few problems and needs my help."

  His frown deepened. "What kind of problems?"

  I played my trump card. "Woman's problems." Two words guaranteed to strike fear into the heart of any male.

  Predictably, my dad appeared uncomfortable as he sat behind his desk and downed half his scotch in one gulp. "Doesn't she have family?"

  "Her folks are in Canada helping her other sister, who's just given birth to her first child."

  "And she has no one else?"

  "Dad, she wouldn't have called if she did." I sighed, throwing in a minor lower lip wobble. "I have to go help her."

  After a long pause, he nodded. "Sure, sweetheart. Guess I'm just grumpy because this cuts your vacation short."

  "I know, Dad, but I'll be back at the end of next semester, before you know it." I stood, crossed the room and bent to hug him. "Love you."

  "Love you too, baby girl." He stood and hugged me tight, the type of hug I wish he'd been around to give a lot more often when I'd been growing up. "Do you need me to charter a jet for you?"

  "Would you?" I'd been counting on this too. A speedy getaway facilitated by my dad who had influence and money and got things done.

  "Absolutely." He disengaged from our hug, already reaching for the phone.

  "Thanks." Time to add the one thing guaranteed to ensure I escaped without seeing Kye. "Oh, I almost forgot. I ran into Kye on the way up here. Said he'd missed dinner because he was practicing some of the strokes you'd given him feedback on, and he wanted to discuss it further with you tonight. Said he'd be in his villa."

  "Okay, thanks honey, I'll go see him once I've arranged everything for you."

  "You're the best." I blew him a kiss and slipped out of the den, making my way back up to my old bedroom, where I had the perfect vantage point to wait and watch.

  My cell beeped. Dad, sending me all the deets of my departure. Which would be accelerated if the rest of the plan I set in motion happened.

  I waited a long five minutes before I saw Kye heading toward the house, no doubt in search of me, and Dad met him halfway, guiding him toward the gymnasium where he'd hopefully spend the next hour at least dissecting Kye's strokes.

  My chance to escape.

  I bolted from the house toward my villa, where I threw things into a suitcase, stuffed my overnight bag with things I'd need on the jet and grabbed a water bottle. By that time, the limo had pulled up outside.

  Like clockwork.

  As I slid into the limo's cool leather interior, I risked one last glance at the gym. No Kye in sight. Good. I'd done it.

  Then why did I feel so goddamned bad?

  Chapter 24

  KYE

  I knew it had been too good to be true.

  Happiness didn't happen to schmucks like me. I should be used to it. Every single time I'd been happy in my life, something had happened to fuck it up. Losing Mum. Losing the only home I'd ever known. And now, losing Mia.

  Our time together may have been short but it had been so worth it. For the first time in a long time, I'd been truly happy. Which of course meant it had to go belly-up.

  To mak
e matters worse, I had to abort my frantic search for her when Dirk collared me and dragged me to the gym to discuss my strokes. Strokes that I'd been practicing through dinner, apparently, according to Mia.

  Smart move, setting her dad onto me, buying time to cool down. Because I could imagine how furious she must be. To walk in and see her bestie kissing me … this was such a fuck-up. I had to find her ASAP and explain.

  After a long two hours with Dirk, I bolted to her villa and banged on the door. Checked my mobile for the umpteenth time. Fired off another desperate text for her to contact me. And banged on the door some more.

  "She's not there."

  I jumped and spun around, to find Pete eyeing me with speculation. Great, last thing I needed was this shithead witnessing anything between Mia and I, so I feigned nonchalance. "Do you know where she is?"

  "Gone back to Denver. Some emergency with her room-mate." Pete shrugged and made loco circles at his temple. "Couldn't think of anything worse, cutting vacation short to head back to college early."

  I could think of worse things. Like the girl I loved running out on me because she thought I was a low-life bastard.

  "Yeah," I said, making a grand show of looking at my watch. "I'm beat. See you at practice in the morning."

  As if. I wouldn't be here in the morning. I'd be on the first plane to Denver.

  "Too bad, huh?" Pete smirked. "Looks like I wasn't the only one who wanted to nail Coach's daughter."

  I could hit him. I should hit him. But the anger that would normally flood me in situations like this didn't come.

  Sure, I still wanted to dropkick this dickhead for being a sleaze, but the darkness that usually descended? Vanished. Just like the woman who'd helped banish it.

  "Whatever." I gave Pete the two-fingered salute and headed back to my villa.

  I needed time to think, to plan, to research.