The Game by Vi Keeland by Vi Keeland

“Should I consider myself lucky that you noticed mine, then?”

“Nah. I get to look at yours, so I’m the lucky one.”



***



It was almost midnight by the time the Town Car pulled up at Bella’s apartment, yet I still wasn’t ready for the night to end. I told the driver to double park wherever he could, since there was no parking anywhere on her street.

“You want to…take a walk around the block or something?” I asked.

Bella looked down at her heels. “These aren’t really walking shoes. Besides, this isn’t the greatest neighborhood for strolling. It’s mostly cracked sidewalks and creatures checking out the garbage at the curb.”

“Oh, okay.” I rubbed my hands on my thighs.

Bella looked over and grinned. “You’re cute when you’re trying to be good.”

“Oh yeah? Cute enough to kiss goodnight?”

She laughed. “Well, that didn’t last very long, did it?”

“Trying not to push with you is physically painful.”

“Well, I wouldn’t want you to be in pain. So why don’t you at least walk me up?”

We were barely out of the car when a paparazzo popped out of nowhere. His flash went off, and Bella jumped back and wobbled. I steadied her before palming the camera, which was practically in our faces.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I roared. “Sitting in front of her apartment at midnight?”

“Mr. Knox, is it true that you and Ms. Keating are dating?” The piece of shit cared more about getting a quote than the expensive camera I had in my hands.

I stepped in front of Bella and yanked the camera around his neck, hard enough that he had to bend, but not hard enough that it broke. “Get the fuck out of here before I choke you with this strap.”

“But are you two dating?”

Bella put a hand on my bicep. “Christian, don’t hurt him. It’s okay.”

I shook my head. “It’s not okay. You don’t sit in the bushes and pop out at women in the dark. That’s what robbers and rapists do.”

“I know. I didn’t mean it was okay that he does this all the time. I just meant we should ignore him.”

I looked over at the guy, who was still bent in half since I had the camera strap around his neck in my fist. “You do this to her all the time?”

“I’m trying to make a living, man.”

“You can ask the same questions and take pictures of her during the daylight, when she comes to work at the arena, not at her place at midnight.” I pulled a little harder on the camera strap. “You got it?”

He nodded, so I let go.

“Will you at least tell me if you’re dating?”

I stabbed a finger into his chest. “If you’re out here when I get back, we’re going to have a problem. Got it?”

I scooped my hand around Bella’s waist and pulled her close as we walked toward the fruit stand. “You really need a place with security.”

“I know. The other night someone got into the building and came up and knocked on the interior door to my apartment.”

I stopped in place. “Are you kidding me?”

“It was fine. I saw the guy had a camera through my peephole and yelled for him to leave, or I was going to call the cops, and he left.”

I shook my head. “I’m walking you upstairs to your apartment door.”

Bella waved to an older man sitting behind the counter watching TV as we headed for a door next to the refrigerator cases. It wasn’t even locked. And the stairway was pitch dark.

“Isn’t there a light?” I said.

Bella fiddled with her phone and turned on the flashlight to illuminate the dark hall. “It’s broken.”

I mumbled half the way up the creaky stairs. When we got to the landing at the top of two flights, Bella stopped and motioned to the only door. “This is me.”

I put my hands on my hips and shook my head. “I’m so freaked out about your lack of security that I can’t even appreciate that I have you alone in a dark hall.”

“It’s not that bad…”

“Your security is a frail, eighty-year-old man who’s watching soap operas, and some guy just jumped out of your bushes.”

She dug keys out of her purse, then had to shine her phone on the doorknob to know where the lock was. When the door opened, she reached inside and flicked on a light, which made it slightly easier to see.

“Thank you for dessert.”

I nodded and took her hand. “Are you sorry I crashed your date?”

She was quiet for a moment before shaking her head. “Not really. I like spending time with you.”

“Then you should do it more often.”

Bella laughed. “Smooth.”

I swung our joined hands. “Go out with me, Bella?”

“I think technically I already did. We sat next to each other at dinner, and you paid the bill and drove me home.”

“I want a real date. One that’s just me and you.”

She looked down and was silent again for a long time before meeting my eyes. “Your contract is up this year. What if it’s not renewed?”

“Because we started dating?”

“No, not because we started dating, but the meeting to decide on all the contracts is only a few weeks away. What if the GM recommends not renewing because of your injury or for whatever reason, and we’re already dating?”