THE BADDEST HEART

RULES

CHAPTER FOUR

Rules

I didn't speak to Jayden the next morning.

Or the morning after that.

I ignored him in class.

I ignored him in the hallway.

And when I heard his teammates laughing near the gym, I took the longest possible route to the library.

It should have been easy.

Except it wasn't.

Because every time I closed my eyes, I remembered what he'd said.

I actually started liking you.

I hated that those words had stayed with me.

On Friday afternoon, I was packing my books when someone dropped a basketball onto my desk.

I looked up.

Jayden.

“Seriously?”

“You've been avoiding me.”

“Good observation.”

He pulled out the chair beside me.

I stood.

He sighed.

“Can we talk?”

“No.”

“Five minutes.”

“No.”

“Two?”

I looked at him.

“Thirty seconds.”

He smiled.

“Deal.”

I crossed my arms.

“Talk.”

He became serious.

“I ended the bet.”

I blinked.

“You did?”

“Yes.”

“What happens now?”

“Nothing.”

I studied his face.

“You're just going to forget about it?”

“No.”

He paused.

“I can't forget about you.”

My heart skipped.

I immediately looked away.

“That's not fair.”

“What isn't?”

“You saying things like that.”

“Why?”

“Because I don't know when you're being honest.”

He nodded slowly.

“Then I'll prove it.”

“How?”

He leaned forward.

“Give me three rules.”

“Rules?”

“For whatever this is.”

I hesitated.

Then I held up one finger.

“Rule one: no lies.”

He nodded.

“Agreed.”

“Rule two: no games.”

“Agreed.”

“Rule three…”

I paused.

“Don't fall in love with me.”

For the first time, Jayden didn't smile.

He looked at me for several seconds.

Then he quietly said,

“I think you're already too late.”

I froze.

He stood and picked up his basketball.

“See you Monday, Amara.”

He walked away.

I watched him disappear through the doors.

I wanted to believe him.

But there was something I didn't know.

Something Jayden hadn't told me.

The bet wasn't the only secret he was hiding.

And by Monday morning, I was going to find out exactly what it was.

CHAPTER FIVE

The Secret

Monday morning arrived with rain.

I stood beneath the school entrance, watching water pour over the pavement.

Then a black car stopped in front of the gate.

Jayden stepped out.

He wasn't wearing his usual confident smile.

He looked serious.

Almost angry.

A man in a dark suit stepped out after him and said something quietly.

Jayden shook his head.

“I told you I'm not doing it.”

The man grabbed his arm.

I couldn't hear what he said next.

Jayden pulled away.

“Not here.”

The man glanced around.

Then he noticed me.

Our eyes met.

Jayden immediately walked toward me.

“Amara.”

“Who was that?”

“No one.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“You're really bad at lying.”

His jaw tightened.

“I need you to trust me.”

“That's difficult when you keep hiding things.”

He looked around before lowering his voice.

“My father wants me to leave.”

I blinked.

“What?”

“After the basketball season.”

“Why?”

He hesitated.

“Because he thinks basketball is wasting my time.”

“That doesn't explain why you looked terrified.”

His eyes hardened.

“Because if I don't do what he wants, he's going to take everything away.”

“What everything?”

He didn't answer.

Before I could ask again, the school bell rang.

Jayden stepped closer.

“Please don't tell anyone.”

I nodded slowly.

“Okay.”

He started walking away.

Then I noticed something.

A small envelope had fallen from his jacket.

“Jayden!”

He didn't hear me.

I picked it up.

There was no name on the front.

Only one sentence.

ONE GAME. ONE CHANCE. DON'T FAIL.

My stomach tightened.

I turned the envelope over.

There was a photograph inside.

Jayden.

Standing beside a man I'd never seen before.

And written across the photograph were four words:

WE KNOW ABOUT HER.

I looked toward the hallway.

Jayden was already gone.

And suddenly, I understood something.

The bet wasn't the dangerous part.

Someone else was playing a much bigger game.

And somehow...

I was already part of it.

CHAPTER SIX

The Warning

I found Jayden behind the gym after school.

He was sitting on the steps, elbows resting on his knees, staring at the basketball court.

I held up the envelope.

“You dropped this.”

His head snapped toward me.

“Where did you get that?”

“It fell from your jacket.”

He stood immediately.

“Amara, give it to me.”

“No.”

His expression darkened.

“Please.”

That one word stopped me.

I handed it over.

He opened the envelope and stared at the photograph.

For a few seconds, he said nothing.

Then he folded it carefully.

“You weren't supposed to see this.”

“Who is that man?”

“My father's business partner.”

“And what does he want with me?”

Jayden looked away.

“Nothing.”

“Jayden.”

He closed his eyes.

“I don't know.”

I stepped closer.

“You're lying again.”

“I don't know what he wants,” he said. “But I know you shouldn't be involved.”

“Then tell me what's happening.”

He looked at me.

“My father made a deal with him years ago. I don't know all the details. But now that I'm old enough to understand what's going on, I think my father wants me to take over part of the business.”

“And you don't want to?”

“No.”

“What does basketball have to do with it?”

Jayden gave a bitter laugh.

“Everything.”

He explained that his father had promised him one final chance: if Jayden won the championship game, he could choose his own future.

If he lost, basketball was over.

And so was his freedom.

I stared at him.

“That still doesn't explain the photograph.”

“I know.”

He stepped closer.

“That's what scares me.”

“Why?”

“Because whoever sent it knows about you.”

A cold feeling spread through my chest.

“You think I'm in danger?”

Jayden didn't answer.

That was answer enough.

He reached for my hand, then stopped himself.

“Stay away from me.”

I stared at him.

“You just told me you liked me.”

“I do.”

“Then why are you pushing me away?”

“Because if something happens to you—”

He stopped.

His voice became quieter.

“I wouldn't survive it.”

I didn't know what to say.

Then a sound came from behind the gym.

Footsteps.

Jayden immediately turned.

“Stay here.”

“No.”

“Amara.”

He stepped in front of me.

The footsteps stopped.

Silence.

Then a voice came from the darkness.

“King.”

Jayden's entire body went still.

A man stepped into view.

He smiled.

“You should have listened to your father.”

Jayden's hand found mine.

And this time...

He didn't let go.

CHAPTER SEVEN

The Man in the Shadows

Jayden's grip tightened around my hand.

The man took another step forward.

He looked calm.

Too calm.

“Who are you?” I asked.

Jayden answered before the man could.

“Damon.”

The man's smile widened.

“Still introducing me like I'm a stranger?”

Jayden moved slightly in front of me.

“What do you want?”

Damon glanced at me.

“I think you know.”

His eyes returned to Jayden.

“Your father wants you home.”

“I already said no.”

“And he said you don't have a choice.”

Jayden's jaw tightened.

Damon looked at me again.

“You must be Amara.”

My stomach dropped.

“How do you know my name?”

Damon smiled.

“Your boyfriend talks about you.”

Jayden stepped forward.

“She's not my girlfriend.”

Damon laughed.

“Not yet.”

Jayden's expression changed.

“Leave her out of this.”

“Then come home.”

“No.”

Damon sighed.

“Jayden, you're making this harder than it needs to be.”

He reached into his jacket.

Jayden immediately pulled me behind him.

But Damon only took out his phone.

He turned the screen toward us.

There was a picture of me.

Standing outside school.

Taken that morning.

My blood ran cold.

“Where did you get that?”

Damon lowered the phone.

“Your father has people everywhere.”

Jayden looked furious.

“You were following her?”

“I was making sure she understood the situation.”

Jayden took a step forward.

“You don't go near her again.”

Damon smiled.

“Then you know what to do.”

He turned and walked away.

For several seconds, neither of us moved.

Then I pulled my hand from Jayden's.

“I need the truth.”

He looked at me.

“All of it.”

He nodded.

“I'll tell you.”

“When?”

“Tonight.”

I stared at him.

“Where?”

“My house.”

I hesitated.

Then nodded.

“Fine.”

He looked relieved.

But before I could leave, his phone buzzed.

He looked at the screen.

His face went pale.

“What?”

He turned the phone toward me.

It was a message from an unknown number.

YOU HAVE UNTIL MIDNIGHT.

Below it was another photograph.

This time...

It was a picture of us holding hands.

And underneath it were five words:

OR SHE PAYS THE PRICE.

TO BE CONTINUED!!!