PLAYING FOR KEEPS

CHAPTER 2

CHARLIE

I woke up tangled in sheets that probably cost more than my tuition, sunlight streaming through floor-to-ceiling windows. For a moment, I forgot where I was.

Then I felt the warm weight of an arm across my waist.

Julian.

Last night came rushing back. The club. The kiss. Everything after.

I turned my head slowly. He was still asleep, dark hair messy, face relaxed. His arm tightened around me even in sleep, pulling me closer.

I should leave. Should grab my things and disappear before this got complicated.

But God, when was the last time I'd felt this safe?

His eyes opened, catching me staring. A slow smile spread across his face.

"Morning, Red."

"Don't call me that."

"Too late. It's already your name." His hand slid up my bare back, leaving heat in its wake. "Sleep okay?"

"Better than I have in months."

"Good." He pressed a kiss to my shoulder, then another to my neck. "Get used to it."

My breath caught. "Julian, last night was wonderful but we barely know each other."

"So let's fix that." He rolled, pinning me beneath him. His weight pressed me into the mattress in a way that made thinking impossible. "Tell me something else true."

I couldn't focus when he looked at me like that. Like I was something precious.

"I'm terrified," I whispered.

"Of me?"

"Of needing someone again. Everyone leaves."

Something shifted in his expression. Softer. Almost vulnerable. "I'm not going anywhere, Charlie. You can need me. I want you to need me."

He kissed me then, different from last night. Gentle but possessive. Claiming me in a way that made my toes curl.

His hand slid down my side, fingers tracing patterns on my hip. I arched into his touch, and he groaned against my mouth.

"You're going to be the death of me, Red."

"Good," I breathed.

His lips traveled down my throat, finding that spot below my ear that made me gasp. His hand moved higher, and I was just about to completely lose myself when his phone buzzed.

He ignored it.

It buzzed again. And again.

"You should get that," I managed.

"Don't care." His mouth was doing sinful things to my collarbone.

But I saw the name flashing on the screen. Dad.

"Julian. Answer it."

He sighed, rolling off me and grabbing his phone. "This better be important."

"It is." His father's voice carried even though the phone wasn't on speaker. "Photos of you leaving the club last night with some girl are everywhere. Who is she?"

I froze.

Julian's jaw tightened. "That's none of your business."

"Everything you do is my business. Basketball season starts in three weeks. You can't afford distractions."

"She's not a distraction."

"I don't care if she's the queen of England. Get rid of her. Focus on your career."

"No."

Silence. Then, "Dinner tonight. Seven sharp. Don't be late."

The call ended.

I'd already started pulling the sheet around myself, creating distance.

"Charlie, don't."

"He's right. I'm a distraction."

"You're not." He reached for me, but I moved away.

"Isn't this exactly what this is? Your rebellion against Daddy?"

Pain flashed across his face. "That's not fair."

"Isn't it?" I climbed out of bed, looking for my dress. "You don't know me, Julian."

"Then let me." He crossed to me, gripping my arms. "Look at me."

I did. His eyes were intense.

"I don't know what this is yet," he said. "But I know I want to find out. Don't run because my father's an asshole."

"I don't fit in your world."

"Good. My world's boring as hell." His thumb traced my cheekbone. "Stay. At least through the weekend. Then decide."

It was a terrible idea.

"Okay," I whispered.

Relief flooded his face. He kissed me again, deep and claiming, his hands tangling in my hair. I melted into him, letting myself believe this could work.

A knock interrupted us.

"Jules, delivery's here." Marcus, his younger brother. "Guest room okay?"

Julian pulled back, breathing hard. "Yeah. I'll be out in a minute."

"Take your time," Marcus called back, laughter in his voice.

Heat crept up my neck. "He knows."

"He knows you're staying. That's all that matters." Julian grabbed a shirt, tossing it to me. "Wear this."

I looked at my red dress crumpled on the floor, destroyed.

His shirt swallowed me, hanging mid-thigh. Julian stared like I'd stripped naked.

"You look better in my clothes than I do."

"Liar."

"Truth." He caught my hand, pulling me close for another kiss. "God, I could get used to this."

"Don't. Not yet."

But his smile said it was already too late.

The apartment in daylight was stunning. Marble floors, expensive art, views that took my breath away.

Marcus sat on the couch, scrolling through his phone. He looked up when we entered.

"Morning. Official introduction, I'm Marcus. The fun brother."

"Charlie."

"I know who you are. You're trending on three different apps right now." He turned his phone toward me.

My stomach dropped.

Photos of Julian and me leaving the club filled the screen. His hand on my back. Us looking at each other like the world didn't exist.

"Mysterious Girl Captures Julian Valentino" read the headline.

The comments were vicious.

*Who is she?*

*Gold digger.*

*He can do better.*

*She's not even pretty.*

I felt sick.

Julian snatched the phone away. "Enough."

"They're going to find out who I am," I said quietly.

"So let them."

"Easy for you to say."

"Charlie." He tilted my chin up, forcing me to meet his eyes. "I don't care what they think. Only what you think."

"I think this is going to blow up in our faces."

Before he could respond, the apartment door opened.

A woman walked in. Tall, blonde, beautiful. She stopped when she saw us, her expression shifting to cold fury.

"Julian." Her voice could cut glass. "I heard rumors."

"Victoria." Julian's arm came around my waist, protective. "What are you doing here?"

"I still have a key. From when we dated." She looked at me like I was dirt. "Who's this?"

"Charlie. My girlfriend."

I jerked in surprise. We hadn't discussed that.

Victoria laughed. Sharp and mean. "Your girlfriend? You met her last night."

"And?"

"And you don't do girlfriends." She turned to me. "How much do you want to disappear?"

"Excuse me?"

"Money. Name your price."

Humiliation burned through me. "I'm not for sale."

"Everyone's for sale, sweetheart."

"Victoria, get out," Julian said, his voice dangerous.

"Not until she does. She's going to ruin your career."

"The only person ruining anything is you. Leave."

Victoria smiled, cold and sharp. "This isn't over. She doesn't belong here, and everyone will see it soon."

She left, slamming the door.

I pulled away from Julian.

"That was your ex?"

"Yes. Ignore her."

"Is she wrong though?" I looked around the apartment. "I don't belong here."

"You belong wherever you want to be."

"That's easy to say when you've never had to fight for anything."

His expression hardened. "You think I don't fight? To be more than my father's puppet? To prove I'm worth something beyond my name?"

"That's not what I meant."

"Isn't it? Maybe you're not ready for this after all."

The words hit like a slap.

"Then I'll leave."

"Charlie, wait."

But I was already walking toward the guest room, toward my things, toward escape.

I'd almost reached the door when it opened.

Daniel stood there. The quiet brother from last night. His expression was strange. Intense.

"Don't go," he said.

"Daniel, stay out of this," Julian warned.

"No. She needs to know something first."

"Daniel."

"She deserves the truth." Daniel's eyes met mine. "I know who you are, Charlie. I know about your mother."

My blood ran cold. "How?"

"Because your mother saved someone I love." He stepped closer. "Melissa. She's my fiancée."

The world stopped.

"What?" Julian and I said together.

"Melissa and I have been engaged for six months," Daniel said quietly. "And she's been looking for you, Charlie. To thank you. To help you."

"She refused to help me last night," I said numbly.

Daniel's expression shifted. Confusion. Then something darker. "What are you talking about?"

"I begged her for a place to stay. She said no."

"That's impossible. She's been trying to find you for years. She told me."

"Then she lied," I said.

The brothers exchanged looks.

"Why would Melissa lie?" Julian asked slowly.

And then I saw it. The calculation in Daniel's eyes. The way his gaze lingered on me just a fraction too long.

"Unless," I whispered, "she didn't want Daniel to find me."

"Why wouldn't she?" Julian demanded.

Daniel's jaw clenched. "Because she knows."

"Knows what?" I asked.

He looked at me, and something in his expression made my breath catch.

"That I've been half in love with the idea of you for three years. And now that I've actually met you, it's so much worse than I imagined."