Ready or Not (The Love Game Book 4) by Elizabeth Hayley (pdf ebook reader .txt) 📕

did my best to control my urge to leave when Ransom’s beautiful face seemed to break in front of me. But that only made my need for distance grow. I did that to him. I made him feel like… I didn’t want to think about what that made him feel like. I was too concerned with my own feelings, which consisted mostly of panic with a splash of fear.

Okay, maybe more than a splash.

And sitting here, witnessing the internal monologue I knew was happening inside his head did nothing to help my own.

The rest of our crew were still sitting with us, but they’d been debating whether it would be more embarrassing to fall up the stairs or down them, so they thankfully seemed oblivious to the tension. Well, maybe everyone except Sophia. And even though she knew better than to interject, I still felt exposed in a way that made me feel like ants were crawling beneath my skin.

“Can we go somewhere more private to talk about this?” I finally said, my voice low and intentionally calm.

Without saying a word, Ransom stood and followed me from the Yard and to around the front of Rafferty’s. I sat down on the small brick wall that bordered the entrance, and Ransom took a seat next to me.

“I didn’t mean we were technically dating,” he said. “I know we never put any kind of label on…whatever this is, and that taking care of a kid and a bunch of dogs doesn’t actually count as a date.” He sighed heavily, and his shoulders slumped as he gripped the edge of the brick beside him, causing his usual confident posture to deflate like a day-old balloon. “I guess it’s only on my end, but I felt like we were more than…”

He seemed stuck for a word, so I supplied it for him. “Nothing?” I was quiet for a moment before I continued. “We were.”

When he looked up at me, his eyes seemed to ignite with a flame of hope I didn’t want to put out. “Were? As in we’re not anymore? Just tell me if there’s someone else. I’d rather know if you’re seeing someone—”

“I’m not,” I cut in abruptly. “Seeing anyone else.” Shaking my head, I lifted my phone from where I’d been holding it on my lap. “That was Brad.”

“What the fuck? I thought your dad handled it. This motherfucker’s got some real balls to keep harassing you after your father—”

“He didn’t do anything,” I blurted out quickly. “I told him not to.”

“You what?” Ransom’s tone was noticeably harsher now. “Why would you tell him that?”

“He was talking about me going back to school and finishing out the year on campus if Brad was out of the picture, and—”

“And you told him not to do anything to this fucking kid because you didn’t want to have to give your dad a reason not to go back? Jesus, Taylor, this isn’t some bullshit high school drama that has no bearing on real life. This guy might be dangerous. He’s obviously here. Or he was. And he’s planning to come back.”

“Thanks. But I don’t need your lecture,” I said dryly as I began to stand.

“It seems like you do,” Ransom shot back. “This isn’t about your ego and proving to your dad you can handle yourself and you’re an independent woman who doesn’t need his help. This is bigger than that.”

“No,” I said sternly. “It’s really not. That’s exactly what this is about. If Brad were going to do something, he would’ve done it already. He’s a coward. He’s sending these texts because he wants to fuck with me, and I’m not gonna let him. I can take care of myself.”

“Well, can we talk about how you lied, then? You told me your dad was going to handle the situation, and you had no intention of letting that happen.”

“I did that to protect you.”

“Protect me? I’m not the one who needs protecting. You are. And keeping me out of the loop does nothing to help either of us.”

“I’m sorry I lied. I am. But this conversation isn’t getting us anywhere, and I’m not in the right mindset to have it right now, so can we just table this for another day?” I started to get up.

“So we’re just gonna go back and hang out with everyone and act like everything’s fine?”

“No. You can do whatever you’d like. I’m gonna call an Uber and go home.”

“Not by yourself, you’re not. I’m coming with you.” It sounded like a directive, but I knew his request stemmed from fear, so I let it go. I had more on my mind than picking a fight over semantics.

“I’ll be fine.”

“You don’t know that.”

His concern radiated off him like some sort of aura he couldn’t leave behind even if he wanted to. And before I got trapped in that bubble of panic with him, I needed to get out of here.

“And you don’t know I won’t,” I said before walking away.

R A N S O M

I didn’t know what to do with myself after Taylor left. I knew I couldn’t follow her home, even though there was nothing I wanted to do more than make sure she was okay.

I’m sure she’s okay.

Then why did it feel like my limbs were amped up with adrenaline like an eight-year-old waiting for recess to start after too much sugar and a morning full of worksheets and sustained silent reading?

I couldn’t sit still, so there was no way I was going back to the group. I’d have to text Brody later since we’d all had plans to hang out late tonight after the guys got off work. Though I was sure Sophia would tell him Taylor was upset and left, so I went with her. There was no doubt she picked up on Taylor’s mood and the tension between us.

Fuck.

I sat back down on the wall where I’d just been with Taylor and tried to figure out what to do next. I wasn’t sure