The Love Game by Emma Hart Read Free Book Online Page B

pocket. “Asshole.”
    Maddie chews the inside of her lip to control her laughter.
    “Hey.” I nudge her and take her hand in mine again. “Don't laugh.”
    “Sorry.” Her eyes glimmer with amusement.
    “No you're not.”
    “You're right. I'm not.” She shrugs and grins, tugging me along. “Come on. I bet Kay already has my shots lined up, and she'll drink them if I don't!”
    I look upwards and shake my head, following her back to my car.
    I have a girlfriend. A fake girlfriend, but still a girlfriend.
    Who the fuck would have thought?
     

Chapter Eleven - Maddie
     
    We enter the house, and music pounds against us. Braden reaches for my hand, linking his fingers through mine. I let him, squeezing his hand lightly, and he pulls me through the packed house. We surface in the kitchen where Kay, Megan, and Lila are sitting by the bar.
    “I'm gonna go find Ryan.” He leans down and whispers in my ear. “Wait for me by the bar?”
    I nod and step forward, releasing his hand. I smile at him over my shoulder, and he winks. Jesus. It's been twenty minutes and already, I'm tired of pretending I give a shit about any of it. Although, I am questioning why I opened up to him earlier. Maybe it's because I don't care and I know it's vital to him falling for me. Pity, right? Poor little Maddie. I scoff at myself.
    Megan slides her arm through mine the second I reach her. “Well?”
    “Game on,” I whisper, smirking at Lila and Kay.
    “Whooooooop!” Kay yells and waves to Kyle. “Eight shots, two each, one two bam!”
    “You got it!” Kyle winks at me. I smile politely at him. As far as the University of California, Berkeley is concerned, I'm in a relationship with Braden Carter. Not that Kyle will understand that.
    “Good night?” he asks as he slides the glasses to us.
    “I'd say it was,” Lila giggles, holding up a shot. We all grab a glass and throw it back, followed by the second one.
    “And why's that?” He leans forward, moving his face towards mine.
    “Because she has a boyfriend.” Megan smirks and turns.
    “You're kidding,” Kyle deadpans.
    “Um, or not.” I shrug a shoulder.
    “You're with Braden?”
    “She is,” Braden says, coming up behind me. “Problem, Kyle?”
    Kyle looks up, and rage is written all over his face. “Yeah, actually. Yeah, there is.”
    “Then please, share why you're so much better than I am.”
    Kyle glances at me, and I step to the side.
    “Animals,” I mutter. Lila nods her agreement.
    “No, Maddie.” Braden looks at me. “I wanna know what he thinks he can give you that I can't.”
    “Bray ...” Megan warns.
    “What I can give her that you can't? Maybe a secure relationship full of trust, where she won't be worried if you're gonna run off and fuck one of your whores.” Kyle looks at him in disgust. “And the rest. There just isn't enough time in a day to describe how much of a prick you are to girls.”
    “Hey!” Megan protests, slapping her hands on the counter. “Out of order, Kyle.”
    “He asked.”
    “Yeah, and now I'm telling you that's enough!”
    “No, Meggy, let him carry on.” Braden's face is like stone.
    “Aren't you gonna step in?” Kay whispers.
    “What's the point?” I shrug. “They'll still have this pissing contest. Besides, it'll get what we want.”
    “What's that?”
    “Attention on our relationship.”
    She slaps my shoulder. “Smart girl.”
    “Braden, we all know you're not gonna hang around for her. You just wanna fuck her and move on. You aren't worth shit on someone's shoe. Why not let her have someone who'll treat her right and not like one of your sluts?” Kyle says loudly.
    Braden launches himself over the bar, kicking a bottle of vodka over and sending it smashing to the ground. He grabs Kyle's shirt and pins him to the wall.
    “You wanna fuckin' repeat that, Kyle?” Braden hisses through clenched teeth.
    “Oh, sake.” Megan sighs, shaking her head.
    “I would, but I think you heard me the first time,”