Gambling with Hearts (On Hold)

♚ Prologue: A Bad Bet

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Zach Brewer was zipping up his backpack when a hand appeared and slammed his locker shut. He stared at the olive-skinned hand, noticing the nails were bitten down to the nub. A nervous habit that seemed to be getting worse.

"I'm guessing you got my text." He knew it was only a matter of time before she tracked him down. She wasn't the type of person to sit back and let something go.

When she didn't answer, he dropped his bag to the ground and turned. A scowl was etched on her face; so fierce it could turn a mighty lion into a nervous kitten. Luckily, he was no kitten. "I know you're unhappy, but-"

"Unhappy?" she whispered in a low voice.

Uh-oh.

He knew that tone.

"I'm more than unhappy, Brewer."

He winced. Maybe he'd misjudged the situation. But to be fair, he was in a tough spot. There was no easy solution. Whatever he decided would hurt someone. "Look, it's not as bad as it seems. I know I should have told you I was meeting her, but I didn't want you to worry."

She crossed her arms covering the "Hit it and Quidditch" slogan branded across her t-shirt. "Hell yes, you should have told me, but that's not what I'm mad about."

"Uh..." He scratched his nose, trying to buy time as he sorted out why she would be this upset.

Blowing a frustrated sigh, she pursed her lips and tipped her head back. "Are you really that clueless?"

"According to my sister, yes, I am." He offered a cheeky grin, but she refused to look at him. Eyebrows furrowing, he asked, "Is this about what my talk with Gavin? Because I'm not apologizing for that. The kid needed to know he was crossing a line."

Her arms dropped to her side, one hand fisted, the other clutching her phone. "What did you say to Gavin?"

"I told him to stop bothering you."

He saw the irritation on her face, but it was her eyes that caught his attention. They fascinated him-always had. The honey-brown a warm, inviting shade, but it was when she became angry that it really packed a punch. Fiery gold, they hummed with passion; the feeling so intense he could almost taste it.

"He's not a bother."

"He hangs around you like a besotted puppy."

"So what if he does?" she challenged, thrusting her chin out. "At least he's upfront about his feelings."

Zach's head snapped back. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"You know damn well. I'm tired of being your personal yo-yo. One minute you're all over me, and the next you act like I'm a stranger."

He held up a hand. "Back up. You're the one who agreed to keep this thing a secret."

"This thing?" she asked. "This is exactly what I'm talking about. You can't even say what we are." A pained expression flashed across her face. "You want to be with me, but at the same time you don't."

"I do want to be with you."

"But on your terms," she shot back. "The only reason I want to keep us a secret is because of my brothers."

"I know that. What's your point?"

"The thing is..." Her eyes dropped to the ground, long strands of brown curls obscuring his view. "The things is, I don't know why you want to keep it a secret. There's nothing holding you back. Unless...."