Lena Hayes knew how to handle pressure.
High-stakes games. Double overtime. Championship points.
That was her zone.
She could handle that.
But this?
The weight of Jaxon Cole's hand on her knee beneath the polished mahogany table?
The dark, knowing heat in his gaze as the low hum of the restaurant pressed in around them?
The subtle flick of his thumb tracing the bare skin beneath the hem of her shorts like he knew exactly what it was doing to her pulse?
That was a different kind of pressure.
And it was starting to unravel her.
Lena's fingers curled against the base of her wine glass. She hadn't taken another sip mostly because she was hyperaware of the heat coiling low in her stomach every time Jaxon's hand flexed against her leg.
"You're quiet," Jaxon said, voice low. "Second thoughts?"
Lena's jaw tightened. "About what?"
Jaxon's mouth curved. "This."
His hand slid an inch higher beneath the table.
Lena's pulse spiked dangerously.
"This isn't real," Lena said, her tone sharper than she intended.
Jaxon's smile sharpened. "Isn't it?"
"Don't confuse strategy with reality."
Jaxon's gaze darkened. "Funny. I was about to say the same thing."
Lena's chest tightened. "We're not a couple, Cole."
Jaxon's hand flexed slightly against her thigh. "Could've fooled me."
Lena's breath hitched. "You're pushing your luck."
Jaxon's mouth curved dark and dangerous. "And yet… you're not stopping me."
Lena's jaw locked.
Because he wasn't wrong.
And that pissed her off more than anything.
Lena leaned closer, her voice low and sharp. "Careful, Cole. Don't mistake proximity for control."
Jaxon's eyes darkened. "Maybe you're the one mistaking control for chemistry."
Lena's breath caught.
Jaxon's thumb dragged one last slow, deliberate line across her knee before his hand slid away completely.
Cold rushed in where the heat of his touch had been.
Lena hated the absence of it more than she should have.
Jaxon's gaze flicked toward the entrance of the restaurant. "We're being watched."
Lena followed his gaze.
A small group of men stood near the entrance dark suits, predatory stares and at the center of them stood Ryan Kingston.
Her chest tightened.
Ryan's mouth curved lazily when he spotted them. His eyes slid over Lena like he was already stripping her down.
Jaxon's hand was suddenly back on her leg, firm and possessive this time.
"Smile," Jaxon murmured. "You don't want them to think you're nervous."
Lena's eyes burned. "I'm not nervous."
"Good." Jaxon's thumb traced her knee. "Prove it."
Lena's lips curled.
Slowly, she leaned toward Jaxon, letting her hand slide across the table until her fingers brushed over his wrist.
Jaxon's gaze sharpened instantly.
"Better?" Lena murmured.
Jaxon's mouth curved but there was nothing soft about it.
"Much."
Ryan's gaze narrowed from across the room. He stepped toward them, his men falling into place behind him.
Jaxon's hand tightened on Lena's leg. "Let me handle this."
Lena's chin lifted. "Don't need you to."
Jaxon's mouth curved dark and dangerous. "We'll see."
"Lena," Ryan's voice was smooth and sharp as glass. "Nice to see you."
Lena's expression cooled. "Can't say I feel the same."
Ryan's smile sharpened. "You've been making quite a splash lately." His gaze flicked toward Jaxon. "I see you've… expanded your circle."
Jaxon's hand slid slightly higher on her leg. Lena's breath caught.
Ryan's gaze darkened. "Careful, Cole. Some of us know how to play this game better than others."
Jaxon's smile was calm lethal. "Funny. From what I've seen, you've been losing."
Ryan's mouth twisted.
Jaxon's hand slid from Lena's leg to the table, his fingers curling over her hand where it rested against the white linen.
"We're not worried," Jaxon said.
Lena's eyes narrowed slightly. We.
That word sent a quiet thrill through her chest and she hated that it did.
Ryan's gaze sharpened. "Let's see if you're still saying that when the season starts."
Lena's jaw tightened. "If you're trying to scare me, you're wasting your time."
Ryan's smile sharpened. "No. But you'd do well to remember who owns the game, Hayes."
Jaxon's gaze darkened. "She's not for sale."
Ryan's eyes glinted. "Everything has a price."
Lena's hand curled into Jaxon's. Her eyes burned.
"You're right," Lena said. "Everything does have a price."
Ryan's smile flicked slightly.
"But I don't come cheap."
Ryan's mouth twisted. He took a slow step back. "We'll see about that."
He turned and disappeared toward the back of the restaurant, his men trailing behind him.
Jaxon's grip on her hand stayed steady.
"That went well," Jaxon murmured.
Lena's eyes sharpened. "You think this is over?"
Jaxon's smile faded. "No. I think it's just starting."
Lena didn't say a word as Jaxon's SUV cut through the Manhattan night.
The city lights flickered over his profile, the sharp line of his jaw, the gleam of streetlights catching the edge of his mouth.
Jaxon's hand rested loosely on his knee. His gaze stayed fixed on the road.
Lena's chest was still tight from Ryan's words.
"Do you trust me?" Jaxon said suddenly.
Lena's gaze sharpened. "Excuse me?"
Jaxon's eyes stayed steady on the window. "Do you trust me?"
Lena's jaw flexed. "We're not doing this."
"Doing what?"
"The whole 'do you trust me' thing," Lena said. "This isn't some emotional bonding exercise."
Jaxon's mouth twitched. "Could've fooled me."
Lena's eyes narrowed. "You're enjoying this."
Jaxon's gaze darkened. "What part?"
"The part where you get to play hero."
Jaxon's eyes flashed. "That's not what this is."
"Then what is it?" Lena's chest tightened.
Jaxon's gaze sharpened. "I'm not trying to play hero, Lena." His voice was low. "I'm trying to keep you from getting crushed."
Lena's heart slammed painfully hard.
"You think I need you to protect me?" Lena's tone was sharp.
"I think you need someone watching your back."
"I can handle myself."
Jaxon's gaze darkened. "I know you can."
Lena's breath quickened.
Jaxon leaned closer, his mouth inches from her ear. "But wouldn't it be more fun if we handled them together?"
Lena's pulse spiked.
Jaxon's mouth curved. "Scared?"
Lena's jaw flexed. "Of you?"
Jaxon's gaze burned. "Of this."
Lena's breath hitched.
Jaxon's hand brushed over her wrist. "You're already in, Lena. Might as well enjoy the ride."
Lena's gaze sharpened.
"You're playing with fire, Cole."
Jaxon's smile deepened slow and lethal.
"Good," Jaxon said softly. "Because so are you."
Lena's breath caught as the SUV slid to a stop beneath the dark stretch of city sky.
Jaxon's eyes flashed beneath the low light.
"See you tomorrow, Hayes."
Lena's pulse hammered.
She didn't trust him.
She didn't need him.
But she couldn't walk away, either.
And that scared her more than anything.
Lena stood beneath the cold glow of the streetlight as Jaxon's SUV pulled away, the rumble of the engine fading into the night.
Her heart was still hammering beneath her ribs.
Her skin still burned from the weight of Jaxon's gaze.
This is a mistake.
She turned toward her apartment building, tugging her jacket tighter around herself as the night air curled sharp against her skin. Her reflection flashed across the glass doors of the lobby, tired eyes, tense shoulders, adrenaline still buzzing beneath the surface of her skin.
She wasn't rattled because of Ryan.
Ryan was predictable, a threat she knew how to handle.
Jaxon Cole, though?
That was different.
She pushed through the front doors and took the elevator to the eighth floor. The hallway was dark and quiet as she let herself into the apartment, the soft glow of the kitchen light casting faint shadows across the worn carpet.
Jordan's crutches were propped against the wall near the door. The TV was still on some video game flickering silently on the screen.
Lena kicked off her sneakers and padded toward Jordan's room.
Her little brother was sprawled out across his bed, one arm draped over his face, his leg still propped up on pillows. His dark curls stuck up at wild angles.
Lena leaned against the doorframe and crossed her arms.
"Shouldn't you be asleep?"
Jordan's arm lifted slightly. "Shouldn't you be explaining why the internet thinks you're dating Jaxon Cole?"
Lena's mouth tightened. "It's not like that."
Jordan lowered his arm, his eyes gleaming. "Sure looks like it."
"Media spin."
Jordan smirked. "So you weren't sitting courtside with Jaxon's hand on your leg?"
Lena's jaw flexed. "That was strategy."
Jordan snorted. "Right. And you think people are going to believe that?"
"I don't care what people believe."
Jordan's eyes sharpened. "Do you care what he believes?"
Lena's chest tightened.
"No," she lied.
Jordan's smile widened. "You're full of shit."
Lena's mouth opened but her phone buzzed in her pocket.
She pulled it out and froze.
Jaxon: Can't sleep?
Lena's pulse skipped.
Jordan's eyes gleamed. "Is that him?"
"Go to sleep."
Jordan laughed. "Oh my God, you're blushing."
"I'm not blushing."
Jordan pulled the blanket over his head. "Sure you're not."
Lena stepped into the hall and leaned against the wall. Her thumb hovered over the screen.
Another text popped up.
Jaxon: Want me to help with that?
Lena's brows lifted.
Lena: Help with what?
Jaxon: Sleeping.
Lena's pulse spiked.
She should have ignored it.
Should have blocked the number.
Instead, she typed:
Lena: Pretty sure that would make it worse.
Three dots appeared immediately.
Jaxon: Guess there's only one way to find out.
Lena's breath hitched.
Her thumb hovered over the screen.
Lena: You're impossible.
Jaxon: And yet…
Lena's jaw tightened. She slid the phone back into her pocket and pushed off the wall.
This is dangerous.
This is reckless.
This is a bad idea.
But it was already too late.
Because Jaxon Cole was under her skin.
And there was no walking away now.
Lena was still thinking about the text about him when she stepped onto the court the next morning.
Empire Stadium was already buzzing with early practice drills. Zoe was at the far end of the court, stretching beneath the overhead lights. A few other players were jogging the length of the court, warming up.
Coach Rivera stood near the sidelines, clipboard in hand, dark eyes sharp beneath the brim of his cap.
Lena rolled her shoulders and crossed toward the free-throw line. Her muscles were tight from the tension of last night, but her focus sharpened as soon as her sneakers hit the hardwood.
Ball. Hoop. Shot.
That was the rhythm she understood.
She grabbed a ball from the rack and dribbled twice, planting her feet beneath her shoulders.
She exhaled.
Let the tension bleed out of her chest.
Then
"Hey, superstar."
Lena's breath hitched.
Jaxon Cole was leaning casually against the wall near the tunnel, hands in his pockets, wearing dark joggers and a fitted long-sleeve black shirt that did entirely too much for his shoulders.
Her eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here?"
Jaxon's mouth curved. "Supporting my girl."
Lena's eyes flashed. "We're not doing that."
Jaxon's brows lifted. "We're not?"
Lena's jaw flexed. "We said strategic distraction, not public spectacle."
"Right." Jaxon stepped toward her, eyes gleaming. "And which part of 'strategic distraction' involves denying the chemistry?"
Lena's chest tightened. "There is no chemistry."
Jaxon's smile darkened. "You sure about that?"
"Positive."
Jaxon's gaze flicked toward the ball in her hands. "Prove it."
Lena's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"
Jaxon stepped into her space close enough that she had to tilt her chin to meet his gaze.
"Make the shot," Jaxon said. "One-on-one. First to five."
Lena's pulse spiked.
"And what exactly am I winning?"
Jaxon's mouth curved. "If you win you can walk away from this." His gaze darkened. "No more games."
Lena's jaw flexed. "And if you win?"
Jaxon's gaze sharpened. "Then you come to dinner."
Lena's breath caught. "That's not a fair deal."
Jaxon's smile deepened. "You scared?"
Lena's chin lifted. "Of you?"
Jaxon's gaze darkened. "Of wanting to lose."
Lena's pulse slammed into overdrive.
"Fine," Lena said.
Jaxon's mouth curved. "Good."
He stepped back, tugging his sleeves to his elbows.
Lena's gaze sharpened on the hard line of muscle beneath his shirt.
Jaxon tossed her the ball.
"First to five," Jaxon said. "Ladies first."
Lena's jaw flexed. "I hope you like losing."
Jaxon's gaze darkened. "Not happening."
Lena took the shot.
The ball hit the backboard hard and bounced out.
Jaxon caught it midair.
"Off your game today?" Jaxon's mouth curved.
Lena's jaw tightened. "Not for long."
Jaxon spun the ball between his fingers quick and smooth before cutting toward the hoop.
Lena closed the gap fast, stepping into his path.
Their bodies collided hard.
Jaxon's arm brushed over her waist, steadying them both before he cut left and flipped the ball toward the net.
Swish.
"One-zero," Jaxon said, stepping back. His eyes gleamed. "Try to keep up, Hayes."
Lena's eyes burned.
She grabbed the ball and cut toward him. Fast. Sharp. Ruthless.
Jaxon's gaze darkened as Lena's shoulder brushed his chest.
Lena spun, slipped beneath his arm and launched the ball.
Swish.
"Tied," Lena said, breathless.
Jaxon's mouth curved.
"You impressed yet?" Lena shot back.
Jaxon's gaze sharpened. "Not even close."
Their eyes locked heat burning beneath the surface.
"Then I guess I'll have to change that," Lena murmured.
Jaxon's mouth curved. "I'd like to see you try."
Lena's heart hammered.
She was in trouble.
And the worst part?
She didn't want to walk away.