Playing Dirty (Leighton U, #4)

by C.E. Ricci

To the ones with the odds constantly stacked against them: Fuck what everyone else will think or say. Use it as fuel to write your own happy ending.

“I can’t promise you fair sky above. Can’t promise you kind road below. But I’ll walk beside you, love. Any way the wind blows.” — Hadestown

You’ve got it made this turkey day, meanwhile he’s off to play Cinder-fella with his wicked stepfamily.”

But while Madden Hastings may look like a straight-up delinquent,

he looks like a delinquent because of his tattoos? theo come on lmao you loser

Yeah, rewind for us. What do you mean you’re gonna be trapped with your sexy stepbrother for a week?”

Unfortunately, after I come out of the bathroom from brushing my teeth, I realize the one massive problem I’ve overlooked. One that’s impossible to ignore now that he’s stripped down to nothing more than a pair of tight-fitting boxer briefs. Theo Greyson is hot as hell.

Madden rises from his seat to go grab the pool table, and the only thought on my mind, once again, is escaping before I can make this situation any worse. Unfortunately, Madden’s faster than me—and possibly a mind reader—grabbing my wrist before I can even take a step back toward Camden. His skin singes mine where it makes contact, and there’s an intensity in his gaze as he leans in a little closer. “Don’t worry, Theo. The only guy ending up in my bed tonight is you.”

“Play with fire, and you’re gonna get burned, Teddy Bear,” I utter, the warning coming out barely more than a gruff whisper. “Especially if you keep looking at me like that.”

But I don’t get the chance, because Theo’s hand lands on my forearm. And those emotions? Well, they boil over the second his lips crash into mine.

don’t know what caused me to snap, only that the second I do, I realize it’s the greatest mistake I’ve ever made. Because nothing—fucking nothing on this planet—could prepare me for kissing Madden.

“I hate that I want you,” I whisper, the words coming out in a snarl. His dark chuckle floats over my skin like satin. “About time we agreed on something.”

Well, that would be because I didn’t even try. I was too busy having a grade-A meltdown over my sudden desire to make out with my stepbrother, making it clear I’m not as straight as I thought I was.

takes me a second to realize this girl must be Lexi Waters—the younger sister of the Sacramento Storm’s catcher, Keene. The guy won a Golden Glove his first season in the majors last year, which is damn near unheard of.

KEENE MENTIONED!!!!

“The first time, it was a bit of a fluke, to be honest. It’s not like I was gung-ho on the idea of sucking dick, I just hated him so much that I wanted to prove a point.” He glances over at Oakley all lovingly, and smiles. “Who would’ve thought our love story started out with a hateful BJ in a frat house bathroom, right, baby?”

Lmfaoooo shut up

“What do you—” “You!” I shout instantly. “Jesus fuck. It’s you, okay? I want you.”

But the truth is staring me dead in the face, in the form of two sage-green eyes I can’t get out of my fucking head.

Wait I thought they were seafoam? Or was that Madden’s eye color? Lmao all I know is that sage and sea foam are different.

“You can. Some guys like—” “I don’t care about them, I wanna know how to make you feel good.”

cocooning my crown with his flesh.

ew i hate the way this sounds hahahah

I crave him down to the marrow of my bones, the ends of the earth. To the edge of my fucking sanity. So this is what addiction feels like.

“Christ, Madden. I want you to the end of my sanity. I want you for every reason I shouldn’t. You have to believe that.”

I don’t know what it is about him, but I can never get enough. Even after spending hours touching and tasting every inch of his body, I find myself still craving more. Sometimes I wonder if I’d even be satiated by crawling inside his chest, tucking myself behind his ribs, and truly becoming part of him. At this point, I doubt it. Nothing will ever be enough. But maybe that’s exactly what love is.

“Because I love you, okay? God, I thought that’d be fucking obvious.” A soft, exasperated laugh leaves him, and he shakes his head. “I love you so much, sometimes I fucking hate you for it—for making me fall to the point where I’d abandon everything else for you. Because I would. I’d sell my team out and give you the pennant. I’d hand my soul over to Hades himself if it made you smile.” He licks his lips and releases a resounding sigh. “You’re the one I’d turn around for, Theo. Over and over again.”