Playing Dirty (Leighton U, #4)

by C.E. Ricci

I’m fully aware the pettiness and spite I’m currently radiating might not be entirely warranted, but also, fuck him and his feelings.

It’s most definitely warranted.

The people he’s making me and my mom out to be? They don’t exist. They’re a figment of his imagination, drawn up as nothing more than a scapegoat to blame for his life falling apart while he was helpless to stop it.

So are we going to find out that technically his dad didn’t cheat because that’s the only way this would be factual

“I have to spend an entire week trapped with the guy over winter break.

Is his dad paying for school?

The thing is, I wasn’t thrilled when I found out about Mom and Adam’s affair either,

But earlier he said the person Theo was making his mom (and him but he doesn’t count in this case) out to be didn’t exist…you just acknowledged the thing the person (mistress) he thinks exist does exist

But one thing that’s always been true about Adam Greyson is he won’t make idle threats. So, while I had no idea what or else entailed, I wasn’t planning to push enough and find out, especially if it could potentially risk Mom.

🫠 This just pissed me off. Half a star deducted

If you put half as much energy into accepting how things are instead of making everyone around you just as miserable, maybe you’d realize that.”

Now why would he accept a mistress, a cheating father, and a stepbrother?

that you’re not willing to look for any sort of silver lining.

BOOOOOO

“Because, from where I’m sitting, you’ve decided punishing me for a

situation I also have no control over is the only

way you’re gonna make yourself f...

Did you not insert yourself first into the conversation with Theo and his father?

I know it’s all kinds of wrong and insane. I know I shouldn’t be doing this. But the longer I’ve been stewing in this attraction for him, the harder it’s become to deny that’s exactly what this is. Attraction. Desire. Lust. And, God, it pisses me off. So I do the only thing I can think of; what he’s already accused me of doing. I take it out on him.

“I hate that I want you,” I whisper, the words coming out in a snarl.

We’re only 25% in. This feels way too early and not earned yet that way it was with Oakley and Quinton.

I might actually drown in it. In him. Madden. But not Blackmore captain Madden, who I’m sworn enemies with, and not stepbrother Madden, who I was resigned to hate on principle alone. But the Madden I’ve been seeing the past few days; the one who is kind and caring and is genuinely a good person. The one whose proven he’s more than I made him out to be. He’s somehow invaded my mind, destroying all thought and common sense, and no matter how hard I try…I can’t hate him for it. I can’t hate him at all.

Again, way too early for this.

A Falcon. And not just any Falcon, but their fucking captain.

I feel like him being your new step brother and the son of a woman you potentially hate for ruining your family would be the bigger factor but what do I know

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

NOOOOOO! Where’s the rest of the buildup 🫠

Denial is not just a river in Egypt, and I drown in it every time I look at Madden.

It doesn’t matter that he’s a guy, that he’s my stepbrother, that he’s a Falcon, that I don’t want to want him. I still do regardless.

And this falls flat because the buildup was abysmal. It’s like Ricci knew she needed a line like this due to the tropes but placed it too early.

This. I want this. His anger and aggression when he fights me back. The addictive, wicked way he takes control or puts me in my place.

🍅

“How do I…?” He licks his lips and glances up at me. “Do I do it when it’s pushed back?” I roll my lips inward to keep from laughing. After all, sucking a dick for the first time is a learning curve in itself without taking foreskin into account. “You can. Some guys like—” “I don’t care about them, I wanna know how to make you feel good.”

That’s hot

Theo Greyson hasn’t just gotten under my skin. He’s clawed his way into my psyche, burrowed himself through muscle and cartilage, sliced straight to the bone—and he’s managed this in an unthinkably short amount of time.

Real short

“I can’t even really blame your mom either. She wasn’t the one who was married, you know?” “Still doesn’t make it right to get involved with someone who was.” “True, but it also makes it harder to hate her.”

No it doesn't. I hate this. I'm not a fan of you can't blame the other woman. Especially if the other woman knows there the other woman and continues to go along with it. It feels like Ricci wants to sacrifice the natural antagonistic situation that would create in order to speed run the romance and it's totally unnecessary.

but to my surprise, the three of them were chatting together when I came out after the game.

But that’s the price I have to pay for fabricating an explanation rather than telling Phoenix the truth.

But you have no real reason for not telling the truth dummy

His response, even with the playful lilt behind it, only proves I was correct in my assumptions. No one will understand the choices I’ve made.

Why would you listen to Phoenix of all people when he was sleeping and developing feelings for his best friends crush? Like where is the rationale

Because the thing is, he did have another option: the truth. He just doesn’t see it as one.

Exactly! He could have been honest from the jump.

“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.”

This love confession falls flat because when have we really seen him put Theo over his moms happiness or any other event/person besides the pennant situation. If we’d had moments of his mom wanting to do something with him and he picked handing with Theo over her, or his teammates wanted to hang out or plan an attack against their rivals and Madden warned Theo then this would feel more true. Instead Madden hasn’t actually had to “choose” Theo.

That’s the last thing I see before the world goes black.

BOOOOO

“And those Greyson men are particularly hard to resist.”

Ew

but I guess I’ve adapted to this new normal of Dad and Carla being together more than I thought.

And this was shown to us when and how?

Lighter, for sure, and I’m not as angry as I was before, yet it’s still lingering there, simmering under the surface. But I know it’s not because the apology lacked sincerity on his part. It’s me. My willingness to let go and forgive him for the choices he made. And…I think that’s a battle I need to fight within myself now.

Again shown to us when and how

“What was I supposed to do? Say I realized I’m bisexual and I’ve been secretly fucking my stepbrother right under all of your noses? I mean, how would you have reacted to that?”

EXACTLY! He's seen what happened with Oakley and Quinton as well as Pheonix and Holden so why would his issue be so out of left field and shock the house?

“God, I can’t even be mad at you because I’ve literally been in your shoes.” His lips pull back into some contorted version of a smile, and he shakes his head. “You were there last year, you saw it all unfold with Holden and Kase. It was fucked-up and messy as shit, but—”

EXACTLY! Makes no sense

“I’ll always turn around for you.”