Play with the Phantom (Midnight, #2)

by Amanda Richardson

“Tell me, Ari, what exactly do you see in my brother?” Asher stiffens beside me. “What the hell is your problem, Maddox?” But Maddox just waits, eyes locked on to mine, expectant. I should brush it off. I should shut him down. But there’s something in his gaze that makes me hesitate—something dark, something knowing. Like he’s already decided he won’t like my answer. I wet my lips, placing my fork down carefully. “Asher is a good man,” I say evenly. Maddox tilts his head, studying me. “Good,” he echoes, as if tasting the word. “Safe.” I hesitate. “Yes.” His smirk is slow, like I just confirmed something for him. “You like safe, then?” Asher bristles. “Enough.” His tone lacks force, though, and I ignore the way my stomach twists—not just with unease, but with something closer to disappointment. Like a part of me was waiting for Asher to shut this down, to put Maddox in his place, to win this fight before it even started. But he doesn’t. And maybe, deep down, I already knew he wouldn’t. I keep my eyes in my lap, avoiding eye contact with Asher. Maddox ignores him, leaning in just slightly so that Hannah, Otto, and Asher can’t hear his next words. “You don’t strike me as someone who wants safe.” He’s so close that his breath brushes against my ear. My breath catches. There’s something about the way Maddox says it, the way his voice dips low like he’s exposing something I didn’t even know about myself. My fingers curl into my lap. “I don’t know what you mean,” I whisper, looki...