Play With Me (Playing for Keeps, #2)

by Becka Mack

“I fucking love her!” His mouth pops open as his grip on my jersey loosens. “What?” I karate chop his wrists, gulping down air. “I said I fucking love her, okay?” He sits up but doesn’t get off me. “But I thought—” “Because you don’t fucking listen!” I scoop up a glove and chuck it at his face. “It’s not about you, Carter! This was about me and her finding each other!” “But she’s my sister. You can’t—” “Why not? You don’t think I’m good enough for her?” “What? No, I—” His eyes shine with guilt. He shakes his head. “I didn’t say that.” “Then what is it? Because all you wanted was for Olivia to give you a chance, and now you’re not giving me one.” “You might … you might …” His chest rises and falls rapidly, a speckle of blood pooling in the center of his bottom lip. “You might hurt her!” Another damn glove to the face. “You’re the one hurting her right now, Carter! She can’t handle you cutting her out like this. And why should she have to? You’re her brother. Hasn’t she lost enough in her life?” Carter’s throat bobs, and that guilt in his eyes starts to drown them. “She’s spent her life feeling overshadowed by you, thinking all she had to offer anyone was being Carter Beckett’s little sister. She was finally realizing she had people in her life who wanted to be there for her, not for you. She found love, after everything she’s gone through, all the fucking heartache, and what do you do? You leave her. You tell her she can’t have it.” His head wags. “No, I … I would never say...