Ice floods my veins as his words register.
I pull back in a panic and stare up at him with my heart pounding.
“H-He?—’
“He won’t say anything,” Kodie assures me with confidence.
I shake my head. Linc is one of the biggest gossips I’ve ever known. As soon as he learns anything, he spreads it far and wide. Okay, sure, he’s usually chirping about rivals, doing his best to rile them up and cause drama, but still.
The fact he knows…
Fuck. It makes me nervous.
“Did you tell him?” I ask. I hate that it comes out sounding so accusatory.
I’ve told Parker. Hell, I needed to tell Parker. I’m pretty sure I’d have exploded by now if I hadn’t confessed. I’d be a hypocrite if I was angry at him for doing the same thing.
Sure, Kodie and Linc might have built a friendship since Kodie’s transfer, but how close could they really be. They’ve only known each other a year.
It’s fine. It’s going to be fine.
“No,” Kodie confesses, nervously rubbing at the back of his neck.
“Then how?—”
“He figured it out.”
“Shit,” I hiss.“How?” I repeat.
A laugh tumbles from his lips. “Turns out your disguise that night wasn’t actually all that good.”
“Oh my god,” I breathe. “He’s known all this time?”
Kodie shrugs one shoulder. “Seems that way. He’s only just confessed that though.”
“I knew he was my biggest risk that night,” I mutter under my breath.
Out of all the players on the Vipers roster, Linc is the one I’ve known the longest, although we’ve never been close. But if anyone wasn’t going to be fooled that night, it would have been him.
“It’s going to be okay, baby. He’ll keep our secret.”
I stare up at him, my heart in my throat.
Is that all I am? Kodie Rivers' dirty little secret?
Once upon a time, I would have said it would have been everything to me. In a way, it is. But is hiding what we’ve found as if we’re doing something wrong really what I want?
No.
I want to shout and scream from the rooftops that I’m with this incredible man. I want to nestle my way deeper into his life and ensure he keeps smiling and laughing like he does when he’s with me. It’s a heady feeling, a high like no other, and I’m not ready to lose that yet.
I nod as I force the emotion down. I don’t want to ruin what we’ve found here because of my insecurities and fears.
He doesn’t want a serious relationship. He isn’t looking for anyone to join his family. I get that; I really do.
I just have to find a way to be okay with it.
“Yeah, okay.”
