Page 102 of Forbidden Play

“I’m good.”

Her eyebrow arches. “You’re here because you’re not.”

She settles across from me with a tablet balanced on her knee. “Before we start—this is confidential.”

I’m sitting across from Annika once again. She never bought my bullshit in college, and although Ipassed the class, she didn’t make it easy on me.

“I’m not here to relive senior year tutoring,” I say.

Her jaw tightens. “You always reduce things when you’re uncomfortable.”

“And you always psychoanalyze when someone disagrees with you.”

Her eyes flash. “I was right about you back then.”

“And you were annoying,” I shoot back. “Always acting like you had me figured out.” My eyes daring her to kick me out.

She exhales slowly. “You didn’t make it difficult.”

I scoff. “I showed up.”

“Late.”

“I passed.”

“Barely.”

“I went pro.” I twist my lips while strumming my fingers on my knee.

“And yet,” she says evenly, “you’re sitting in my office.”

Silence slams between us.

She studies me, then asks calmly, “Why are you here, Parker? The Armadillos made the appointment and wanted me to go in blind without any preconceived notions of what you need.”

Something snaps.

I stand so fast the chair scrapes loudly across the floor.

“Forget it,” I growl. “This was a mistake.” I head for the door, anger burning hot in my chest—not at her, not really, but at the fact that she sees me too clearly.

I yank the door open.

“Parker.”

I don’t stop.

The door slams behind me, echoing down the hall. “Run if you want,” she calls after me, her voicesharp and steady. “But you’ll be back.”

I pause, fist clenched at my side.

“You can’t stand not knowing why you’re stuck,” she continues. “And you hate even more that it might mean you’re not automatically better than your brothers.”

Well, there goes her professionalism.

Her accusation hits hard. My feet stutter as I walk out, letting the truth follow me all the way back to my SUV.

She’s right.

I’ll be back.