Page 219 of Playing Dirty

---

Because the answer wasn’t clean anymore.

It wasn’t just control.

Or curiosity.

Or awareness.

It was becoming something more dangerous than that.

Somethingharder to manage.

And Rowan was standing close enough now that I could smell the alcohol on her breath mixed with perfume and rooftop air.

That wasn’t helping.

“I don’t know,” I said finally.

Honest.

Again.

Too honest.

Her expression changed slightly at that.

Softer.

Just for a second.

Then someone yelled Mason’s name from across the rooftop and the moment cracked apart instantly.

I looked away automatically.

And when I looked back—

Rowan was still watching me.

Like she wasn’t sure what had just happened either.

Thirty Five

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

MASON

I should’ve stepped away after that.

That would’ve been the smart move.

Instead I stayed exactly where I was.

Because Rowan was still looking at me.

And for once, it didn’t feel like she was trying to win something.

She just looked… unsettled.

Same as me.

---