Kade's Game by C. M. Owens Page A

Too much drama," he says, seeming well rehearsed in the game.  It's not the first time someone has used Star around him.
    Raya seems confused as she stares across the room, and I silently tell Tag to get lost.  He does.  Much to my delight.
    "You feel like dancing?" I ask Raya when it seems to be safe.
    She looks around, seeming truly upset about something.  What'd I miss?
    "Something wrong, Raya?" I ask, moving her to a classical melody.
    She gets closer than what's proper for this sort of dance, but I'm certainly not complaining.  I just dance as though we're two people from the same world—her world.  The world where you can dance to any song the way you want to.  The world where you can breathe easily and take things at face-value because people say what they mean.  Here, it's all double talk and underlying meanings.  I'm sure as hell not going to teach her to be a part of my world.
    Right now, I don't care if I make the socialites whisper about how close her hips are to mine.  And I might tell them to kiss my ass if they let their whispers reach her.
    "Just... Is there something wrong with me that I can't see?" she asks, breaking me out of my reverie.
    Tilting my head in confusion, I ask, "Why do you say that?"
    Her eyes move to Tag.  Fucking Tag.  I shouldn't have let him get anywhere around her.  I know better.
    "Tag Masters... he acted like there was something wrong with me."
    I try to be playful instead of angry, so I roll my eyes, and tease, "Don't tell me you're Tagged ."
    Say no, Raya.  Or I might drag you out of here over my shoulder.
    "No, I just don't particularly like feeling as though there's toilet paper stuck to my shoe or something.  I looked in the mirror, but I don't see anything standing out.  So, I'm asking you."
    I let my eyes run the full length of her glorious body, and slowly my eyes find their way back to hers.  I wish there was something wrong.  Well, there is one thing wrong —she's still talking about Tag.
    "There's nothing at all wrong with you, Raya.  Just dance.  Lighten up.  Then we'll grab some champagne.  Tag doesn't have a very big attention span."
    "How do you know him?" she asks, making my calm facade slowly dissipate.
    "He's my cousin's best friend.  My Aunt Melanie pretty much raised him, so he and Wren grew up like brothers."
    My jaw clenches when I see Tag's eyes drift to Raya's ass, despite the fact he has a girl dancing with him.
    "How did I manage to piss you off?" Raya asks, surprising me and melting me a little when I feel like a jerk.
    A small smile comes to my lips as I stare into her expectant eyes, all her attention back on me—right where it needs to be.
    "You didn't.  I just don't want you going after someone like Tag.  He's like family to me, but he's not exactly the kind of guy who sticks around for longer than a night or two."
    It's shitty to put Tag down, but I need to dissuade her as much as possible.  "Star" won't keep him at bay if Raya shows him any interest.  And I'll be damned if I turn her over.  I especially don't like the fact that he's not having to work anywhere nearly as hard as I am.
    "Well, I wasn't trying to get in his bed.  I was sincerely worried I had something wrong with me that I couldn't see."
    Thank God.  I pull her even closer, earning me a few more disapproving glares from the older socialite women who will be spreading this around the country club tomorrow.
    "You're very hard to read sometimes, Raya," I say, relaxing when I realize Tag isn't on her agenda.
    She tilts her head, leans back and studies me.  "What does that mean?  Is that what's wrong with me?"
    A hard breath comes out before my accidental laughter.  She's so damn sweet.
    "No.  Like I said —nothing's wrong with you.  Ready to drink?"
    She gives me a small nod.  I'm grateful to be getting alcohol.  I never do more than sip a drink or two and pretend as though I've had more, but Raya brings out a jealous monster I didn't know I had.  Until