Page 71 of The Game We Played

“Excuse me,” Tanner’s dad says.

I point to the door. “I said, get out. Do you need help?”

I begin herding them toward the door. They don’t resist. I figured they wouldn’t, considering how they’re afraid of shaking hands.

I open the door and motion them outside. “I’d say thanks for stopping by. But I’m not a liar.”

“Well, I never.”

I follow them onto the sidewalk. I don’t trust them not to try and sneak back inside. But once we’re outside, I notice a man barreling toward us. Uh oh. Tanner is not happy.

He scowls as he reaches us. “I guess you’ve met my family. My parents – Theodore and Beatrix. And my siblings – Montgomery, Sebastian, and Margaret.”

“How did you ever end up with the normal name of Tanner?”

His mom purses her lips. “His name is Augustus.”

A muscle ticks in his jaw. “My middle name is Tanner.”

“Your parents are leaving.”

Theodore gets a gleam in his eye. “She’s kicking us out.”

His mom continues. “Can you believe it? We came here to meet your girlfriend and she was rude to us.”

“Yep, I was rude.” There’s no denying it. “After they told me I’m ruining your future and I should break up with you.”

Beatrix huffs. “We said no such thing.”

I lift an eyebrow. “Really? You’re lying to your son now?” I scowl. “You’re not fit to be a parent.”

“How dare you!”

I lean close to get in Beatrix’s face. Unlike Tanner and his father and brothers, she’s short. I tower over her. “I dare because I know how a real family acts. How a real family supports each other. How a real family has each other’s backs.”

“You don’t understand what it’s like to be a Long,” Margaret says.

“And, frankly, I don’t want to.” I motion to the luxury car parked in front of the bar. I assume it’s theirs. “You can go now.”

Theodore opens and closes his mouth a few times before finally spinning on his heel and marching to the car. Told youit was theirs. His wife and three of his children follow him. I watch as they drive out of Smuggler’s Rest.

Once they’re out of sight, I turn to Tanner. A muscle in his jaw is pulsing. His hands are fisted at his side. And his cheeks are dark red.

Shit. He’s mad. Is he mad at me?

Should I not have interfered? Should I have contacted him the second his family showed up?

I acted like a real girlfriend. Not a pretend one. Which is what I am.

But it’s not how I feel. Too bad Tanner apparently feels differently. Well, shit on a smuggler. Is our relationship over before it can begin?

Chapter 22

BREAKING: FAMILY DRAMA SPARKS PRIVATE RECKONING Witnesses report tension… and something more

Tanner

“Inside,” I order Alaia between gritted teeth.