Fake Dating My Ex's Hockey Star Brother (Maya Scott) novel Chapter 106

KATY’S POV

I walk into the noisy Greeze bar and slowly glance around for Mr. Cooper. I can’t shake the anxious knot in my stomach as I scan table to table, until I finally spot him. His eyes are already on me when our gazes meet, and he leans back in his seat, radiating that confident, unreadable calm that makes me even more uneasy.

My heart picks up pace, but I force myself to inhale, then exhale, trying to settle the jittery energy in my limbs. When I reach his table, I pull out a chair and sit.

“I’m here,” I say, keeping my voice flat.

He leans forward. “I can see.”

Then he snaps his fingers, and before I can even blink, Bryan rises from a table behind us. I hadn’t noticed him at all because his back was turned, and he walks over like he owns the place.

My jaw tightens, and I shoot him a look filled with pure hatred, but he acts like I’m invisible. His face is still bruised, though the worst of the swelling has gone down compared to whatever I’m sure it looked like before.

“Search her bag,” Mr. Cooper says.

I lift a brow. “What?”

“I don’t trust you,” he responds. “And our arrangement… it requires some level of trust. Now, hand over the bag.”

I scoff, staring at him, and maybe hoping for him to take back his words. But he looks dead serious and he’s waiting for me to hand over my purse.

I don’t even have a recording device in my purse, the pen I’m using for that is tucked in the middle of my ponytail but it’s not about that. I’m just aggravated by their audacity and the fact that it’s Bryan rifling through my things.

“I don’t have all day,” He snaps. I roll my eyes and shove my purse into Bryan’s waiting hand. He opens it, digs through it, and shakes his head at his father.

Before he can hand it back, I snatch it from him. Honestly? I’d rather admit to pooping my pants at my age than tell anyone I ever dated this piece of shit. And what really gets me is that just a few weeks ago, he was acting like he’d changed. Son of a bitch.

Bryan walks back to his seat, and Mr. Cooper adjusts in his chair, planting his elbows on the table. Before he can say anything, a server pops up beside us. I lift my gaze and yep, it’s Jessy. Allie said he’d be keeping an eye on me, and I’m honestly glad to see his face. He has a septum piercing just like Allie described, and his hair is blonde.

“Can I get you guys anything?” he asks, glancing between us.

“I’ll take water,” I say.

“And you?” He looks at Mr. Cooper.

“I already have water,” he grumbles.

“So… just water for you, pretty?” Jessy says, flashing an awkward smile before walking away.

Mr. Cooper clears his throat and checks his watch. “I’ll go straight to the point.”

Well, duh. What else?

“I want you to end your relationship with Braydon… and stay away from him.”

I freeze. For a moment, the noise of the bar fades into static, and it’s just me and him. My grip tightens around the edge of the table, my knuckles whitening.

“What?” I manage.

“You heard me the first time,” he replies.

A hot rush of disbelief and anger courses through me. Out of the hundreds of scenarios I imagined for this meeting, this wasn’t even close.

“Why should I do that?” I finally find my voice, quivering slightly despite my effort to stay composed. “What does our relationship have to do with anything?”

“I don’t owe you any explanations,” he says smoothly.

“Yes, you do,” I snap, heat rising in my chest. “You can’t just call me here and ask me to break up with my boyfriend. This is supposed to be about the assault case so how does this even relate?”

He tilts his head, studying me with an infuriatingly amused smile. “You’re the smart one, aren’t you?”

My eyes narrow, my whole body trembling…not with fear, but with pure, unfiltered hatred. Every fiber of me wants to lash out. Is he trying to toy with me? To provoke me? Asking me to break up with Braydon… what possible gain could that give him?

“Can we talk about the actual reason I’m here?” I ask, trying to keep my voice calm.

“We already are,” he answers, that smug tone and look still in place. Annoyingly, it reminds me of Braydon in a way I hate. How can he look so much like this monster?

Before I can respond, Jessy returns with my water and I nod a quick thanks as he walks away. I take a sip, letting the cold liquid calm the sudden tightness in my chest, then turn my focus back to Mr. Cooper.

“Are you trying to say you’ll drop this case if I break up with Braydon?”

He nods. “Yes.”

I scoff. This is… ridiculous. “Do you really think I find this amusing?”

He leans forward. “You seem conflicted about my kindness,” he says. “But don’t take it for granted.”

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