SWINGING STRIKE: Cessna U Wildcats Book One

by Readnour, Kimberly

  “Yes, please explain how you lied to my fucking face. Fuck!” He shoves his hands through his hair and glares at me. “Was I some sort of game to you? Let’s fuck with the popular guy since my last boyfriend was a dick?”

  I flinch. “H-h-how’d you know about my ex?”

  “It’s not hard to tell you’ve been burned before. So, is that it? You have some sick way of getting revenge at the entire male species?”

  Not once did I think he’d draw that conclusion. I have to right this. I have to make him understand. “No, that wasn’t at all how it went.” I reach for him, but he jerks his body away from my hold.

  “They took Miller,” he says gravely.

  “No!” I gasp. “That wasn’t supposed to happen.”

  “Yeah? Well, it did. Animal control came and took him. And it’s all your fault.”

  “I didn’t think they’d touch him. Shannon said—”

  “Shannon? My sister? You mean the one you could’ve gotten killed?”

  “That’s not fair.”

  “Fair? You want to talk about fairness? I’m still getting teased in the locker room over your smear campaign against me. And to find out it’s from my girl—” He stops himself from completing that sentence, but my heart skips from his near slip of tongue. Our relationship hadn’t been defined, not even close, but it was heading there.

  “That’s not the worst of it. You wrote the fire article, Cara,” he says in a defeated voice. The hurt in his eyes is painful to witness. I hate knowing I’m the reason for his pain.

  “That article was submitted well before the fire broke. I begged Alan to stop publication of it, but he wouldn’t do anything.”

  “You jeopardized my sister.”

  “They determined the cause to be faulty wiring. Everything else was just a rumor.”

  “It doesn’t matter. What if you had overheard an arsonist? You could’ve been sitting on a potential crime and you”—he points his finger at me—“did nothing about it.”

  “I’ve already talked to the dean about this. I gave him the description of guys I overheard. They were complaining about the building. I knew it was an offhand comment.”

  “Then, why did you write the article?”

  To get the heat off you. “It’s a rumor page. I needed something, so I embellished.”

  “Your embellishments outed our dog.” Fury laces his gaze again while tears sting the back of my eyes.

  “I didn’t have much choice.”

  “You always have a choice.”

  But it was either Miller or you. I don’t voice my thoughts. Braxton doesn’t want to hear excuses, and he’s right. I made the conscious decision to write those articles. The beginning may have started with trying to save my own ass, but along the way, my intentions shifted to saving his. But that isn’t what he wants to hear right now.

  My lips tremble as I push out my words. “At the time, I thought I was doing the right thing.”

  “Yeah? Well your ‘right thing’ got Miller taken away.”

  “That wasn’t supposed to happen.” The administrators weren’t supposed to take the dog. They weren’t supposed to care. I was banking on Shannon’s statement being right. When she doubted the school would enforce their “no pet rule” since Braxton and his roommates are the golden boys, I believed her. How could they get rid of Miller?

  Because it’s against school policy. The voice of reasoning rings in my head. Where was that bitch when I wrote the damn article?

  “It did happen.” He shakes his head in disgust. “You know what? I’m done. I fucking hate being lied to. That’s the sort of shit my ex-girlfriend did.”

  “I’m sorry. I—”

  “Save it.” He punches the air as he stalks off.

  “Braxton, please,” I plead one more time, but he doesn’t stop walking. The threatening tears spill over as I watch his backside slip into the darkness.

  What have I done?

  Dropping this class, ruining my future, was all for nothing. I shake my head. No, it’s not for nothing. I’m still protecting him. His name won’t be dragged across the mud anymore. I rub my chest, trying to ease the pain. It turns out I was right. He is the modern day Heartburglar because he stole my heart.

  Our relationship ended before it even had a chance to begin, but I vow to fix this. It’s just time to implement the backup plan.

  My hands shake as I wait for my brother to answer his phone and think about poor Miller all scared and alone. And it’s all my fault.

  I can barely swallow when AJ’s voicemail message fills my ear. Shit. Time isn’t my friend. By the time Mia’s phone goes straight to voicemail, I’m full-fledged crying. I check the time again and let out a wince. It’s too late to do anything today. But I need to fix what I’ve done. I just have to figure out the timing.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  BRAXTON

  My dad told me once to never take on a business partner. He threw out some figure like seventy percent of all business partnerships fail. I thought he was nuts at the time because our focus has always been baseball. But now, watching my lab partner gather our supplies, I understand his reasoning. When the partner of said partnership betrays you, reality bites and makes working together impossible. When you’ve developed feelings for said partner, that betrayal cuts clear to the bone.

  Two days have passed, and the sting of losing Miller is as raw as day one. The same can be said for losing Cara. Or more like the thought of what we could have been since we technically weren’t dating. We would’ve been great together. My entire body aches for her, staging war between my heart and mind. My hands twitch to pull her into an embrace, while my mind pushes back. I’m a jumbled mess. Rage rolls through me every time I think about being lied to, but at the same time, the ache in my heart is very real. I can’t help but wonder if cutting ties is the right thing to do since we have something special together.

  “I think that’s everything we need.” Her tone is direct and all businesslike. A far cry from the sultry voice that whispered loving every last inch of my cock.

  “I suppose we should get started.” I meet her gaze and silently wince. Her dark curls are pulled back into a bun, showcasing her high cheekbones. She’s beautiful, no doubt, but it’s the sorrow swirling in the depths of her eyes that damn near guts me. There’s so much I want to say but my tongue stays silent. I knew working with her would be impossible, but I didn’t think it’d be downright torturous.

  She’s back to wearing her oversized T-shirt, and I can’t help wondering if it’s her ploy to hide herself. It won’t work, Pole Girl. No amount of clothing can hide what is already implanted in my brain. And just thinking about her body conjures every detail of her riding me.

  Before I do something stupid, like break down and forgive her, I break eye contact and check my phone. The reason for doing so is a good reminder as to why I’m so pissed. She lied straight to my face, just like Jasmine. I won’t tolerate lies. Garret’s call can’t come soon enough. His parents are supposed to decide today if we can adopt Miller. As soon as he gets the green light, we’re driving to pick our dog up. Getting back to campus in time for practice will be tricky, but I’ll gladly take any reprimand the coach doles out if that means Miller is safe.

  “Did you get the email I sent?” she asks.

  “Yes, I already proofed it and sent it in.” This small talk is killing me and making it hard to concentrate on the task at hand. As soon as midterms are done, the rest of the class will go fast with Thanksgiving break gobbling some time. But even my pun doesn’t make me feel better. Once the class ends so will our time together. I’m not sure that’s a better option either.

  Cursing under my breath, I push thoughts of her aside and reach for the bottle of distilled water at the same time she does. Our hands touch. Her slight gasp sends a jolt straight to my cock. I may be angry with her, but my dick is like Pavlov’s dog and begs for more. Our gazes connect once again, and the same thoughts race through my mind that keep m
e up at night. What were you thinking? What is your excuse? How can you have done this to me? The main question—the one plaguing my mind the most—sits on the tip of my tongue. Was our short relationship nothing but a joke? I don’t ask. The truth may be too hard to handle.

  Throughout lab, I steal glimpses of her. I can’t help myself. She’s like a beacon I’m drawn to. Most of the time she’s concentrating, but every once in a while, I catch her guard down. The same defeated expression from the other day haunts her. The spunky girl full of sass isn’t anywhere to be found. I should take stock in that—if she felt unaffected, then there’d be a serious problem—but I don’t.

  I’m not the only one noticing her. Tryce keeps staring at her, too. When he speaks up, I want to reach across the countertop and choke him. Thank God, they’re wide.

  “Midterms are approaching. You know what that means.” Tryce flashes her a knowing look to which she responds with a small smile. What is that about? Is something magical supposed to happen then?

  “Um, yeah. There’s still so much to do before then.”

  His gaze flicks over to mine but goes straight to Cara. He shifts so he can touch her arm. My hands squeeze the saline jar so hard the liquid bubbles over the side and pools on the table.

  “Oh, here,” Cara says. She grabs a towel and soaks up the solution.

  “We’ll talk later.” Tryce grunts a low rumble and shoves his hands in his pocket as he slinks back to his side of the table.

  In preparing to get Miller back, I forgot about Tryce and Cara’s supposed date. If it’s true, she doesn’t seem thrilled about going out with him. But he’s in predatory mode. Perhaps, they do have a date. I just don’t know where the midterms fit in to the picture.

  “I think I got it all.” She glances up at me, and the vulnerability in her eyes weakens me. There’s so much I could say to her, but I don’t. I want to tell her how Garret’s parents will more than likely agree to let Garret adopt Miller. I want to ask why she betrayed me. Right now, the girl staring back at me looks nothing but hurt. I’m not supposed to feel empathy toward her. I’m not supposed to feel anything toward her.

  But I’m lying to myself if I believe I don’t. The bigger question is, what am I going to do about it?

  My cell buzzes with Garret’s message.

  Garret: It’s time.

  “Can you finish up here? I have to go.” I break away from what I was doing and start packing up.

  Her gaze flits to my phone, but the screen has already gone dark. “I’ve got it. Go do what you need to do.”

  “Thanks.” I stand. The smart move would be to leave without a second thought, but apparently, I’m not smart because I turn to look at her. We stare at each other for a beat. The sorrowful look about makes me cave. I want to lean down and devour those lips that were all over me Saturday night and tell her everything will be okay. This awkwardness between us won’t last. It’s just a small blip on the screen like the stars. But I say none of that and walk away. I can’t do liars.

  * * *

  Two days is a lot of time for Miller to be in a kennel by himself. I hate that he doesn’t understand what’s going on.

  “Mom is home to take care of him. We can drop him off and then head straight to practice.”

  I nod. Stating the obvious that we probably won’t make it on time is pointless. Coach better understand since he’s part of the reason behind Miller being at the shelter. But just in case, Dalton and Noah decided to stay behind. There isn’t any reason for them to be here. They can always make the trip to Baylorsville and visit if they want.

  “Does the shelter know we’re coming?”

  “I called yesterday. We couldn’t have picked him up until today anyway because they snipped his balls.”

  I wince. “He was neutered?”

  “It’s standard with all strays, I guess, but poor Miller. He’s emasculated.”

  “Jeez, first he’s thrown into a strange place and then snipped.” I can’t stop the shudder rippling through me. “But it’s probably for the best. It does help with keeping the unwanted pups from being abused. Hell, following his dick is probably what got him in trouble in the first place.” Shit, is that why I still want Cara after all this? I’m just following my dick?

  “But it led him to us.”

  “True.” And that’s not a bad thing. I stew on that information while we continue to drive.

  When we arrive, Garret makes a dash to the door. I’m walking through the entrance when Garret reaches the counter.

  “I’m here to pick up the canine brought in on Tuesday. The stray brought over from Cessna U. I spoke to a lady on the phone.”

  The woman’s happy expression falls, and the sudden lurch in my stomach is foreboding. Her news isn’t going to be good. “I’m sorry, sir, but the dog was adopted this morning.”

  “What? How can that be? I’ve been calling about him every day.”

  “Let me find out what happened.” She scurries to the back room. When she reappears, there’s another staff person with her who she introduces as Laura Minchin. Laura gives us a tight smile and says hello, but all I hear is my heart thudding dully in my chest.

  “Sir, there seems to be a mix-up.”

  My entire world darkens as she explains there was another person who adopted Miller this morning.

  “I don’t understand. I was calling daily.”

  “We thought you and the adoption family were the same people. You both go to Cessna University. It’s an ugly mix-up. I sincerely apologize.”

  “Can you give us the name of who adopted him?” Garret pleads.

  “I’m sorry, but I can’t disclose that information.” When Garret and I just stare blankly at her, she continues, “Perhaps, there’s another dog. One not so rough around the edges.”

  This snaps Garret’s head to her. “We want our dog.”

  Her gaze wanders from Garret to me before settling again on Garret. “Be reassured, Miller went to a loving home. I’m sure you’d agree the most important thing is Miller’s happiness.”

  Well, fuck. What can you say to that?

  “Thank you, Ms. Minchin.” I smack Garret’s arm and motion toward the door. He follows. The ride back to campus is somber. Neither one of us speaks a word. Part of me wonders if by admitting Miller’s gone, it will make it real. But whether the words are spoken or not, he’s still gone. He’s still not with us. Maybe Ms. Minchin is right, and Miller’s happiness is all that matters. But true or not, this still hurts. It’s like losing a piece of Cara all over again. Miller loved her.

  When I pull the truck into the parking lot by the stadium, long dark curls sashay across a tall slender girl walking down the sidewalk. Cara. I’d know that form anywhere, but the purple tee gives her away.

  Now why would she be leaving the ballpark?

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  BRAXTON

  It’s Friday late afternoon, but no one is feeling like going out. Garret is getting ready to head home. The doorbell rings as I make my way to the refrigerator.

  “I’ll get it,” Garret says. He hops over his duffel bag. I feel her presence before seeing her. Then she speaks, and I must be a masochist by the way my heart flipped at the sound of her voice. How can I be happy she’s here?

  “Miller,” Garret yells and drops to the floor.

  I’m shocked as I stare at Cara. She’s worrying her bottom lip and holding Miller’s leash. Miller’s licking Garret’s face.

  I make my way over to her. “How?”

  “When you found out about Miller, I wanted to explain. I-I didn’t quite get the chance.”

  No, she wouldn’t have. I left in a haste. I was so mad. “You adopted him?”

  “My brother, but we wanted to see if any of you wanted to adopt him.” She looks at me and then to Garret.

  “I went to the shelter to get him, but he was gone.” Garret pets behind Miller’s ear. “Are you sure I can keep him?”

  “Yeah, my brother was doing this as a
favor to me. It’s not like his girlfriend really wants the added responsibility.”

  “I’ll take him.” Garret gets in Miller’s face. “How’d you like to come home with me?”

  Noah walks over and starts petting him. “I’m so glad he’s safe.”

  “I was heading home now. Is it all right to take him today?”

  “Sure, I have his papers in the car. But first, I wanted to let you know a few things.”

  All three of us look at each other, then at her.

  “I talked to the dean and Coach. They both agreed Miller can come here for short visits.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Say Garret wanted to bring him to campus, he’s allowed, but only for a day or two max.”

  “How’d you get them to agree to that.”

  Her face goes solemn. “Let’s just say the dean owed me a favor.”

  I give Miller a goodbye hug. Garret loads his stuff and Miller into his Jeep. Cara hands Garret the proper paperwork, and he takes off. The awkwardness comes back as soon as we’re alone.

  “Can we talk?” I ask.

  She nods and our feet hit the concrete. “Look, Braxton, I’m sorry for not telling you I was Mel G. I should’ve after I found out you didn’t have two dates in one night.

  “How did you even know I was there that night?”

  “I was having dinner with my brother. Lexie was working and pointed you out. When I saw you with another girl, my issues with my ex-boyfriend may have played in to it.”

  “Wait. You ran into the waiter that night. That was you bent on the floor.” That’s why she always looked familiar. When our gazes met that night, hers held a look of disgust. I never dreamed it was directed toward me.

  “Guilty. I’m truly sorry. I tried to have Alan print a correction, but he refused to. I don’t think he likes you.”

  “That’s an understatement.” I laugh, humorlessly. He hasn’t liked me since Isabella’s incident, but I don’t want to get into that right now. I feel like I have my own confession to make. “I need to apologize as well. You’re not the only one with ex issues.”