“You too, Derek,” replied Coach. “As I said earlier, Dane here is doing a fine job with the team. I reckon he’d be able to take my job when I retire.”
My father’s smile was tight as he said, “He has other things planned for his future, but I’m glad he’s proving to be of use to you.”
His voice irritated me. The way he spoke about me like I was an object irritated me. Even the way his hair was combed back rubbed me the wrong way.
Coach hummed, and let go of my father’s hand before sitting back down behind his desk.
“Walk me to my car,” my father said, turning to me. “We’ll catch up quickly.”
“Dad, I need to talk to Coach about the game tonight.” It was a weak attempt at denying my father, and I knew he wouldn’t accept ‘no’ for an answer.
I sighed. “I’ll be right back, Coach.”
I followed my father out, and he waited until we were out of the locker room before he started on me. “Are you behaving?” He asked, his tone hard, and authoritative. As a kid that tone used to scare me, but now it provoked anger, and the need to knock him out.
My voice was clipped when I replied, “Why ask me that when you already know the answer. That’s the real reason you ‘stopped by’ isn’t it? To check up on me?”
“Watch your tone,” he warned. “I’m still your father.”
“And the only reason you’re here, Dad, is to make sure I’m not embarrassing you again,” I amended for him.
“I don’t need to remind you of how easily your behavior reflects on me, Dane. I’m going to be getting a lot of press in the next few months, and the last thing I need is for you to drag our family name through the mud like you did last year.”
He looked down, and started messing around on his phone, while I struggled not to tackle him to the ground. My jaw started to hurt from how hard I was grinding my teeth.
“You’re the public image,” I retorted through clenched teeth. “Surely it’s your behavior you should be more concerned with, not mine.”
My father, ever the family man, didn’t even bother looking up as he spoke. “Don’t be petulant. Our entire family will be under scrutiny until my court case with Anthony Monroe is over.”
Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t have been bothered with who my father was fighting in court (again) but hearing Kennedy’s father’s name made my ears perk up.
“What’s going on with Mr. Monroe?” Apparently my father picked up on my interest because it was enough to make him look up from his phone.
“He’s trying to drill for oil on land that doesn’t belong to him, and I’m trying to stop it.” His cool eyes watched me. “Why do you care?”
I shrugged. “I don’t. You’ve been feuding with that family for years, I figured it would have gotten old by now.”
“It will never be done,” he said harshly. “And you know that as of your senior high school it has less to do with the history between our family and theirs.”
Like I needed reminding.
“I have to go.” My father turned his back and slid into the backseat of his black town car without so much as a ‘goodbye’ or backward glance. Seeing him, talking to him, disgruntled me even more. Discussing Kennedy’s father certainly hadn’t helped, but it made me think about her and what we’d been doing for the past week. My father had a point though. His ‘crusade’ against the Monroe’s became personal the night my sister died, and up until a few weeks ago, he hadn’t been alone in that.
But now, I couldn’t tell what side of the line I was standing on, and despite not feeling any sense of loyalty to my father, I felt like what I was doing with Kennedy was some kind of betrayal. To who, I wasn’t sure. My father would never approve of me having anything to do with Kennedy. He always painted her with the same brush as her father, saying she was just like him, and I shouldn’t associate with ‘those kinds of people’. If only he knew she was nothing like her father. Not that it was his opinion I was worried about. I couldn’t care less what he thought, but I wondered what my sister would have said about it, if she would have felt betrayed, or if she’d have been happy to see me with Kennedy.
Too bad I couldn’t ask her.
“WHAT THE HELL happened tonight?”
The locker room fell quiet as Coach Ford looked around. The guys hung their heads, and I couldn’t help but do the same. We’d played the worst game all season, and it effectively cost us our ‘undefeated’ title.
“You were like a bunch of clowns in a circus,” he bellowed. “I didn’t even recognize the damn team that was on that field tonight. You didn’t even play like a team. You all played for yourselves, and look where it got you. This was Ole Mis for shit’s sake. Their plays are so predictable, and you squandered every opportunity to take them down.”
He huffed, and puffed, and yet no one said anything. What could we say? It wasn’t our night. Even I had a bad game from the side of the field.
“It better not happened again, boys. Dane,” Coach looked at me, “I have no idea where your head was at tonight but you better sort it out before the next game.” He turned to the rest of the team with a heavy sigh, and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Hit the showers, and get out before I make you run suicides until you know what it means to be a damn team.”
Coach walked away, and the guys all started shuffling around towards the showers. I knew how they felt because I was right there with them. I had no idea what happened tonight, but we sucked. Even Chase, our prized destined-for-the-NFL quarterback was playing like a complete rookie.
“I need a drink,” murmured Reid. “We going out?”
He started removing his shoulder pads, and grabbed a towel. I stood up, and moved towards the locker I used to keep a change of clothes in. “Yeah, I think we all need it.”
“You bringing Amy?” He asked.
My brows furrowed. “No, why would I be?”
He snorted. “You’ve been spending almost every night at her sorority house haven’t you? That’s who you’ve been fooling around with?”
I’d forgotten about that. Everyone had assumed I had been ‘seeing’ Amy, and the only one who actually believed it was Amy. It didn’t really bother me, because I knew the truth, but for some reason this time it didn’t sit well with me.
“I’m not in the mood for her tonight,” I replied, avoiding his question. “I just want to hang with the guys.”
And see Kennedy later.
“Sounds good, man. I’ll meet you outside in a bit.”
Reid walked away, and I took a few minutes to catch my breath, and clear my head. I hadn’t been in the best frame of mind after my father’s visit, and losing the game made it worse. Maybe a night out was exactly what I needed. I hadn’t done anything other than study, attend practices, and even when I was tired to the bone, I saw Kennedy. Every night.
I got dressed, and went outside to wait for Reid. The tunnel was just now starting to quiet down when I spotted Kennedy and Jade at the end. Amy was standing there too, and she was exchanging some heated words with Jade, while Kennedy just looked down at the floor. She must’ve felt my eyes on her because she looked up, and sought me out through the thinning crowd. Her eyes found mine, the look on her face unreadable. I frowned, and she looked away.
What’s up with that?
“Just walk away you stupid tramp!” Jade’s shrill voice made me straighten. I struggled to hear what Amy said, but I could see that it had upset Kennedy. My first instinct was to protect Kennedy from Amy’s vicious tongue, but I held back. What would they think if I suddenly came to her defense?
I held back, and when Amy walked in my direction, a smug look on her face, I tensed. Kennedy looked at me, and then Jade ushered her away. I wanted to ask her what happened, to make sure she was okay, but there were too many things holding me back.
I was so fucking confused.
“Hey baby,” cooed Amy. She gave me a sexy grin, and I immediately compared it to the way Kennedy’s mouth turned up when she wa
s being sexy without even trying.
“What was that about?” I asked, tilting my head in the direction Jade and Kennedy had just left.
Amy rolled her eyes, and started rubbing my arm. “Nothing serious. Jade was overreacting, as usual, and I set her straight.”
I didn’t believe a word this girl was saying, especially after seeing Kennedy’s expression when she turned away from me.
“We’re having a party at the house,” Amy continued, “You’re coming right?”
I needed to be done with this girl. I might’ve been unsure about what was happening between me and Kennedy – because I could feel it changing – but I didn’t need Amy around anymore. Her rumors were just that, rumors, and I didn’t want anyone to keep thinking there was something between us when there wasn’t. The scariest thought, however, was that I no longer wanted Kennedy to see Amy hanging all over me in the cafeteria or on campus. I wasn’t even going to try figure out why I felt that way.
“No, I’m going out with the guys.”
I pushed her hands off me, and stepped back if only to get some space. “You need to stop telling people we’re together. You know we’re not, and I sure as fuck haven’t been in your bed in the last month, let alone this past week.”
Amy’s mouth opened, but she was interrupted when Reid walked out of the locker room. His brows scrunched when he saw her, but he spoke to me. “You ready?”
“Yeah,” I replied. “Let’s get out of here.”
What I wanted to do was go straight to Kennedy’s, but that would have looked suspicious.
“You can’t just end things,” said Amy. Her mouth twisted like she’d eaten something sour. “We’re going to talk about this.”
“There’s nothing to talk about Amy. You can’t end something that never started.”
She said something but I was too busy taking my phone out to text Kennedy to pay attention. I was done with her. I had been since the night Kennedy burst into my apartment, and interrupted my party. I hadn’t touched Amy, or any other girl for that matter, since then.
I tapped away at my screen as I followed Reid to his Range Rover.
Everything okay?
I waited for her response and climbed into the passenger seat. Reid was already pulling out of the lot when my phone finally beeped with an incoming text.
Who is this?
Ouch.
Obviously Kennedy hadn’t saved my number after I used her phone to call mine.
Dane.
Seconds passed.
Oh. Yeah, everything’s good. Have a good night.
I scowled at the screen.
She’s dismissing me?
I typed back.
See you later?
I waited, realizing that I was holding my breath.
Those three dots appeared on my screen as Kennedy typed.
I don’t think that’s a good idea. I have to go. X
She was dismissing me, and I didn’t like it. I didn’t like it at all.
“Why are you looking at your phone like that?” Asked Reid. I was so absorbed with my phone that I’d almost forgotten he was next to me.
“Nothing,” I replied. I pocketed my phone, and leaned my head against the headrest. Reid remained quiet, and I think we were both content with the quiet.
We’d been at the pub with the rest of our team for over two hours. It was late, and I was tired. I was also pissed, and not the drunk kind. I tried not to worry about Kennedy, and why she’d brushed me off, but it was all that I could think about. It was driving me crazy, and I really only saw one solution.
She was going to see me whether she wanted to or not.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Dane
I DIDN’T BOTHER letting Kennedy know I was on my way. If I had, she probably would have locked her door. Reid had had too much to drink, so I drove us home, and when I was sure he was asleep, I snuck next door. Jade and Ashley’s doors were both closed and there were no sounds coming from the inside of their apartment. Kennedy’s door creaked slightly, but I managed to get inside her bedroom without waking anyone up.
Her room was dark, but I could still make out her sleeping form in the center of her bed. She was a sound sleeper, and always ended up curling into herself. Subconsciously I thought it was a defense mechanism, a symbol of how she kept herself guarded, but I’d come to realize that the only time she wasn’t guarded was when she was asleep.
Her hair was fanned out on the pillow holding her head, her lashes fluttering against her cheeks. She pursed her lips, and her brows puckered. I stopped next to her bed, expecting her to wake up, but she just rolled on to her back. She was dreaming.
I smiled when I saw she was wearing one of the shirts I’d accidentally left here in the last few days. I liked seeing her in them, maybe a little too much. But I didn’t want to think about that now. I didn’t want to think about anything, let alone what it was that we were doing.
I did however want to ask her what was up with her dismissal earlier, and I contemplated waking her up, but in the end, I just wanted to watch her.
Creeper.
I shook my head, a small smile tugging at my lips. Creeper or not, nothing was going to stop me from touching her tonight. After removing all my clothes, except my briefs, I slid into the bed behind her and wrapped my arm around her waist without waking her.
“Dane,” she whispered. I stilled, thinking she was awake, and waited for her to flip out at me for being on her bed. But she didn’t.
“Oh,” she sighed. “Yesss.”
My eyes widened, and I leaned over her to get a look at her face. She was definitely dreaming, and by the sounds of it she was dreaming about me.
“Ahhh,” she exhaled. She arched her back, and her nipples hardened beneath my shirt.
Holy.
Shit.
Kennedy was having a wet dream.
About me.
Fuck.
How did a guy ever react to that?
I could’ve left it, and just let her dream, but not only was I getting hard, I also had the ridiculous urge to…laugh?
A choked snort burst from mouth, and Kennedy startled awake. Her cheeks were flushed, illuminated by the sliver of moonlight coming from through her slightly parted curtains. I had to refrain from sucking in a breath because she looked angelic.
“What are you doing here?” She asked, pulling away.
“You were upset earlier.” I shrugged sheepishly. “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“I’m fine,” she tried to push me away, but I grabbed her wrist. “I was sleeping, so if you don’t mind…”
There it was.
Her dismissal.
But I wasn’t going anywhere.
“I don’t mind at all,” I said. “What were you dreaming about?”
She looked away, and brushed her hair away from her face. “Nothing.”
I pulled her closer, and flipped her onto her back. I straddled her hips so that she couldn’t push me away again, or leave the bed.
I lowered my head, and pressed my lips over her pulse point where her heartbeat stuttered. “Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure.” Her breath faltered, and she gave a half-hearted attempt at bucking me off. It only made me harder, and her eyes widened when she felt me through my briefs.
My hands moved to the hem of the shirt covering her body, and I suppressed a groan when I saw she was only wearing a small pair of black panties underneath.
“You can tell me what upset you earlier, or I can make you. It’s your choice.”
Lifting the shirt higher, I touched my lips to her stomach, and felt her shiver.
“I told you…” she paused, and bit her lip as my mouth and hands moved higher, taking the shirt with them. “I’m fine. You didn’t have to check on me.”
I sat up, and slowly lifted her arms so that the offending item hiding her body from me could be removed. She didn’t fight me, and I took that as a sign. She might tell me to leave,
but she doesn’t mean it. Her attempt at putting on a face of indifference was admirable, though.
My eyes traveled down her body, taking in the peaks of her rosy nipples, the valley between her sumptuous tits, the curvature of her waist, and the perfect V between her thighs. Her body was sin, wrapped in a demure little package and I wanted to keep it all to myself.
“I’ll ask you one more time.” Lowering my head, I blew out a breath across her skin, and watched it pebble. If there was one thing that drove me wilder than anything else when it came to this girl, it was the way her body just seemed to answer mine. “Tell me what upset you.”
She shook her head, keeping her luminous green eyes locked with my cool blue ones. “I don’t want to talk about it. It doesn’t matter.”
I grinned against her warm flesh, just below the swell of her tits. “Fine, we’ll do this your way then. But don’t say I didn’t warn you, Kitten.”
I sucked her nipple into my mouth, and swirled my tongue around it. Kennedy kept her hands on either side of her head, fisting the sheets until her knuckles were white. I’d learned many thing about her in the last few days, namely what turned her on, where her ‘sweet’ spots were. Her nipples were one, and squeezing her tits in my palms was another. She’d never admit it out loud, but secretly she liked it when I man-handled her. Her eyes would widen, and her mouth would part whenever I did something particular to tease her, make her whimper, and then beg. And when she begged? I obliged.
Her moan penetrated the haze I found myself in, and I switched sides, lavishing her other nipple until its rosy hue turned red. I felt her tits swell, and I squeezed them as I sat up. “You ready to talk to me yet?” I asked. If she said no then I’d be prepared to resort to more extreme measures, and trust me when I said I would take full advantage. Now that I thought about it, I wanted her to say no, just so that I could torture it out of her until she gave in.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” she sighed. The slight arch of her back told me she liked what my hands were doing, and knowing I could please her only fed the hunger inside me.
“Wrong answer, Kitten,” I admonished playfully, fully aware that my words, and my thoughts were contradictory.
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