—
Danny watched Carmina de la Cruz run over to Sam and give him a hug. Danny totally got how a man could be best friends with a woman. His oldest and best friend in the world was a woman. Marian Treadwell was the Rebels’ assistant offensive coach, and she and Danny went way back. They’d survived college, Marian’s prick of a dad who’d been Danny’s football coach, and Marian’s near rape by half the starting offensive line on the college team. He was tighter with her than any other living soul, including his own family. Sam and Carmina had history, too. They’d both been injured by the same IED. That kind of shit glued friends together for life.
He wondered if Tom had seen Carmina. The kid had a serious crush on her. Danny totally got that, too. He was just as attracted to her as Tom was. But she had the sort of broken, world-weary eyes that Danny avoided. Been there, done that. He didn’t need to take on someone else’s shit when he had enough of his own to deal with. And Carmina de la Cruz had a lot of baggage, for sure. He respected the hell out of her for what she’d been through and how she dealt with it. But he felt sorry for her, too. She had some messed-up brain and couldn’t talk right. Although he’d heard her talk, and even though she spoke slowly, she seemed okay. Truth was, he guessed Tom had a crush on her ass more than anything else. She had one fine ass, that was true, and Tom loved him some ass. Danny turned around with a grin as he headed to the locker room. Danny loved that kind of big, firm, round ass on a woman, too. Made you want to smack it just to watch it jiggle. And if Sam knew what he was thinking—hell, what half the team was thinking—he’d probably kill them all.
Chapter 3
“You ready to face Vegas next week?” Cass Zielinski asked as he slowed down to walk beside Danny in the tunnel. Cass was the Rebels’ center and team captain, and one of Danny’s closest friends. Marian was Cass’s girlfriend, so she’d sort of forced Danny and Cass to play nice. Now it had become a habit. But the big, redheaded, bearded Texan was always up in his face about something. He knew why Cass was asking about Vegas. Because the guy who’d almost let his buddies rape Marian in college, and nearly ruined Danny’s career before it even began, Darren Peltz, played for the Vegas Rough Riders.
“I got it together,” Danny said casually, hiding the rage he still felt over Peltz’s actions in college. “Maybe we should worry about the Colts this weekend first.”
“No worries,” Cass said, wrapping his towel around his neck. “We’ve got the Colts covered. We’re in the playoffs, win or lose. First time in Rebels history.” He fist-bumped one of the guys walking past.
“Man, you always worry,” linebacker Jo Jo Jones said as he jogged past them. “Don’t even try to lie about it.”
“Well, that’s my job,” Cass said defensively. “I worry so you guys don’t have to.”
“Oh, I’m not worried,” Danny assured him. “The Colts are practice for Vegas. The Rough Riders are in for a rough game.”
Cass frowned at him. “Danny,” he warned quietly. “You promised Marian.”
“So did you,” Danny reminded him. “Are you ready for Vegas?”
“No,” Cass said with a sigh. “I already know I am totally going to lose my shit if Peltz says one fucking thing. If he even looks at her, I swear I will twist his head off his neck. Which is sort of worrisome. I’m going to get suspended right before the playoffs. Why did they have to make Vegas our last game of the season? On New Year’s Day?”
“Sort of worrisome,” Danny mimicked with a snort. “I don’t know what the hell we’re going to do, man.” He shook his head. “Is Beau going to keep it together?” Marian and Cass’s boyfriend, Beau Perez, was the Rebels tight end, and he was a scary-looking motherfucker. Six and a half feet, Beau was a recovering drug addict with tatts all around his neck and down his arms. He made most people nervous, at least until they got to know him. He had to be one of the nicest guys Danny had ever met, levelheaded and calm, the exact opposite of Cass.
“If anyone can keep it together, Beau can,” Cass said. “So if Beau can’t, we are in trouble.”
“I got this,” Danny said. “I’ve been playing against Peltz for years without killing him. I can do it one more time.” He could do it, because he had a plan. He’d promised Marian he wouldn’t do anything to Peltz. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t recruit some friends to do it for him. He looked at the group of guys walking and laughing around him. He’d never had friends before he’d come to Birmingham. Now he had a few that he trusted to watch his back. And get a little revenge for him and Marian.
—
Danny sat in the bleachers with nose tackle King Ulupoka, watching King’s boyfriend, Sam, and Carmina jogging around the track. They were the only people left out there after practice, although a few had still been in the locker room when Danny came out to find King, who was sitting there petting Carmina’s dog. Carmina didn’t have any trouble talking to Sam. He could see her hands waving around as she told him something that had Sam laughing. She was wearing loose, little, red running shorts with a long-sleeve, black Under Armour shirt. She had a tight little body that clearly showed she took care of it. She wasn’t a hardbody, not with that ass, but it was a fine package.
“Want to tell me why?” King asked Danny. The big Samoan didn’t look worried about it, just curious.
“Do you need to know why?” Danny asked, hoping the answer was no.
“No,” King said, shaking his head. “You ask me to bust up a guy on the field, I figure you’ve got a good reason. We’re good, brah.”
“I appreciate it, man,” Danny told him. “It’s a damn good reason, by the way.”
“It have anything to do with Marian?” King asked, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.
“Yeah,” Danny said. He didn’t elaborate.
“ ’Nuff said,” King told him. “How bad do you want him hurt?”
“I suppose nothing career ending,” Danny mused. “I don’t want you to get into trouble.”
“He’s an ass,” King said. “No one likes him. I don’t think anyone would care.”
“That’s not true,” Danny said. “They’d fuss about the money. It’s always about the money. Not to mention you’ve still got a great big target on your back over this thing with you and Sam and Jane.” He was starting to think maybe this wasn’t such a great idea.
“We can handle all that,” King told him. “We’re solid.”
“Can you make it look accidental?” Danny asked.
“Of course I can, man. But you’ve got to pay the fine. I got plans for my money.” King let out his big booming laugh and Carmina looked over at them. When she saw Danny she stumbled, and Sam had to catch her arm to keep her from falling. Danny grinned. He liked that he had that effect on her. She may be hands-off, but it was nice to have a sexy woman like that get all flustered over you.
“Tom know?” King asked.
“Know what?” Danny was surprised by the question.
“About what you’re asking me to do. About the why.” King was still watching Sam and Carmina.
“He knows the why, but not about this,” Danny said. “Don’t tell him, okay? He’d be pissed. So would Cass and Beau. And, shit, Marian would fucking kill me.”
“You all are tight,” King said. “They’re going to be pissed anyway. It isn’t going to take a genius to figure out you put me up to it.”
“That’s where the accidental part comes in,” Danny said drily. “Remember?”
“It won’t mean shit if Peltz doesn’t know why I’m slamming him,” King said with a shrug.
“Shit, man, I hadn’t thought of that,” Danny said. He rubbed his eyes. “Okay. I guess you’ve got to tell him it’s from me to him.”
“Then he will definitely say something to Cass and Beau,” King said. “You know he will. He’ll be talking shit all day anyway. Always does.”
“This is getting complicated,” Danny said with a sigh. “It has bad idea written all over it. But he’s gotten away with it for years, and it’s time he p
aid.”
“It?” King finally turned to look at him.
“Yeah, it,” Danny said. He didn’t explain.
“All right,” King said, putting his hands up in surrender. “I won’t ask again.
“If it’s just me, then that raises questions,” King said a couple of minutes later. “A nose tackle hasn’t got any business going after a wide receiver, even in man-to-man coverage.”
Danny had been sitting there staring at Carmina without really seeing her. He’d been thinking about that night at college, nearly ten years ago, when he’d run into the locker room after he heard Marian scream, and found Peltz and four of his buddies pinning her down, ripping her clothes off. She’d been half-unconscious—one of them had punched her in the face to shut her up. Danny had gone ballistic and broken two of the guys’ noses and another one’s rib before Peltz ran off and called security.
Afterward, Peltz had hidden behind Marian’s father, while the old man blamed the incident on her, and forced her and Danny to drop the charges and pretend it never happened—all to protect his star receiver. Marian had done it for Danny, so he wouldn’t lose his scholarship and his future career. Danny had let her. And he’d let Peltz get away with it for too long. It had turned Danny into a bitter guy with no friends, and serious anger issues. He was trying to start over here in Birmingham—like all the other guys—and putting Peltz and what happened back in college behind him was a big part of that. But he couldn’t let it rest the way it was now. He just couldn’t. He refocused on King.
“You’re right,” he said. “What do you suggest?” The dog moved over and put his head on Danny’s knee, staring up at him, so Danny petted him. His fur was soft, not wiry, even though he had the look of a German shepherd. Danny wondered what kind of dog the soft fur came from.
“I think the other guys would be willing to put the hurt on him, too,” King said with a grin. “And they won’t ask questions, either. Hell, several of them have played with him and hate him more than you do.”
“I doubt that,” Danny said with a bitter laugh that sounded way too much like the old Danny. “But okay. Just be careful. I don’t want any of this getting back to him or coming back to kick us in the ass.”
“Oh, it will come back to kick our asses,” King assured him. “Stuff like this always does. It’s usually worth it anyway, though. Got to pay to play. I accept that.” He laughed again and Danny watched Sam say something to Carmina and then jog over to them. Sam was quiet, but he’d come out of his shell a lot this season, once he and King came out of the closet and hooked up with Jane. There was a lightness to him that hadn’t been there before, and everyone knew it was King’s doing. King was so laid back and easygoing, always ready with a laugh. Sam had needed that. Danny still didn’t get Sam’s hair, though. Dude had a fade like a brother with horizontal lines cut into it on one side. Crazy. Not Sam at all.
“What’s up?” Sam asked curiously. He rested his arms on the bar in front of the bleachers where Danny and King were sitting. The look he gave King was so intimate that it made Danny uncomfortable. Not because he was bothered by their relationship. He figured a man could fuck whoever he wanted to fuck. Look at Tom. That didn’t bother Danny none. No, he was uncomfortable because he got the feeling they wished he wasn’t there. And Carmina, too, probably. Danny got the distinct impression that if they were alone, someone would be catching a dick.
“Nothing, babe,” King said. “Later.” He tipped his head toward Carmina, who was slowly walking over. Danny watched her hips swaying as she walked. Sexy as fuck. He stood up, uncomfortable at the direction his thoughts had taken.
“All right,” he said. “Thanks, man.” He knocked the top of King’s fist with his own and then did the same to Sam’s. “I better go. I don’t want too many people to see us talking and put it all together.”
“What?” Sam asked with a frown.
“We got it covered,” King said. “No worries.” He scooted forward in his seat and leaned over to whisper in Sam’s ear. A big grin split Sam’s face and Danny knew they’d already forgotten about him. He trotted down the steps to the track, waving at Carmina as he went. He’d have offered her a ride home, but he thought she’d decline. He was also worried about what might happen if she said yes. There was tension between them that was begging to be explored, but he wasn’t going there. So he turned his back and headed for the parking lot.
Chapter 4
“Avocado,” Carmina said, staring at the picture on the cue card her speech therapist was holding up.
“Very good,” Sydney said with a smile. “Six months ago you couldn’t say that.”
“I don’t like them.” Carmina made a face.
“That’s not all you wanted to say,” Sydney chastised her. “Finish your thought.”
“That’s because I don’t like them,” Carmina said slowly.
“Excellent.” Sydney beamed at her. “Honestly, Carmina, your speech has improved dramatically. I’m so pleased. If I didn’t know you had a TBI, I’d never guess.”
“I used to talk very fast,” Carmina told her sadly. “Spanish and English.” She had trouble just saying “Spanish,” much less speaking it these days. It was weird. When she was really stressed she sometimes lapsed into Spanish without thinking about it. But if she thought about it and tried to speak Spanish, she came up blank. That troubled her, since it was her first language and the one her family preferred. One more thing widening the gulf between them. She looked over at Buster K and he got up from where he’d been lying and came over and licked her hand.
“I know you want to relearn your Spanish,” Sydney said sympathetically. “But you’ll need a different therapist for that. And since English seems to be easier for you at this point, I think it’s our best avenue to achieve full, independent functioning.”
“I function,” Carmina said defensively. “I live by myself.”
Sydney reached out and clasped Carmina’s hand. “I know. But you said you wanted to work, too, right? One day at a time, one goal at a time.”
It was the mantra Carmina had been using for the last two years. “I think I’m ready,” she told Sydney.
“You know what? I think so, too.” Sydney laughed at Carmina’s whoop of happiness and Buster K barked in surprise. “I’m so proud of you, Car. You’ve worked so hard. But,” she said, holding up her hand to stem Carmina’s celebration, “that doesn’t mean we don’t get to see each other regularly anymore. We have to make sure you maintain this level of functionality and continue to progress.” She softened her voice. “You know how unpredictable your condition is.”
Carmina started to nod, but spoke up before Sydney could rebuke her. “I know,” she said. “But I’m good, Sydney.” Carmina thought it was cruel that her therapist had such a hard name to say. It had taken months before she could call her by name.
“You’re better than good. You’re great. Don’t forget that.” She hugged Carmina, who hugged her back. “Now, what else is bothering you?” Sydney straightened the pile of cue cards in front of her. “I could tell you had something on your mind when you got here.” She folded her hands in her lap and gave Carmina her full attention.
Carmina was startled at Sydney’s astuteness, although she knew she shouldn’t be. The two women had gotten to know one another pretty well over the last few months. Sydney was only a few years older than she was, and they’d clicked immediately. Carmina started to deny that anything was wrong, but changed her mind. “Can I ask you something…awkward?” she asked.
“Well, this sounds interesting,” Sydney said. “Go ahead.”
“Will sex affect my recovery?” Carmina asked in a whisper, leaning toward Sydney. Sydney moved closer, too, and whispered back.
“No.” Sydney leaned back in her chair with a laugh. “We’re in my office, Carmina. No one is going to overhear us. Have you met someone?” Her eyes gleamed with happy curiosity. “I hope so. Is it Sam?”
“What? No!” Carmina said vehemently. �
��Sam is my friend. Ew.” She shook her head. “He’s with King and Jane.”
“He sounds like Tarzan the Ape Man,” Sydney teased. “Sorry, I forgot about that, although I don’t know how. It’s still all we hear on the news. It’s just that he’s the only guy I ever see you with. Who is it?”
“No one,” she said. “Just, you know, if someone came along who wanted to, it’s good to know I can.”
“You can,” Sydney said firmly. “Don’t worry.”
Carmina hoped like hell Sydney was right and that she could finally orgasm. She just needed to find a guy to help her get there. She was convinced she needed more than a fantasy lover. She needed a flesh-and-blood man to make it happen. So her new goal was to find one. If she could learn to talk again, she could learn to come again.
—
“Tonight, we celebrate,” Sam said, lifting Carmina up in a bear hug. She laughed. He set her back down, put both hands on her shoulders, and stared into her eyes. “Are you sure you’re ready? For a job, I mean?” She nodded.
“Yes,” she said firmly. “I’m bored.”
Sam’s girlfriend Jane laughed and gave her a one-armed hug. Jane was a nurse and she’d just gotten home from the hospital. She was still in her scrubs. “That sounds about right,” she said. “I could tell you were getting restless sitting around your apartment and playing Call of Duty.”
“Nigel’s having some people over,” King said from where he was leaning against the kitchen counter. “He told me today, asked me to tell you. Sort of a holiday thing.” He winked at Carmina. “I think he likes you.” She shook her head vehemently. “No?” King asked. “Too bad. He’s a pretty good guy.”
“He’s a dog,” Sam said in disgust. “I mean, I like him, but he gets around. You know?” He frowned at Carmina. “Stay away from that.”
“Okay, Dad,” Carmina said sarcastically. She loved Sam to pieces, she did. He’d been her rock the last couple of years. They’d been sitting next to one another on the transport when they hit the IED. She’d been thrown from the truck and knocked out and Sam had been badly burned on his back, then shot a few times. They were the only survivors. Sometimes she felt like he was more family to her than her actual blood relatives. But he was so overprotective. That was probably her fault, because she’d relied on him so heavily when she was first released from the hospital and still couldn’t speak properly. She even moved to Birmingham to be closer to him. It was no wonder he felt like he needed to protect her. But she’d come here because her family was stifling her, treating her like an invalid, trying to force her to recover on their terms. That wasn’t what she needed. She’d needed someone who understood what she’d been through and who she was now, and that was Sam.
Misconduct Page 2
