Out of My League, Part 3

by Sharon Cummin

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “I need to talk to you about Cassie,” I said, and his serious look moved up a few notches.

  “You can't mess with her, Man,” he said roughly. “That's my sister. She's a mess, but I love her.”

  “I'm not,” I said, as I held my hands up to let him know the conversation wasn't going in that direction. “I wanted to know if you've noticed anything off about her?”

  “Like what?” he asked. “I hadn't seen her for a long time before she came here.”

  “Do you think Jeff hit her?” I asked, getting right to it.

  “What?” he asked. “No, why?”

  “You know I always run my fingers through my hair,” I said.

  “When you're nervous,” he said. “What does that have to do with Cassie and Jeff?”

  “There have been three instances, since she got here, where she's flinched when I've lifted my hand to my hair,” I answered honestly, knowing I was opening up a whole new can of worms with my words.

  “Three times,” he snapped. “What the fuck!”

  “James,” I said, in almost a pleading tone.

  “That conversation is not over,” he said, with warning in his tone. “Jeff is a total asshole, but I don't think he'd ever do anything to hurt her. They've been together for years. and I've never seen her flinch. Wait!”

  “What?” I asked.

  “When she first got here, she had a mark on her arm,” he said, and then stopped, as if he was thinking it through. “Shit!”

  “What?” I asked.

  “Hold on,” he growled out.

  He walked by me, opened the door, and left the room. I wasn't sure what to do, so I stayed there, thinking about what I'd just done to myself.

  James walked back into the room with Scott and both Lances on his heels.

  “What's going on?” Lance Jr. asked.

  “I think Jeff hit her,” James said, as he looked over at me.

  “What?” Scott yelled.

  “I'll fucking kill him,” Lance snapped.

  “Calm down a minute,” James said.

  “What makes you think that?” Scott asked.

  “Parker said she flinched three times at him,” James said.

  “And how the fuck did that happen?” Lance barked out, as he turned to me.

  “You can kill him later,” James said.

  “I came to you, didn't I?” I asked James.

  “You did,” he said.

  “I've done nothing wrong,” I said, as I turned toward Lance. “You're not coming anywhere near my nose.”

  James let out a laugh. Then we both looked up at Lance, who was not smiling at all.

  “I think he's right,” James said. “When she got here, she had a mark on her arm. She said it was nothing, and I believed her. We've never had a reason to think any differently. She did flinch once when I reached to grab for her arm too, but I blew it off as her being upset. Shit!”

  “What?” Scott asked.

  “After Thanksgiving, she had another mark on her arm. It looked like a hand print. She said she'd hit it. At the time, I hadn't thought anything of it. We'd been gone, gotten home, and been with her since. Jeff was here. She told us last night. She'd met up with him at a hotel.”

  “He gave her a choice,” I said.

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” Lance hissed through clenched teeth.

  “Yes,” James said. “I had no idea she'd seen him. So, when I saw the mark and she said that she'd hit it, I believed her. Fuck! Did he put his hands on her when she went to see him?”

  “Someone put their hands on her, I have no doubt about that,” I snapped out. “I know it couldn't have been any of you.”

  “Fuck no,” they all said in unison.

  “It sure as fuck wasn't me,” I said. “That only leaves one other person.”

  “She had a mark when she got here,” James said, with hurt in his tone, almost as if he should have known. “Do you think he's been doing it the whole time?”

  “Don't fucking care,” Lance snapped.

  “Once is more than enough for me,” Lance Jr. snapped.

  “I'm going to Michigan,” Scott growled out.

  “Then we all are,” Lance said.

  “Including me,” I added.

  James looked at me like he was staring into my soul. I'd been worried about Lance finding out I'd been with Cassie, but I was starting to think that I'd been worrying about the wrong guy.

  “You don't put your hands on a woman,” I said sternly. “I'll be right there with you. That's not up for debate.”

  Chapter 7

  Cassie

  James and Parker disappeared in James' office. My dad and both Lances were talking to grandma about the house and how much they had gotten done. I was standing there, on pins and needles, waiting for James and Parker to come back, trying to figure out what Parker was saying to him. Was it about me, or was he just playing a game with me? Parker could have pulled him in there to tell him something simple, letting me stand there, thinking it was something awful. Shit! Was he telling him that we had sex? No way! He wouldn't do that. He promised. What else could it be? He was just fucking with me. I was sure of it.

  Just as I began to feel my shoulders relax a bit, I heard the office door slam off of the wall behind it. Then I saw James. The look on his face scared the shit out of me. What the fuck was going on, I wondered? What could Parker have said that had James looking so angry? He motioned for my dad and the other two guys to go with him, so they all walked down the hall and into the office. The second I heard the door close, I looked over at my grandma.

  “Let's go sit down,” she said, as she grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the couch.

  It seemed like we were only sitting there for a minute or two when the office door opened again. All five guys walked through the living room to the front door. Then they left. James stopped and yelled back over his shoulder.

  “We'll be back later. Don't hold dinner for us.”

  Then the door closed, and they were gone, including Parker.

  “They didn't even eat lunch,” I said, as I turned to my grandma.

  “You know how it goes,” she said, as she shrugged. “It's probably just guy stuff. Maybe they got some bright idea on something they want to do at the house and couldn't wait.”

  She pat my leg with her hand. Then she stood up.

  “I wouldn't worry about it, princess,” she said, with a smile covering her face.

  She turned and walked toward the kitchen. That was when it hit me. She called me princess. She'd laughed earlier when Parker had said it too. Shit! She read the text the night before. The one that said goodnight, princess.

  “Grandma,” I said, as I stood to follow her.

  She stopped just before she walked through the kitchen door.

  “That man is no wannabe,” she said.

  “Grandma,” I snapped. “It's not like that.”

  The kitchen door closed behind her, but I didn't miss her loud laugh.

  James Jr. cried out before I could go after her. I hadn't even picked him up yet when Jake let out a cry of his own. By the time I'd gotten them both changed and situated, the front door opened, and the four kids ran by me and up the stairs. Sammie, Lauren, Lucy, and my mom were all talking as they walked in after the kids.

  “Where are the guys?” my mom asked.

  “At the house,” I said, as grandma walked back into the room.

  “No they aren't,” Lauren said. “We just went by there.”

  “They said they'd be back later,” grandma said. “James said not to wait dinner. They probably went out for some guy time. They haven't seen each other in a while, and they've all been working so hard. They deserve a moment to themselves. Leave them alone. Come on, I made lunch.”

  They all walked toward the kitchen talking happily. I followed behind them not feeling nearly as happy as they were. All I could think about was the guys. Where could they be, and why had Parker
gone with them?

  Chapter 8

  Parker

  We were heading down the road, and everyone was quiet, had been for hours. I'd just closed my eyes, hoping to get at least an hour of sleep before we got to the fucker.

  “You know what I want to know?” James barked out of nowhere.

  I didn't answer.

  “What?” Scott asked.

  “I want to know how the fuck my sister had multiple chances to flinch around your ass, Parker?”

  Shit! If I kept my eyes closed, would he let it go, I wondered?

  “Was wondering the same shit myself,” Lance added.

  “Shouldn't we concentrate on Jeff?” I asked, not opening my eyes.

  “I've been thinking about his ass for hours,” James stated.

  “It's not what you think,” I said. “You know me, James. You know where I've been. You had a front row seat to the whole thing. The last thing I want is some materialistic woman coming in and taking what little that bitch left me with.”

  “That's my sister you're talking about,” he snapped.

  “I know it,” I said. “Not a single one of you can deny that shit. She's as materialistic as they come. She was at Sammie's place many times. That's how I saw her.”

  “I get that,” he said. “What I don't get is how you were alone with her enough for her to flinch multiple times with you. I'm not buying what you're selling, Parker.”

  “Listen,” I said, but he instantly cut me off.

  “Wait!” he hissed. “How the fuck did you know she met with Jeff after Thanksgiving?”

  “She told me,” I said, as I finally opened my eyes to find James glaring at me. “Look, James, I'm not into her. She's cocky, and she's a total pain in the ass.”

  “Hey,” Scott snapped out. “That's my little girl your talking about.”

  “She is not cocky,” James said, defending her. “She keeps to herself.”

  “I don't think we're talking about the same person,” I said.

  “Seriously, Parker,” Lance warned.

  I held up my hands, let my head fall back again, and closed my eyes.

  “I think you should stay in the car,” I heard Lance say.

  I opened my eyes to find him looking at me.

  “You were talking to me?” I asked.

  “I was,” he said. “You're a Pirate, and you want to stay one. The last thing you need is for your face to show up in the paper for being part of a beat down.”

  “I won't do anything but stand in the background so the fucker knows how many of us there are,” I said.

  “What's up with you not wanting to be traded anyway?” Scott asked. “You could be going someplace warmer. There's nothing wrong with that.”

  “I don't want to leave my kids,” I answered.

  “I thought you barely got to see them,” Lance Jr. piped in.

  How the fuck did he know that, I wondered? Were they sitting around talking about my life?

  “Can we please change the subject?” I asked.

  “Sure,” James began, “we can get back to how close you've become with my sister.”

  “We're not close,” I said. “We can barely even stand being in the same damn room together. She might be yours, but she's a pain in my ass.”

  “Let's talk about the Pirates,” Lance Jr. said.

  “You don't give two shits about the Pirates,” his dad said, with a laugh.

  “It's better than hearing about Cassie and Parker,” Lance Jr. replied, with a laugh of his own.

  They started talking about the game, and I closed my eyes again. I have no idea how much time passed, but I opened my eyes when I heard the car stop. That was when I saw the house in front of us.

  “Damn!” I let out. “This place is huge.”

  Everyone got out and began walking. I got out and shut the door behind me.

  “I'm surprised she didn't comment more on my place,” I whispered, as I followed the rest of the guys up the walk.

  Stay in the background, I thought, giving myself a silent talk. Think before you act. He's an asshole, but you have way more important things to think about. Just be a number. Do not speak. Do not do anything. Just exist.

  Scott stood in the front of the group and pushed the doorbell. When the door opened, I took in the guy on the other side, and I let out a loud breath. It was Jeff. They knew it would be. It was the weekend and not early in the day, so his staff was already gone. I looked him over, wondering why him? He was tall, but he was small too. The man hadn't hit a gym in years. There was no missing that. No wonder she'd looked at my naked chest the way she had, I thought.

  “What the fuck are you doing here?” the guy barked out at Scott. “I don't have to see your face anymore. That's one of the perks.”

  For a little guy, the fucker sure had balls, I had to give him that. There were five guys, much bigger than him, standing there, and the dude was talking shit.

  “Did you touch her?” Scott asked, with anger in his tone.

  “What?” he asked. “Did she tell you that?”

  “Did you touch my daughter?” Scott asked, with his voice raspy and much deeper.

  “When would I do that?” he asked, his tone filled with sarcasm. “I haven't seen her. She doesn't even turn her damn phone on anymore. If she told you that, she's trying to get attention. You know how she can be, always needing to be in the center of everything.”

  Scott lunged forward, took Jeff with him, and slammed him into the first wall that came up. We all followed him in and stood with our legs apart and our arms over our chests. The door clicked as it closed behind us, closing us in the house Cassie had shared with the asshole.

  “You will take care of your kids, and you will give her this house,” Scott snapped out.

  “You're right about part of that. I will take care of my kids right here in this house. If she wants them, she can come back too,” the fucker spewed out.

  The little punk was insane. Either that, or he had a death wish.

  “That's where you're wrong,” Scott growled out into the guys face. “She will never come back to you, and neither will the kids. You kept them away from me, you dumb fuck. That will never happen again. If I ever hear that you talk to, threaten, or touch her again, I will kill you with my bare hands. You don't touch a woman. Do you hear me, you little piece of shit? I kept quiet for years so I could at least see my little girl sometimes, but I am done.”

  Scott let the guy go and took a step back.

  “I will spend every penny I have taking you and your precious company down,” Scott said, so calmly that it even freaked me out a bit. “Add in all of their money, and you won't have a fucking penny left. I know you think you're all that, but between us, your money won't even come close. We don't flaunt the shit we have, but that doesn't mean we don't have it.”

  Scott took a few more steps back until he was standing with us.

  “I wonder how good it would look for your precious company to find out that their fearless leader put his hands on his wife,” Scott added.

  “Fine,” Jeff hissed out.

  Just as we turned to leave, the asshole spoke again.

  “Who's he?” he asked. “You fucking her now?”

  I turned back toward him and took a step around the guys.

  “What?” I asked sternly.

  “She's still my wife,” he said.

  “The day you put your hands on her and your dick in someone else, you lost the ability to call her that.”

  He laughed. The fucker actually laughed. I was holding on by a thread. It was taking all I had not to go after him.

  “She's a good fuck,” he said, with a smile. “Just make sure you keep her happy and pampered. As long as she's spoiled, she'll suck your cock.”

  That was it. The thread holding me back snapped, and so did I. I lunged forward, grabbed him by the neck with my left hand, slammed him into the wall behind him, and held him in the air. A smile crossed his face, and I lost it. My right hand cam
e back, and I let go. I felt the crunch of his nose at the same moment I heard him cry out. Blood poured from his face and from my hand. The second I saw it, I let go of him. He hit the ground, and his hands covered his face.

  “You have two weeks to get back to her and her lawyers,” I growled out.

  “Lawyers,” Jeff said sarcastically, from under his hands.

  I turned and walked back to the guys. Lance narrowed his eyes at me. Lance Jr. shook his head. James nodded his head in approval. Scott reached for the handle on the front door.

  “Two weeks,” Scott said, “or you're fucking done.”

  “You're going to side with that guy?” Jeff asked, with anger in his tone. “You never fucking liked me.”

  “No, I did not,” Scott said. “You were never good enough for her in my eyes. That guy has never touched my little girl. She is never coming back here, and neither are my grandchildren. You better think this through, Jeff. Your team of lawyers have nothing on ours. Neither does your bank account. You'd probably do good to remember that. How much of that precious money of yours do you want to waste trying to hurt my daughter. I'm willing to waste all of mine to keep her and the kids away from you. You won't win. I promise you that.”

  Scott pulled the door open and motioned for us to leave. As soon as the last of us was out, Scott turned back to look at Jeff.

  “Two weeks,” Scott warned, “and not a moment longer. We can both play your game.”

  With that, Scott closed the door and walked away.

  When the last door of the vehicle closed with all of us inside, I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. We were moving, but I could feel eyes on me.

  “Not a fucking word,” was all I said, as I tried my hardest to fall asleep so I could drown out the damn pain shooting through my bloody hand.

  It hurt like hell, but it was totally worth it. I just wasn't sure the team, coaches, and manager would agree.

  Chapter 9

  Cassie

  We got through lunch, dinner, and putting the kids to bed, and the guys were all I could think about the entire time. When the door finally opened, Parker was the first one I looked for. I thought for sure he wouldn't still be with them, but he was. He was the last one through the door, and he looked exhausted, almost as if he'd just woken up.