Pinned Down: A Triple Threat Sports Romance

by Cross,Lexi

  No parents. No other family. No real friends, besides Cindy. I’d never felt so alone in my life.

  You could call Grayson. Right. And tell him what? That I had his son? That he needed to make up for seven years of child support? I made the slow, weary climb up four floors, the elevator always too slow to bother waiting for. No. That wouldn’t work, either. I needed to do it on my own, somehow. Work the problem. I needed to work the problem.

  There was no working it. I’d gone as far as I could. I needed a job, or a sugar daddy. The only two options which made sense. Otherwise, I’d simply wait for the other shoe to drop.

  ***

  Nighttime was the worst. It always felt like there was a higher chance of something bad happening when it was dark outside. That was one childhood fear which hadn’t gone away the older I got—especially considering the threat against me.

  My phone rang. I jumped a mile at the sound, and only breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Cindy’s name on the screen.

  “Hey.”

  “You sound breathless. Did I interrupt something? Oh, God do I even wanna know?”

  I laughed. “No, goof. I’m a little tense right now, is all. The phone scared me.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I wanted to see if you were doing okay. I didn’t mean to almost give you a heart attack.”

  I grinned. “Thanks. And thanks for caring. I’m okay, I guess. Physically.”

  “Mentally?”

  “A mile away,” I admitted. “Cin, I ran home with David today. I literally ran home. I’m losing my mind.”

  “You’re not losing your mind. It’s a natural reaction. You’re going through something scary right now.” She paused, then said, “Listen. I talked to my friend at the bank today. I can take out a loan for you, in my name.”

  “Cindy. I couldn’t let you do that.”

  “Jess, you know I would. I would do it in a heartbeat. I hate thinking of you going through this.” She let out a cross between a growl and a scream. “You’re so freaking stubborn, I can’t stand it. Why won’t you let anybody help you? You need the help!”

  “I know,” I said, “but I won’t let you take out extra debt to help me. You have enough on your plate. What will that do to your credit score, having even more outstanding debt in your name?”

  “I don’t care about that,” she insisted. “I care about my friend, and her kid who I happen to adore. I want you guys to be safe. I want you to move on with your life. No more stories about running David home from school. You know?”

  I chewed the inside of my mouth, thinking. “I know,” I muttered. Her offer was tempting—too tempting. Wouldn’t it be easy to accept? Would it be? All my troubles would be over until the bills started piling up again. I was still looking for work, every day.

  “What about him?” From the emphasis in her voice, I knew who she meant.

  “Cindy…”

  “Well? It’s not a crazy thought. If you tell him about David, he’ll give you the money. He owes you that much.”

  “You don’t know him. You don’t know any of them, the sort of men they are. It’s a matter of pride. He wouldn’t be able to handle knowing I had his child all this time and never told him. I hurt him enough by leaving—he might not admit it in so many words, but I know I did. It’ll be even worse if he knows it wasn’t just me who left.” I remembered the way his eyes flashed fire when he first saw me, when he asked why I left. Before he kissed me. Just the merest thought set my heart racing all over again.

  “He’ll forgive you.”

  “You don’t know that. Besides, he might want to be a part of his son’s life. I can’t risk that. I don’t want him to be any part of that world if I can help it.”

  “I’m sure he’d have enough sense to keep David away from his…business,” Cindy reasoned. I laughed sharply.

  “Sure. Do you know how many of the guys in that club are there because their old men were?”

  “Old men? That doesn’t even sound like something you would say,” Cindy laughed. My cheeks burned, though she couldn’t see.

  “Yes, well, it took a long time for me to work the common terms and phrases out of my vernacular.”

  “That sounds more like you,” she chuckled. “I wish I had known you back then.”

  “No, you don’t. I didn’t know who I was. It was a mixed-up time for me. Did you ever read Wuthering Heights?”

  “Yeah, back in high school.”

  “I identified with Cathy. In love with Heathcliff, even though he was wrong for her. She tried so hard to get away from him, too. She needed to get out of her world—what other choice did she have but to marry a man she only felt lukewarm feelings for? It was that or live with her alcoholic brother. But Heathcliff kept pulling her back, reminding her of who she really was.”

  “What are you saying? Is he your Heathcliff?”

  “I can’t let him back into my life. He’s my past. It’s too far behind me. I can’t be that girl again.” I heard the panic in my voice, but couldn’t stop it. That was the truth of my feelings, plain and simple. I couldn’t be that girl anymore. I had loved him—God, I still did, with all my heart—but he was no good for me. He wasn’t even any good for himself.

  Besides, his true love was the Vipers. Always and forever, just like the tattoo of a viper on his right bicep. It would always be there.

  “I’ve gotta go,” Cindy murmured. “You get some sleep, Cathy.”

  I laughed. “Don’t call me that forever, okay? Jeez.” I heard her chuckling as I hung up. I knew I was blessed to have a friend like her, willing to go the extra mile for me time and again. I didn’t know where I’d be without her.

  I turned off the light, sliding down in bed until my head rested on the pillow. Moonlight streamed through the window, spilling onto my bedspread. It made me think of a particular night with Grayson, right after we got married. God, I was only eighteen then. I had my whole life ahead of me, and I’d chosen to join it with his. He’d taken me to a cabin in the woods. It belonged to one of the older members of the club—he’d let us take it for a week as our honeymoon trip. We certainly didn’t have the money for an actual trip. I’d felt so grown up, a married woman, going away for a week with my husband. That first night, the moon had been full and ripe. We’d made love in its light for hours, until the sun came up.

  A noise. Rattling on the fire escape. My heart nearly stopped, my body going stiff. I held my breath, waiting for another noise. Nothing happened. I relaxed slightly, taking a deep breath and releasing it in a long, shuddering gasp. I told myself it was only a cat—they were everywhere in my neighborhood, the strays. They liked the Chinese takeout place down the block, and the irony of that wasn’t lost on me. I closed my eyes and rolled over, willing myself to go to sleep. I’d have a long day ahead of me.

  Another noise, this one louder. My eyes flew open. Somebody was trying to break in. I froze in place, wishing I had a gun. I hadn’t wanted to keep one in the apartment, of course, for David’s sake. A curious little boy and a handgun didn’t make a good combination. What I wouldn’t have given to have a gun in the nightstand at that moment.

  There was no use wishing. I leaped out of bed, mama bear instincts jumping into action. I picked up the baseball bat I kept close by, then raced to David’s room. The fire escape was just off the living room, further down the hall. Whoever it was wouldn’t be able to see me from that angle.

  “Sweetheart? Up. Get up. Come on.” I picked David up, putting him over my shoulder, then raced down the hall to the bathroom. He was heavy with sleep, only partly conscious, and I heaved him into the bathtub. It was the only room I could think to hide in—and it had an additional lock on the door, since the one below the knob was a little sketchy and my little guy used to like walking in on me while I was on the toilet.

  I realized I needed my phone to call the cops. I looked down at David, who rubbed his eyes and looked around as though he thought he might be dreaming. I could understand why he would think that—nigh
ttime trips to the tub weren’t exactly the norm. I held a finger to my lips. “Stay here and don’t say a word,” I whispered, then fled to my room. My phone was on the nightstand, my heart in my throat. I raced back to the bathroom before the living room window opened, locking both locks on the door and jumping into the tub with the lights off. I slowly, carefully closed the curtain, wincing at the slight noise of the rings against the bar above the tub.

  David whispered in his confused, little boy voice. “What is it, Mama?” He was clearly terrified, his little body shaking from head to toe.

  “Don’t worry, baby. It’ll be okay.” Hands shaking, I was just about to call 911 when I thought twice. They could get there quickly, but then what? Would I have to tell them about the money I owed the loan shark? If they caught the man inside the apartment, they might know who he worked for and put two and two together. Once they knew I was in debt to a criminal, they might take away my son. I would have nothing.

  I couldn’t let that happen. Instead, I texted Grayson. He would be better in a situation like the one I was in. He was used to working outside the law.

  My fingers shook as I typed the message, and I kept having to erase letters as I mistyped them. I groaned in frustration, breathing rapidly as my panic escalated. Finally, I managed to type Come quick!!! Please!!! Somebody’s breaking into my apartment!!! I sent it, praying he would see it. What if he were in the shower, or sleeping, or doing whatever it was he did with his time? I didn’t dare call him, didn’t dare make a sound if I didn’t have to. I stared at the phone, willing him to see the message.

  Moments later, a reply. I closed my eyes and thanked God that Grayson was paying attention to his phone. Are you sure?

  Yes. Positive. I heard the living room window open. I’m in the bathtub. I cupped my hand over the phone, trying to hide the glow of the screen in case the robber was outside the door. I held my breath and strained my ears but could hardly hear over the beating of my heart.

  I’m on my way. Stay there. Don’t do anything. Do you have a weapon?

  A bat, I replied.

  It’s better than nothing. Be there in five. Stay there, don’t move, don’t make a sound. I nodded as though he’d said it to me and could see my response. “Please hurry,” I whispered.

  “Who was that, Mama?”

  “Shhh…” I picked him up, holding him in my arms, rocking him. My mouth was at his ear. “We have to be so quiet now. Okay? Don’t say a single word. It’ll be okay.” I wrapped my arms around him, cradling him, determined to protect him. His head was against my chest, and I willed myself to calm down so he wouldn’t hear the frantic thudding of my heart against his ear. I held a hand over his other ear to muffle the sounds of the intruder going through our apartment. Every time something crashed, we both jumped.

  What could he want? I didn’t have anything of value. There was little chance of carrying my TV down the fire escape. I didn’t have jewelry, either—I’d given the diamond ring back to Grayson when I left him, and even if I’d inherited anything from my mother when she died, I would have pawned it long before then out of sheer desperation.

  He had to know I didn’t have money or valuables. What, then? Was he just trying to scare me? Was he trying to hurt me? The messages were escalating. Joe Green, or whatever his name really was, didn’t play games for long. He wanted me to be sure he would get what he wanted, one way or another.

  Living room…kitchen…bedrooms…It was only a matter of time before he got to us. I prayed with all my might that Grayson would get to us first.

  Chapter Nine

  Grayson

  I had ridden fast all my life, ever since I first got on the back of a motorcycle when I was thirteen years old. One of my cousins had saved up for years, working in a garage after school and on weekends. When he finally bought it and rolled up in front of my house, I had almost broken my neck flying down the steps to see it.

  I had begged him to let me ride behind him—I didn’t know back then only girls usually rode behind guys, unless it was like an emergency or something. I didn’t know why Kyle didn’t want me to ride. Finally, I got down on my knees with my hands folded. He’d hauled me to my feet and told me to stop embarrassing him, then let me get on behind him. I thought I would die from excitement—he wasn’t the only one in the family fascinated by bikes and the people who rode them.

  They say you never forget your first time, and that was true. Nothing would ever come close to the feeling of freedom. The speed, the heart-pounding excitement. I know I had a mile-wide grin on my face the whole time.

  That first ride had been like magic. I never looked back. Other guys were into cars, like the guys I knew from the neighborhood, the kids I went to school with. I didn’t give a shit about any of it, not even the coolest classic cars. I wanted a bike. Until I met Jess, that was all I ever wanted.

  I used to drag race when I was a kid, too stupid to know any better. My first bike was a victim of racing, totaled against a wall when I slid out of a turn. I’d jumped off at the last second—I only broke a leg instead of my whole body. I would never forget the way it felt to really let go, to let the bike do what it was built to do. The wind in my hair, on my face. The exhilaration.

  That was how I felt when I sped away from my apartment building, straight to Jess’s brownstone. I knew the way—I had looked it up, studying the quickest route in my head, going over and over it until it was like second nature. It was one of the only things I could do so far to help her. I had researched her neighborhood, the ways to get to it, her building. The closest police station and hospital, just in case. The other people who lived there. I’d told myself I had to be prepared in case she needed me. That preparation was about to pay off.

  It was late, so the traffic on the street was a little lighter. Good thing—not that I wouldn’t have gone between cars, run lights, done whatever I had to do to get to her. I just didn’t feel like getting pulled over by the cops when I did. They weren’t exactly the Vipers’ biggest fans.

  It was a ten-minute ride under regular speed. I managed it in six minutes, racing up the stairs to the building two and three at a time. The only thing I could think about was her. What was he doing to her? Was I too late?

  I knew which apartment was hers. She had no idea how much I knew about her. I had even studied the floorplan, just in case something like this ever happened. I wouldn’t tell her, since I knew she’d think I was stalking. She was the type who wouldn’t think to thank me even when I was saving her ass from a burglar.

  I listened at the door, pressing my ear to the wood. I heard a shuffling noise. Feet on the floor. No struggling, no crying. Good. Unless he killed her already, or knocked her out. The thought got my blood boiled. I stepped back, then laid a solid kick to the door. It flew open.

  The living room was dark, the hall bright. It took a second for my eyes to adjust—when they did, I saw a dark figure jumping back in surprise. I lunged at it, not caring who it was or even if there was more than one person looking around. I saw red. I wanted to make him pay, whoever he was.

  We fell onto the floor, me on top. I pushed myself up, hand on his throat to hold him steady. He was a big guy, but I had surprise on my side. I slammed my fist into his face once, twice.

  He bucked me off so hard, I went flying. I was on my back, dazed, shaking my head. He got to his feet, kicking me in the ribs. Shooting pain. I rolled away, standing, facing him.

  He breathed heavy behind a black ski mask. I saw his piercing eyes staring out at me, though, like two pieces of metal in the dark. I watched him move toward me—slowly. Very slowly. Sizing me up.

  “Why don’t you get the hell outta here?” I growled. “If you didn’t take anything, no harm done. I won’t even go after you.”

  He laughed, then moved surprisingly quick for a big guy. I barely jumped out of the way before he lunged for me. He hit the wall, books falling off a set of shelves there. A few of them hit him on the head. He cursed, kicking them aside.


  “I tried to give you a chance. Remember that,” I said, then I flew at him. I took him down again, pinning him up against the wall. I took him by the shoulders, banging his head against it over and over until he went limp.

  I got up, looking around the room. I wasn’t breathing heavy from the fight—it took almost nothing. He was out of shape, I wasn’t. It was the rage going through me. I had to hold it back, and it wasn’t easy to do.

  I didn’t see Jess anywhere. The doors at the end of the hall were both open. I knew they were the bedrooms. She was in the bathroom, she’d told me. I didn’t see much damage, but then again, didn’t know how the place usually looked. I heard a groan from the floor. He was coming to, moving his head back and forth, muttering.

  I went to him with my fists clenched, crouching in front of him. “Who the hell are you? Who do you work for?” I stared at his face, trying to see his eyes again. Gray. Like steel.