I love the way he can make my heart race, just by doing something so simple.
“You’ve got a bit of a wait until the game, Morgs,” Brody says as he opens the door to the gym for me.
I slide my phone out of my pocket and wave it at him. “Lucky I stocked up my kindle before we left the house.”
Hunter is nowhere to be seen, but Ethan is inside the gym already, bouncing his ball around the court with a man that I quickly recognise as Adam.
“Is he here for the game?” I question.
Brody nods and grins. “I had to agree to buy him dinner next weekend to get him to come, but honestly, I think he played me – he’s got a bit of a soft spot for the kids.”
“They’re going to freak.”
“I think a few of my other old teammates were going to get down too, so it should be a good motivator for the boys.”
“I know what you’re doing.” I point a finger at him. “You’re trying to get me to thank you again.”
He chuckles. “A guy can dream.”
***
My throat is starting to hurt from cheering so loudly.
We’re into the fourth and final quarter, and Ethan’s team is up by five points. It’s a tight game – Brody hasn’t stopped pacing the side of court, yelling out plays and tips to the boys.
Ethan makes a steal and tears off down the court with the ball, his teammates on the bench screaming at him.
He’s got all the space in the world to make an easy two points here, but instead he looks back, finds Hunter and fires the ball at him.
He bounces it twice, lines up the shot and the ball swishes through the basket for three points.
The two boys high five one another as they run back down the court.
That’s one thing I learned pretty quickly about basketball – they high five every fifteen seconds. Every play, basket, free throw… anything – they’re there high fiving, there’s even the occasional butt tap.
Ethan is subbed out and my heart warms as I watch Brody praising him, clapping him on the shoulder as he collapses into a chair to watch.
“Yeah, Ethan!” I yell, because today I’m one of those sports mums that can’t keep their mouths shut.
Chad turns around from his spot in front of me, two rows down and raises his brows at me, his lip twitching in amusement.
I barely resist the urge to show him my middle finger.
At least he’s here I guess, it’s more than I expected. In fact, now that I think about it, this is the first game he’s ever been to.
Maybe he is planning to make more of an effort.
Maybe he’s just trying to piss me off.
I’m not sure I care either way.
I don’t know how long he’s planning to stay in town for, but I’m over it.
He had another go at Brody before the game about staying away from ‘his woman’, and he’s been doing his best to flirt with me any chance he gets. I had to move up and put an extra row between us just to get some space.
Isabella nudges my knee. “I can’t believe that is your ex.”
I clench my jaw. “Trust me, there’s a good reason he’s the ex and not the current.”
She sighs wistfully. “There always is, and points for staying strong. I’m not sure how strong I’d be if a man looking like that came knocking on my door.” She fans her face dramatically.
“He’s all yours,” I mumble as I try to distract myself with the game.
Brody is still stalking up and down the side of the court, pointing every so often and throwing his arms up in outrage if the ref’s call doesn’t go his team’s way.
Basketball coaches sure are passionate.
I feel my phone vibrate in the pocket of my jacket and I slide it out, only half paying attention.
I click on the message, cheering as the Tigers make another shot.
I glance down at my phone and my blood runs cold.
It’s those same two words.
‘Cock tease’.
That’s all it says.
I don’t recognise the number.
“Oh my god,” I breathe.
I’ve barely uttered the words when another message comes through, and this time a whimper escapes my lips.
‘I like you in green. Brings out your eyes.’
I glance down at the green jacket I’m wearing.
He’s here.
“Are you alright?” Isabella asks.
I shake my head as I show her the screen of my phone. “I’m being stalked.”
She gasps, her hand coming up to cover her mouth as she reads the words. “I’ll get Brody.”
“No,” I reply quickly, my hand coming down on her arm. “The game isn’t over.”
I glance up at the clock. There’s only two minutes left.
My eyes scan the crowd, looking for the guy from the bar, but it’s no use, there are people everywhere, the stands are packed. There’s as many people behind me as there are in front of me – I’d never spot him – I barely even remember what he looked like.
“Morgan!” Isabella yells, and I shake my head to clear my thoughts. I don’t know how many times she said my name.
I look at her with wide eyes.
“Are you okay, do you think we should leave? Or call the police or something?”
“No.” I shake my head. “We should wait for Brody.” I don’t know what to do, but I do know that I won’t do anything or go anywhere without him.
I can feel the colour draining from my face as I think about what could happen here.
I could be in real danger.
He’s close enough to know what I’m wearing.
A shiver passes over my skin as I look around the crowd.
Chad turns around again and my eyes meet his.
He frowns and turns to rest in the empty space on the row between us as he takes in the expression on my face.
“Are you okay, princess?”
“Don’t call me princess,” I reply automatically.
“Morgan, what’s going on?”
I really must look terrified if he’s willing to not annoy me to get an answer.
“She’s being stalked,” Isabella blurts out, and I could slap her.
The last thing I need is Chad in my business.
“What?” he replies, outraged, his eyes shifting from her to me, “you’re being stalked?”
“Maybe. I’m not sure,” I reply, my voice barely more than a whisper as my gaze travels from the face of the man I used to love down to the court in search of the man I love now.
The final buzzer sounds, and I get to my feet.
I hear Isabella and Chad both speaking, but I don’t hear what they’re saying; I don’t really care, I just want Brody.
I want his protection. I want him to wrap his arms around me like a safety net and keep me out of harm’s way.
I jog down the steps, muttering ‘excuse me’ and ‘sorry’ to everyone I shove past.
I finally make it onto the courtside and I slip past the crowds of people that are making their way out of the gym.
I push up to my tip toes and catch sight of his thick head of dark hair on the court.
I almost cry in relief. I’m nearly there.
The crowd opens up, and I stumble through the gap and onto the court.
Brody is just giving the last boy in the line a high five, a huge grin on his face, when his gaze lands on me.
His grin drops as he takes me in.
I blow out a deep breath, I didn’t realise I’d been holding it in.
He strides toward me, his long legs carrying him quickly, closing the gap between us in seconds.
“Morgs,” he mutters as he wraps his arms around me tightly, tugging me against him.
“Something happened,” I choke out. “I’m scared.”
He doesn’t speak for a few beats, just holds me tight as people file out of the gym in throngs.
“Adam!” Brody finally yells out.
I hear someone approac
h, but I don’t lift my face from the front of Brody’s shirt.
“What’s going on?”
“Give Anthony a hand to take the boys for a warm down, will you?” Brody asks, his deep voice vibrating in his chest.
“Everything alright?”
I feel Brody moving, shaking his head I assume. “I don’t think so.”
I hear Adam jog away and call out to the team and then I’m moving, being walked on numb legs, tucked against my pillar of strength.
I hear him open a door, then close it behind us.
He presses my shoulders down until I’m sitting.
He pries me from his chest, his finger hooking under my chin so that I have to look at him.
“Tell me what happened,” he demands.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Brody
I run my hand through my hair and check again that I can still see her sitting in the office with Hunter’s mum.
I know she’s still there – she couldn’t go anywhere if she tried, I locked her in, but still… it hasn’t stopped me from checking every fifteen seconds.
That fucker is going to pay for scaring her like this.
I’m going to make him pay.
Anthony, my assistant coach, and Adam are still putting the boys through the warm down. They’re all buzzing with excitement over their first win – I was too, until I saw her face.
Ethan jogs over to me, frowning in confusion at his mum in the office.
“What’s wrong with Mum?” he demands.
I don’t know how much Morgan has told him, but he’s sixteen, I think he’s old enough to know at least some of the truth. It’s probably not my decision to make, but I’m making it anyway. Ethan might be a teenager, but he’s tall and strong – he could protect Morgan if it came to it, I need to be able to count on him.
“Someone is scaring your mum, sending her text messages and stuff.”
He frowns. “Is it whoever wrote that shit on one of her signs?”
I raise a brow at him. I know Morgan didn’t tell him about that.
“I heard her on the phone,” he explains, “and then Jerome put the sign in our garage, spray paint on it and all…”
I nod. I guess he knows more than I thought.
“It’s the same person,” I tell him.
“Is she okay?” he asks, his eyes flickering with concern as he glances back towards the office.
“She’ll be alright, bud,” I promise him as I clap him on the shoulder. “She’s got me and you to watch her back, right?”
He shoots me a small smile. “Right.”
“I won’t let anything happen to her, Ethan, I’m not going to run away when things get tough. It’s not who I am.”
He nods gratefully.
“Go finish up with the guys.”
He turns, his gaze lingering on the stand, before running back to join his teammates.
I follow where he looked, and find that Chad is still here, and he’s chatting up the mums by the looks.
I don’t know why he’s stayed behind, but just the fact that he’s here makes me want to punch something – preferably him.
He must feel my eyes on him because he turns, then gets to his feet and heads in my direction.
“Fuck’s sake,” I mutter.
This is not what I need right now.
I cross the court to meet him, so we’re further away from my team when we come face to face.
He smirks arrogantly at me as he approaches.
“Chad.” I nod.
“Coach,” he retorts. It fucks me off that he refuses to address me by name, but I don’t show my irritation – that’s what he wants.
“Not bad,” he says, and the urge to punch him grows stronger.
“What do you want?” I cross my arms across my chest.
He has something to say, that much is obvious, so we may as well get on with it.
“Nothing.” He shrugs, but I’m not buying it. “In fact, I was just about to leave – I’ll just check on Morgan and I’ll be on my way.”
He steps towards the office, and I step with him, blocking his path, my arms falling to my sides. “Like hell you will.”
His brows rise a fraction. “Excuse me?”
“I said, like hell. You’re not going anywhere near her.”
“She’s the mother of my child, and if I want to see her, I will,” he says, his jaw tight.
I shake my head. “That ship has sailed, Jenson, she’s not at your beck and call anymore. She’s moved on and you need to do what you do best and just disappear.”
He laughs, as though I said something hilariously funny, and my fists ball up tight.
He takes another step, towards me this time and sneers at me. “You really think I’m going to let some washed-up basketball player tell me what to do? I’m Chad fucking Jenson, and I answer to no one.”
I step forward too, so our chests almost touch.
“You try me, see what happens,” I offer.
His eyes harden and I’m about half a second away from cracking when I feel a heavy hand rest on my shoulder.
Chad’s eyes move from mine to the man over my shoulder who I already know is Adam.
“Got a problem here, man?” Adam asks, and somehow it manages to sound like a threat.
Chad Jenson might be a prick, but he’s no idiot. He knows we’ve got him beat.
He steps back, huffs out a laugh, and turns around to leave without saying a word.
I’m fucking furious about what just happened, but not as mad as I am that he left without even congratulating Ethan on the incredible game he just played.
I consider going after him, but Adam’s hand on my shoulder stops me.
“Not here,” he warns.
He’s right. This isn’t the time or the place.
I have to set an example for the boys, and fighting isn’t what I’m here to teach them.
“You all good?” Adam asks.
I nod my head, my anger fizzling out somewhat. “I’m good.”
“Let’s get this wrapped up so you can take care of your girl.”
“Yeah,” I reply. That’s the only thing I can think about doing.
***
“Cheers, Adam, I appreciate the help,” I say as we walk out of the gym, Morgan fused to my side and Ethan doing what he always does, bouncing his ball and flipping that fucking ridiculous blonde hair from his face.
I don’t know how he plays like that, but he seems to have it sorted.
“Don’t sweat it, just get your wallet ready for that dinner you owe me, bro.” He rubs his hands together eagerly.
The guy makes a high six-figure salary these days, but he’s never stopped trying to get free shit.
I wave out to him as he crosses the carpark in the opposite direction.
“Later, Adam!” Ethan yells after him.
Adam throws him a hang loose.
“You okay?” I ask Morgan quietly, so that Ethan can’t hear.
She looks up at me, her green eyes still wide with fear. “I just feel so… violated.”
I know what she means, I feel the same way.
I also feel angry, really fucking angry.
Ethan jogs off ahead, still practising his moves. I swear the kid never stops.
“We’ll swing by your place to get you guys some stuff, then I’m taking you back to my house.”
She doesn’t argue, just nods her head and snuggles in even closer to me.
“Hey.” I reach down and tip her chin so she has to look at me. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” she says, the corners of her mouth finally lifting.
I take the opportunity to kiss her.
“Um, Mum…” Ethan’s voice breaks the moment.
I glance up and my stomach drops. Scrawled across the front of her windscreen, written in god only knows what, are the words ‘cock tease’.
I hear Morgan gasp and then a sob rips from her throat.
“Ethan, come stay with your mum,�
� I tell him calmly, even though I feel anything but.
He nods his head, his own eyes now wide and shaken.
I pry Morgan from my side and Ethan holds his arms out to hug her.
He really is a good kid.
I shrug the bag off my shoulder and pull out a few of the left-over water bottles and some of the sweat towels that I need to drop to the dry cleaners.
I pour the water on the windscreen and scrub at the bullshit words with the towels, anger radiating from me.
Cock tease. She’s nothing of the fucking sort.
I could kill him.
I could literally kill him for this.
I rub at the windscreen with all the aggression inside me, and when I’m done, I’m much calmer; I’m the man Morgan needs.
I toss the gear in the boot, scoop Morgan into my arms and carry her to the passenger seat.
I buckle her up and kiss her forehead. “I’ll fix this, baby, I promise.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Morgan
“I don’t like it, Morgs.”
I don’t particularly like it either, but unfortunately, it’s my job. I can’t just turn down clients because I’m shaken and scared.
I’m all cried out now at least, so I’m less likely to break down in public.
I spent half the night bawling.
Brody got us home, ordered in some takeout, which kept Ethan happy, and then the two of them proceeded to look at me with concern and treat me with kid gloves until I couldn’t handle it anymore and went to bed.
He wanted us to go to his place for the night, but I think he could see I was too exhausted to make that happen, so he stayed with us instead.
Brody held me in his arms as I sobbed and promised me over and over again that he’d take care of me – that nothing was going to happen to me on his watch.
I believe him. I know he’d never stand back and let anyone hurt me, but he isn’t there with me all the time, and that’s when I feel most vulnerable.
I watch Brody pace the room again and catch his arm to stop him as he passes me.
“I’ll be fine. It’s just a house viewing.”
Nothing bad can happen there, the place isn’t even on the market yet – no one could possibly have set anything up there. There’s no sign with my name on it, no paper trail, nothing.
Mr. September: A Single Parent Romance (Calendar Boys Book 9) Page 12
