by J. L. Beck
I wonder what it would look like as she bounced up and down on my… Ah fuck, I have got to stop. She’s not going to let me fuck her yet, and thinking about it isn’t going to help the raging hard-on threatening to bust my zipper.
Blair rushes toward her friend and wraps her arms around her. They hug for a long moment, and the hitman looking guy narrows his gaze on me, watching every step I take like a tiger waiting to strike.
Try me, fucker.
Now would not be a good time to get into a fight, but I don’t really care. I’m in the mood to fuck up someone’s face, and though the guy is as big as me and most likely wielding a gun, I’m still tempted to start something. I curl my hands into tight fists, the blood in my veins heating and pulsing. The testosterone running through me is making it hard for me to think clearly.
Her presence is fucking with my head, her scent, the way her slim hips swing.
Walk away, idiot. Walk into the hotel. Go see Evan and Murphy. Focus on tomorrow’s game. Do anything and everything but think about her. I repeat the words over and over again until I’m in my hotel room, sinking down onto the edge of the mattress.
Two hours is all it took for her to get under my skin. Two fucking hours, a greasy burger, some fries and a shake, and that fucking smile of hers.
I have to remember the end game, that she was my tutor and that at the end of the day, I’m doing all of this to get between her legs. By the time I’m done with her, she’ll hate my guts.
It’s the only way things could be.
The only way this is going to end.
9
Blair
As soon as we’re in the back seat of her car, she starts to pepper me with questions. Zeke, her driver and bodyguard, slides into the front seat and starts the vehicle.
“Who was that guy? What’s his name? How do you know him? He’s hot in a brooding kind of way.” I roll my eyes, of course, Mia would fall into the Cage Wilder trap.
“His name is Cage. I tutor him, and that’s really all there is to know.” I try to play it off as nothing, but Mia knows me well enough to realize that’s a load of steaming dog shit.
We’ve been friends since kindergarten. Since before kids figured out who was cool and who was an antisocial bookworm like me. Mia never cared about that kind of stuff. We went to middle and high school together, and we stayed inseparable as we grew. It wasn’t until twelfth grade that she found out she had a super-rich father. He didn’t know about her either, and if it hadn’t been for Mia’s mom dying, no one would have ever found out.
Now she had enough money to buy a small island and has a brooding bodyguard in tow. She was still Mia, though, the girl who had my back, who protected me against my bullies. She was my best friend through thick and thin.
“So, a guy you tutor gives you a two-hour ride out of his way, but there is nothing more?” Her expression is stone cold. She doesn’t believe me, and I can’t blame her, mainly because I’m lying. Shoving my shoulder, she says, “Stop hiding stuff from your bestie and tell me all the juicy little details. I want to know everything.”
“Where to start,” I huff, sinking back into the sleek leather. “He hit on me at a party, and I poured a beer over his head. That’s how we met.”
After a short burst of giggles, Mia clears her throat. “Continue.”
I’m glad she could get a laugh out of it.
“Well, his coach asked me to tutor him, except I didn’t know it was him. I just thought it was some football player. Then he showed up, but he was late for the session, and I already kind of didn’t like him, so I left. That same day, he showed up at my dorm, basically begging me to follow through, not to mention I had his coach on the phone doing the same thing.”
Mia beams. “Oh my god, he is so into you! Has he asked you out yet?”
“Kind of, but it’s more like, will you sit on my face, than will you go on a date with me.”
Mia snorts. “You like him, and I bet you totally want to sit on his face.”
“Maybe, I could want that, if his ego wasn’t so big.” I look out the window for a brief second. Did I seriously just admit that? Gah, Cage’s crassness must be rubbing off on me. Turning back to Mia, I continue, “You know how I am with guys like that. I hate them. I could never be with someone like him. Their favorite thing to do is manipulate. It’s always the same in the beginning. Nice and charming. They tell you everything you want to hear, and then, bam, you’re falling for them, and you’re on your back. Months later, you realize that they never really cared at all, all they wanted was a warm spot to put their cock. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.”
There is a beat of silence, and then another. My heart feels heavy in my chest. The weight of my admission and the truth of it weighs me down.
“Blair, you know you’re not your mom, right?” Mia reaches across the seat and takes my hand in hers, squeezing it gently.
“Not yet,” I reply, feeling full of shame.
I never want to be like my mother, chasing men who don’t care about her. When I find my person, I want them to love me like I love them. I want them to want me and only me, to be faithful and dedicated. I don’t want to be a notch on anyone’s bedpost.
“You will never be like your mom. Trust me on that.”
We’ll see. Swallowing thickly, I decide we need a topic change. I didn’t come all this way to sulk or complain about my life.
Smiling, I shove everything threatening to swallow me whole down. Turning the spotlight on Mia is what I need to do.
“Enough about me, tell me about Blackthorn. How’s the school? Have you made a lot of new friends?”
“Ugh, no. I don’t really fit in at this school. All of the other students grew up rich. I’m the odd one out, and it’s painfully obvious. I have like two friends, but you are my favorite for sure.” She winks at me. “We’re here,” says before I can ask her more questions.
We pull up to a fancy looking apartment complex that really has more of a hotel feel to it than anything else. Zeke parks up front and gets out of the car to open the back door for us.
“Thank you,” I say as we climb out of the car.
“You’re welcome. Here, let me get your bag,” he says, already grabbing it from my hand. Zeke is a big guy. He’s massive, thick with muscles. Even though I know for a fact he’s older than us, he’s still young-looking. His gunmetal grey eyes flash to mine, and I know there must be a past hidden in their depths. I’m curious about him and want to know more about his connection with Mia.
Mia tugs me inside, and the moment snaps away. Once we’re over the threshold, we are greeted by a man behind a large reception desk, the kind you see at hotels.
“Good evening, Miss Lawrence. Is this your guest?”
“Yes, Humphry. This is my friend, Blair. She will be staying with me this weekend.”
“Perfect. I’ll have her added to the guest list.”
As we walk away, I lean into Mia’s side, and whisper, “Who was that?”
“Humphry, our doorman.” Mia loops her arm around mine while pulling me toward the elevator. Zeke, of course, rides up with us, most likely seeing us to the door.
The elevator doors open, and I expect to step into a hallway. Except, it’s not a hallway at all. The elevator leads straight into an apartment. A beautiful, large apartment. I’m a bit flabbergasted, and it takes me a moment before I can get my brain and mouth to connect.
“Oh my god! Is this your place?”
“Yup, pretty fancy-schmancy, huh?” Mia downplays it. I can tell she’s still not used to this kind of life, the endless supply of money, being able to buy and do things whenever she wants.
“It’s amazing and huge. You have the whole floor to yourself?” The place is clean, sleek, and modern. It’s got a homey feel to it as well, even though there’s no personal decor.
“Yeah, well, kind of. Ah…” She looks past me.
Turning my head, I look over my shoulder to where Zeke is standing. He’s so quiet, I almost forgot
he was even here. My cheeks burn as I openly gawk at him, and I give him a smile to lessen the awkwardness, but he just gives me a nod. What’s up with him?
When I turn back to Mia, I put one and one together. “Wait, Zeke lives here with you?”
“Yeah,” she admits, kicking her booted foot against the marble floor. “My dad didn’t want me to live on my own. Something about it being dangerous and troublesome, so he got me a place big enough where Zeke and I can live together. It’s kind of separate. I mean everything except the kitchen. There is only one.”
“I’m arming the security system now. Do not try to leave without me,” Zeke warns his voice rough, and I immediately wonder if she has been trying to dodge him.
“Don’t worry, I’ll behave.” She gives him a wide smile, and I wonder what the hell is going on between them? I get the sense there is a story, and I want to hear it.
Zeke disappears out of the room, and since we’re alone now, I feel safe asking her my next question. “What was that about?”
“I’ll explain later. First, let’s have a drink.” Mia huffs, pulling me through the apartment and into the kitchen.
I take a seat at the large marble top bar and watch Mia get out two glasses and a bottle of red wine. She pops the cork and pours us each a healthy glass.
“Does Zeke buy the booze for you?” Neither one of us is old enough to drink, but we have shared a glass of wine before, one time, I stole a bottle of wine from my mother.
“Maybe.” She takes a sip and shrugs her shoulders. She’s being evasive, sharing minimal things. It’s not really like her to hide anything but since her mother died, and she inherited a new father, I’ve pushed less at making her tell me things. Change isn’t easy for her.
“Tell me more about football-tutor guy,” She quips.
“I don’t think he really likes me,” I explain, taking a sip of my own wine. I let the sweet and tangy liquid swirl around in my mouth before swallowing it.
“But you like him?”
“He just wants to get in my pants, and he only wants that because I’m the only girl to ever deny him. I’m a challenge. He’s not used to rejection, and now he has to prove something to himself, and most likely, everyone else.”
“You didn’t answer my question. Do you like him?”
Do I like him? Hmm, the answer should be no, but I’m tempted by him. Tempted to take a walk on the wild side.
“I could like him, but I won’t let it come to that.”
Mia rolls her eyes. “Your last boyfriend was junior year of high school, and you guys barely went to third base.”
“Daniel was a nice boy, don’t go hating on him.”
Daniel really was a nice guy and cute in a dorky kind of way. He wasn’t perfect and definitely wasn’t popular, but he never pressured me for sex, and always found a way to make me smile, but I knew what it was that drew me to him. He was safe, and safe is what kept you from heartache and cheating and letting your insecurities show.
“Nice if you like loafers and eating Wheaties for breakfast. He acted like he was fifty and close to retirement.”
I pin her with a glare. “Rude. Daniel gave me my first kiss.”
“And that is why you should give Cage a ride. A long hard one.”
“Whose team are you on? Mine or his?”
Mia grins. “The winning team, of course.” She takes another sip of wine. “What’s the saying? Better to have loved and gotten your heart broken than to never have loved at all?”
“Something like that, but I think I’ll pass. I don’t want my heart broken. I’ve seen enough heartbreak to last me a lifetime.” And I have. I’d watched my mom countless nights as she cried herself to sleep. As she worked two jobs to care for two children, she had with two men that didn’t love her, or the kids they had helped her create.
“Ugh, you’re grumpy today. I think you should ease up a little, enjoy college, take chances. Do you want to look back in five years and wonder if you made the right choice, if you should’ve done this or that? You don’t want to live with regret.”
“Mhh, maybe you need to take your own advice? I’ve seen how you look at your bodyguard. Roommate. You have a thing for him, don’t you?”
Mia takes another sip of her wine, looking away and at something behind me. “Oh, Blair, that’s a story for another day.”
I knew coming here would be a great escape, but I never thought it could feel so fantastic. Mia’s place is amazing, like a small bubble, separate from the outside world.
We are sitting on her large balcony, overlooking Blackthorn. The weather is beautiful, the bright sun is shining down on my pale skin.
I’m even wearing one of Mia’s designer dresses. She insisted on me putting it on this morning. I protested at first, but now, I never want to take it off. The fabric is the softest material I’ve ever felt, and it feels like cashmere on my skin, it literally fits like it was made for me.
“I have an idea!” Mia suddenly yelps beside me, dropping her cell phone into her lap. “Let’s go to the game.”
“Huh? What game?” I lift a hand and shield my eyes from the sun to look at her.
Mia rolls her eyes dramatically. “The football game, of course.”
“Oh.” Oh! “Why do you want to go to that?”
“I want to take a closer look at your guy. What’s his name? Cage?”
“I don’t know…”
“Come on, it will be fun. Have you ever been to one of his games? Or any football game?”
“Well, no.”
“Okay, it’s decided then. Let’s go.”
“Fine, I’ll change.”
“Change? Why would you do that? You look amazing. Let’s go silly.” Mia gets up from her seat and motions for me to get up too.
As if he heard us thinking about leaving, Zeke appears in the doorway. “Are you going somewhere?”
“Calm down, I was about to call you. We’re going to the football game.”
Zeke nods and walks away without another word.
“Is he always like that? Like a robot?”
“He has his moments.” Mia gives a vague answer as we walk back inside.
I would interrogate her more, but that would be weird since Zeke could hear us. We put our shoes on and grab our phones before heading out.
Twenty minutes later, we pull up to the Blackthorn Elite campus. I always thought North Woods was gorgeous, but Blackthorn is next level. Large area flowerbeds, water fountains, and perfectly trimmed hedges make the grounds look more like a botanical garden than a university.
The building mimics a castle, dark with high peaks. I can’t imagine the ghostly secrets that this place holds. The dark heroes and damsel in distress heroines. A shiver snakes up my spine. Okay, I need to stop reading so many romance books.
When we pull up to the stadium, I’m shocked by its sheer size. It reminds me of a colosseum. Together we get out, and Zeke escorts us like we’re celebrities up to a gate. There are people everywhere, and there is so much to take it. I’m almost overwhelmed as we enter the stadium. People are pressed side by side into seats.
It’s so loud I can’t even hear myself think.
People are screaming and cheering. Overhead lights shine onto the field, blocking out the night sky. The stadium is overflowing with people, bursting at the seams. The air feels thicker and zings with energy.
The game has already started, and players on both teams are on the field.
“Which one is he?” Mia yells into my ear.
“I don’t know,” I reply with the same exuberance.
Mia pulls her phone out, but my eyes are drawn to the field, and away from whatever she is doing.
“Forty-five.”
“Huh?” I say, still staring out onto the field. I look over each guy, becoming completely immersed in the game. Players hit players, and a ball is thrown.
“Number forty-five is Cage,” Mia yells as the crowd around us erupts. I’m not sure what happened, but I scan the guy
s on the field and stop on number forty-five.
It isn’t until he turns around, giving his back to us that I realize Wilder is in letters on the back of his jersey, though they’re hard to see. Trudging off the field, he throws himself down on the bench and rips his helmet off. It bounces across the turf, and another player picks it up. Coach Willard turns and walks over to where Cage is sitting. Another teammate takes a seat beside him, and Cage seems to bury his face in his hands.
He doesn’t just seem defeated but exhausted too.
“You’re staring at him.” Mia leans into me.
“He doesn’t look happy. Shouldn’t he be happy,” I ask, turning to her.
“They’re losing, Blair. That wouldn’t make anyone happy.”
I don’t say it, but I know it’s more than that. It isn’t just the fact that they’re losing, it’s something else entirely. If he loved football as much as he claims, he would be cheering his team on, he would be trying to boost morale. Instead, he continues staring down at his hands even as Coach Willard speaks into his ear. He doesn’t acknowledge him, not as he talks or even as he walks away. The crowd chants boo, and the players switch, running off the field. Cage stands, grabs his helmet, and slowly jogs out to the center of the field. There is no pep in his step, no joy, no drive whatsoever.
They make a tight circle and then break away, moving into their positions. Words are yelled, and the ball flies into the quarterback’s hands. Cage pushes forward, a wall of muscle. I’m not sure how someone as massive as him maintains such perfect balance. It’s obvious he’s good at what he does, and yet, at the last moment, the guy he’s holding back slips past him moving with agility, tackling the quarterback to the ground.
Cage turns and shakes his head, dropping his hands down at his sides. I can’t see his face, but I know I’d see a drained and completely broken man if I could.
