ROMANCE: SPORTS ROMANCE: The Playmaker (Bad Boy College Football Romance) (New Adult College Alpha Male Sports Romance)

by Carly White

  I called him again, sure that it would all just be some weird happenstance, but after a few more calls, it became clear that he wasn’t picking up and I wanted to make sure that he was okay. There was a bad feeling way deep down in my gut for some reason and I just had to make sure Jared wasn’t hurt or something.

  I really don’t know what I was thinking. I knew where he lived, been to his apartment more times than I could count and I knew that he would be there. As a woman who ran off emotions and gut feelings, I knew I had to see what he was doing, while in my mind I was still working under the pretext that I wanted to make sure he was okay. It was beyond that, something was pulling me towards his house.

  Chapter 4

  Tony

  I waited around till the sun went down and thought about what I wanted to do that night. There was a new club in town that I hadn’t been to yet and I wanted to talk to the owner about getting rid of some merchandise. I didn’t know what kind of morals he had, but very few turned down my offer. It was a choice of turning a blind eye to my sales team or paying for protection. Either way I was going to make something out of it.

  Dreams would be no different. Vinny was back in from his trip to New York. More connections were being made every second, but tonight I had more basic needs in mind. It wasn’t about money tonight, though it would be a side trip. There was no sense in not making a few dollars if I was able, but my focus was more on finding a woman to keep me warm.

  With Vinny in tow, we made our way down to the west side and the new club that was all the rage. They had just recently opened, maybe a week before, but I had to wonder if someone had already approached them. I was late in the game, but still sure that it would be fine. Vinny was more interested in business, but as soon as we got through the door, I was checking out the ladies.

  I went to the bar and ordered a drink while Vinny went to find the person in charge. When he came back out of the back and nodded to me, I finished the drink and went to go meet the boss. I was not expecting a woman and certainly not an older one, old enough to be my parent. She threw me off for a minute and I saw the bare grin in her face. Darla liked to surprise and shock.

  “Nice to meet you Tony. I hear good things.”

  I wasn’t sure if I should be on guard or relaxed. I didn’t feel relaxed. “What have you heard?”

  “Nothing important. You are here for protection or distribution?”

  I leaned back in the seat she had offered. She was sitting down as well, her demeanor calm. “Whichever you are looking for.”

  “A little of both. It has been too dry in here. Many want more than I can sell, so they will either leave and get it somewhere else, or I bring it to them.”

  Nodding, I got the case from Vinny while he watched the door. “Does he talk?”

  “Not usually. Just here to make sure everything goes smoothly.”

  “Of course. Of course. I am glad you came around. I was hoping you would.”

  I was not used to getting such a warm reception. It made me wonder why she was so quick to do business, but I tried to push my misgivings to the side. It didn’t matter why. She was just another business owner that wanted to make more money. That I understood.

  Watching her go over the bag of goods, she pulled out a couple of things, smelling it and I watched her set one to the side for later. “I wouldn’t have taken you for a pot head.”

  She shrugged. “Helps me go to sleep. So how often can I expect a delivery?”

  “Weekly unless you need more. Protection is 24-7. Once everyone knows we have this on our radar, no one else will mess with you.”

  “And by no one else, you mean men like you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well that sounds good.”

  I shook her hand and walked out of her office feeling better than when I had gone in there. If only all clients were that easy, I thought to myself.

  Vinny followed me out and I told him to find something to do. “You go do your thing Vinny. I got it from here.”

  My eyes scanned the crowd, still looking for a girl that stood out to me. If I wanted the same old thing, I would be back down at home using one of the girls that hung around. I wanted something new, something that I hadn’t had before. It was a tall order, but I knew that there had to be someone out there for me. One that I was looking for to keep me busy for an hour or two had to be in the club.

  Then I saw her. There was a hint of familiarity. I had seen her before, I just couldn’t place her. Then I thought back to earlier in the day when I had to go to the police station. It was the woman from before. She seemed to be alone and I walked up to her, sitting down next to her at the bar. I acted like I didn’t recognize her, didn’t know who she was. I saw her look at me several times through my peripheral. “Didn’t I see you earlier today?”

  I smiled over at her, the recognition in my face. “Yes, didn’t I see you at the 12th precinct earlier today?”

  She nodded. “Yes. My name is Emily.”

  “Tony.”

  “Nice to meet you Tony.”

  I ordered another drink for both of us and liked the change of clothes. She was wearing a tight black skirt and looked ready for anything. “So what is a pretty girl like you doing here alone?”

  “I got stood up and found out my boyfriend is cheating on me a little while ago.”

  After looking at her for a few minutes, it became clear to me that she had had more than a couple of drinks. I hadn’t seen her before, so it made me wonder if she had consumed them all while I was in the back.

  “Well he is crazy.”

  “I think so. I mean look at this outfit.”

  I couldn’t stop looking at it. The see through shirt showed what the skirt left me wondering about. She was slim, but her small, pert chest beckoned to me from the sheer fabric. “I am. He just got out of the way for a real man.”

  She grinned at me, definitely more than a little buzzed. “Is that what you are, a real man?”

  Emily looked as though she had heard it before and maybe she wasn’t so sure. I liked a woman that was just as blasé as I was about the whole thing. A little criticism never hurt anyone. “You know I am, that is why you are looking at me like that. You want to be shown, not told.”

  She leaned in and her bright blue eyes sparkled back at me. “And how would you show me? Take me right here?”

  I leaned back and slid the drink away from her. “I would prefer more privacy and time to savor you.” What she didn’t know is that I had no problem taking her right there at the bar. I didn’t care who was around. It wasn’t like anything would be said or that I would be stopped. No one would do anything except watch me ravish her. The idea had my heart racing a little faster with the mental imagery. “Right here is good too.”

  Emily’s cheeks turned red and she found it hard to meet my gaze. I could imagine what she was thinking, but the look of innocence that shown for a moment was almost more than I could handle. Yes, I had no qualms to do it right there if I had to.

  “Your choice.”

  “It doesn’t seem like much of a choice. Either way you have me.”

  “That is why I like the choices so much. Why don’t we get out of here? You have had enough to drink. I don’t want you getting all sloppy.”

  She looked at me as if she was going to refuse me, my words too crude for her delicate nature. Drinking the rest of my own glass, I set it down and stood up. Pulling her up with me, I took her out to the waiting car and helped her into the back.

  When I got in beside her, she was looking at me with shocked eyes as the car drove away. “Who are you?”

  “Tony. I thought I told you that.”

  Her eyes took in the inside of the backseat. It looked bigger than it should, all custom tailored for the many hours and meetings that I had to have on the move. There was no way to listen in if we were always mobile, so many of the big conversations were made in the back of the car. There were other ways to use the roomy back of the Lincoln and of those t
hings, I was more interested in. She looked nervous and I stopped looking at her legs. “I can take you home if you want Emily, but you don’t need to stay in that club as drunk as you are.”

  “I’m not drunk.”

  She would have been more believable if she hadn’t said it so slurred. “Give me your address.”

  I didn’t want to take her home. She was a little drunk, but I didn’t want her like that. I wanted the submission that came with it. How could she submit when she was not in her right mind? Going against my usual ways, I wanted to do the right thing. I was sure that I was going to hate it sooner or later, but at that moment, I more or less wanted to get her home safe. I didn’t like the idea of someone taking advantage of her, including myself.

  “I thought you were going to show me what a real man you were?”

  Her words were not near as bad as the light touch on my knee and the look in her eyes. “I want you to remember it.”

  Her smile was not as bright, but her hand moved higher. Stopping it with my own, I almost growled at her. Emily had no idea what I wanted to do to her and the fear that I was going to lose my control with her was very real.

  “Take me to your place Tony.”

  I couldn’t argue with her and told the driver where to go. Emily leaned against my arm and I moved to pull her against my chest. She sighed softly and the sound did something to me. It was peaceful, as well as something else. When she looked up at me, I couldn’t stop myself from leaning down and brushing my lips against hers.

  It was meant to be something soft, light even, but when she whimpered into my mouth, there was nothing I could do to stop the surge of need that took over. Her body was already touching me everywhere and I pulled her almost onto my lap. My hands were quickly feeling the softness of her slight curves. “Are you sure that your memory isn’t enough?”

  Her eyelids were barely open as she looked at me, her skirt pulled up higher on her thighs. She was a temptress, sent down to drive me mad. I knew that I should have just pushed all my morals to the side, but I wanted her to remember every second of it, like I was sure I was going to.

  Chapter 5

  Emily

  I woke up the next morning and didn’t remember where I actually was. The objects around me were not familiar. Nor was the hardness pressed against my rear. I looked down to the large arm draped on my hip and was afraid to move. It was bigger than me, with dark hair and tattoos all over it. Closing my eyes tight, I tried to replay the evening before in my mind.

  I remembered going over to Jared’s house and finding him there with one of his fellow classmates from business school. I hadn’t stayed long to say anything, seeing the woman’s head bobbing in between his legs was enough for me. There was obviously a lot that I didn’t know about him and the man I was talking about getting married to became like a stranger to me.

  That had sent me to the club for a drink, but I had been upset and didn’t remember much from then. As I lay there, I tried to remember what else happened and then it hit me. Tony was next to me and my face started flaming by the wanton way I had acted. I had wanted some kind of connection, anything to feel desirable again, but he hadn’t taken the bait. There had been a kiss, a hot steamy kiss, but nothing more as I must have dozed off in the car. I didn’t remember much from that point.

  Opening my eyes again, I tried to shift away from him, but he groaned in his sleep and pressed his hardness against my backside. It made me afraid to move, the feel of him like that against me. I didn’t know what to say or do, but I knew that I still wanted him. No matter the fact that he was all wrong for me. I wasn’t usually into the bad boys persona. Jared had certainly not been a bad boy, though he was kind and considerate, he had broken my heart just as well. With Tony, I knew what I was getting, hopefully just great sex and nothing else to worry about.

  Pushing back against him, I knew I didn’t have too long until I had to go back home and get ready for another class. But right then, I was next to a gorgeous man that was not husband material, but felt good next to me. His body was already ready even though he was still sleeping. Maybe it was because I wanted to get back at Jared and not feel like such a loser, but I had to have him.

  I pressed harder, rubbing his length that was growing behind me with my soft ass. I still had my clothes on, but it wasn’t hard to feel the long length pressing between my legs. When his hips pressed harder and the presser on my core intensified, I knew he was up.

  “Are you trying to get away?”

  I shook my head that I wasn’t, pressing back as I looked behind me. His lips touched mine as his pelvic thrust against my softness. “Am I sober enough for you now?”

  I hear another growl as his body moved over mine. It was so sudden that it took my breath away, but I didn’t have time to think of anything else. Looking up into his dark brown eyes, his excitement kept putting pressure on my need.

  Tony didn’t answer me, no words needed as he moved away long enough to hike the skirt up and pull my panties down. There was no time to savor anything the first time. He took me hard and fast, losing control as I lost everything in that moment. Never had I came so hard or screamed so loud in my life. When I was lying on the bed panting, unable to move, Tony was ready then to savor me and I was late for my first class. It was almost noon by the time I finally got of there.

  We promised to see each other again soon and since he was too busy to drive me, he had one of his employees take me home. Vinny was introduced as I got in the car, but he didn’t say a word to me the whole trip. I didn’t understand anything that happened with Tony or who he was to tell so many people what to do, but it didn’t matter in that moment. I hadn’t been looking for a husband, but someone to make me forget about Jared and in that way, he had worked magnificently. When Jared called later that day, I was able to ignore the phone call, no longer worried about him.

  If I was honest with myself, it was more than just how I was able to repel my ex, but how I felt in general. It was like Tony had given me back some energy, hope, something was different. I spent the day on some kind of high and I spent more than enough time thinking about the man who had made me feel this way. The only thing that was wrong about it all was the kind of man he was. He was covered in tattoos and though I had loved the hard lines of his chest, there were more scars on just that area, than my whole body. Tony was living rough for whatever reason and I knew that he was not the type of man that I was supposed to be associated with.

  I tried to forget about the dark-eyed man that had made me feel like a whole new woman. There was nothing that I could say, or do to change what had happened, but I knew that it wouldn’t be wise to do it again. I had to forget about Tony and just see him for what it was. He was the perfect man to make me forget my problems and now I had to do the same thing with him.

  ***

  I stuck to my resolution. There was a couple of times when he would call and I would see him number go across my phone that I wanted to answer it. I wanted to meet him again, feel his hands on my body again, but I knew that I shouldn’t. Because I was such a nosy person, I had done some snooping on him and what I had found was not good. I had always been familiar with the police station, my father having worked there for almost thirty years and because of that, I had access to their systems and the knowledge to get the information I needed.

  Tony Castello had a huge rap sheet and I was sure that he had not been caught for many of the things he did. He was a drug dealer and that information alone was enough to make my heart sink. That he was one of the biggest suppliers in the city was even worse. After my investigation, I knew that there was no way we could be together. I had thought about it in an off way. After a few hours with Tony, I was thinking of a life on the other side of the tracks, but then I remembered who I was.

  “Emily? What are you doing here?”

  My dad had snuck in behind me and was looking at what I was doing on his computer. “Nothing.”

  “So if you are doing nothing, why are yo
u in the databases?”

  I closed what I had been looking at, but his eyes were sharp and he had already seen what I was looking at. “Why were you looking at Tony Castello? He hasn’t been bothering you, has he? I knew there would be problems if any of those kinds found out that my daughter went to school in the city.”

  “No I just heard the name. That was the guy that had you so upset the other day, right?”

  He nodded and seemed to calm down once he knew that I wasn’t in current danger. “Yeah, he was here bailing one of his runners out. The boy wasn’t much younger than you. It’s appalling for a man like that to be destroying the city in such a way. Chicago has enough crime and drugs. I tried to appeal to his heart, but that man doesn’t have one. He would take advantage of anyone or anything if given the chance.”

  I knew that it was not true about Tony. He had made sure that I was sober before he would do anything with me and I had practically begged him to take advantage of me. It made me wonder what else my dad was wrong about. Was Tony just a guy that was misunderstood?

  “Why were you so angry the other day?”

  “Because men like him are looked up to. It is a responsibility to all the youth in the neighborhood. Instead, he is sending them out to do all of the work for him while he gets rich.”

  I didn’t think it was quite like that. My father had a tendency to be dramatic and when I asked him how old the kid was, I found out he was actually an adult, but dad thought that I was still a kid at twenty-one. It was hard to keep a straight face as he railed on. The whole time I was wondering what he would think of his daughter if he knew what I had done with Tony. I didn’t see him as he did, I couldn’t. While I knew that I couldn’t be with him, I looked back fondly on us being together. I couldn’t regret it, even though it would never amount to anything.

  When the spiel from dad got onto how I should stay away from men like him, I lamented. “I know dad. You have taught me well.”