by Alice Ward
“We’ll start with a quick tour. The guys are practicing now, but Rhett will introduce you once they’re done for the day.” She marched from the elevator and down the long, winding corridor.
The stadium was impressive as we emerged into the open-air fan area. The concession stands, fan stores, and bar areas all lined the cobblestone walkway with city-scape fronts. It felt like walking down the streets of New York City. She pushed through two large red doors to the seating area, pointing out the various skyboxes positioned above. “That one is ours to use,” she said, pointing to the one directly above the home plate.
It felt good to be back in a stadium. Pleasure rushed through me as I remembered what it felt like when my dad was a player. “Okay, let’s go check on the players.” She moved quickly, rushing me out of the doors so she could secure them again.
She handed me a card with a magnetic strip on the back and my picture on the front. “This will get you anywhere in the building,” she said. “Only use it for areas I approve.”
I struggled to keep up with her as we walked back toward a private elevator. It took us down to the lower level. Once the doors opened, I realized we were in the indoor practice arena. The chatter of the players, the sound of the balls shooting from the machines, and the clank of the bats slamming into the leather brought back so many good memories. The players acted oblivious to our presence, all continuing their practice without so much as batting an eye in our direction. I had them all memorized in my head, their numbers, their faces, and their social media histories.
Ace Newman leaned against the wall, watching Kane Steele in the batting cage. His social media presence had been the most lengthy to remember, most of which was not good. I admired him for cleaning up his act though; to me, that took more strength than anything.
“They’ll be heading to Florida in a few days, first the pitchers and catchers, then the rest,” she explained to me as if I didn’t already know. If she’d done her homework, she’d know I was Bobby Delaney’s daughter, and baseball scheduling was something I had flowing through my veins. I nodded, smiled, and pretended to soak in her every word.
“Practice is about over, so we’ll meet Rhett in the locker rooms,” she said, turning quickly back toward the elevators.
I took in the beauty of the players one last time before turning to go back up with Lana. As a girl, I’d neglected to appreciate the toned, hard bodies of the players, but as a woman, I was appreciative, very appreciative.
“Holy shit,” I exclaimed before I could stop myself after we stepped through the double doors.
Lana shot me a glare for my outburst. “Not your typical locker rooms.” She appeared momentarily amused by my reaction.
The large room offered up wide-screen televisions on every wall, leather seats in front of each locker, a large sectional in the center of the room, and various seating options with drink stations, snacks, fresh fruit, and even a sushi bar. It was amazing.
“There is a movie room to the left, a full therapeutic service area in the back, and a heated pool on the right.” Lana spoke with trained enthusiasm. Seriously, a pool?
“Rhett didn’t skimp on the locker room luxuries, did he?” I asked, still in awe of the design.
“Mr. Hamilton didn’t skimp on anything,” she hissed, making it clear she didn’t like me calling him Rhett.
“Did you get the full tour?” Rhett asked, sneaking up behind us.
“Yes. This place is impressive, to say the least,” I replied.
He smiled with pride as he looked around the room. “Yes. I wanted only the best for the Beasts.”
As he mentioned the team name, the chatter was growing louder as they neared the locker room entrance. They pushed through, some acknowledging Rhett, others continuing their banter as they headed to their personal space.
Practice uniforms were quickly stripped from their hard bodies, leaving me breathless as I took in their chiseled abs and rolling shoulders. “Hey, ladies, keep it PG. I have someone I’d like you to meet,” Rhett announced loudly.
The room grew quiet as all eyes pierced me like needles. My nerves were already rattled from the sexiness that oozed from many of the players. The scent of masculinity had brought my nipples close to the material of my thin blouse, and the humidity from testosterone in the air was beginning to dampen my panties.
“This is Katrina Delaney, your new social media manager. She will be responsible for making you morons look good, especially those of you who have a tendency to make yourselves look bad on a regular,” Rhett said loudly but playfully.
“Delaney, any relation?” Ace Newman called out.
His eyes were so blue they about melted me upon contact. It was obvious now why Holly stood by his side through his addiction. He may have been one of the older players on the team, but he was still one of the sexiest.
“Yes, Bobby ‘Spaceman’ Delaney is her father, so she knows a thing or two about dealing with a badass.”
I didn’t even have to look to know Lana’s eyes rolled at Rhett’s words. I could feel them go up in her head.
“How is your old man?” Blake Osborne called out. I recognized him from my dad’s old team. He was getting up there in age as well, but he still looked good.
“He’s doing well,” I lied.
“Don’t we have enough babysitters?” The question pulled my attention to Todd Morris, notorious bad boy of the Mets. I hadn’t seen his name on the roster. This must’ve been a recent acquisition. Why would the Mets give up Morris? He was one of the best catchers in the league.
His dark skin set off the deep blue eyes that narrowed like a cat’s. No… a tiger’s. His uniform already stripped off from the waist up gave me a spectacular view of his chiseled chest, rolling abs, and rounded shoulders. Holy shit, he was perfect!
“Some of you need as many babysitters as I can afford,” Rhett barked back with a chuckle.
Morris kept his eyes on me as Rhett continued to explain my position on the team. From the corner of my eye, I peeked at his high cheek bones, the light stubble that surrounded his full lips, and tried my best not to become weak-kneed from his attentions. I’d done my homework on everyone else, but not Morris. He was mysterious, sexy, and from the way he looked at me… trouble.
CHAPTER FIVE
Todd
I’d met Lana briefly upon signing on with the Beasts. She was a tough cookie, and Rhett warned me not to piss her off. Even though he chuckled when he spoke, I knew he was serious. I planned on doing my best to stay out of her way, but this new girl, there was nothing about her that scared me. Intrigued me, excited me, yes. Scared, no.
Bobby "Spaceman" Delaney’s daughter. Wow, she was a looker. She looked young, and her demeanor was nervous. A slight hint of pain washed over her expression when her dad was mentioned, something I didn’t think anyone else noticed. I did.
Her petite frame stood stiff, tense next to Lana, who was more comfortable in the men’s locker room than I was at the moment.
My eyes lingered on her delicate hand as it pulled at the long strand of blonde hair falling from her loose bun.
Ace was throwing out questions about Spaceman, and Katrina was cringing as Rhett answered each one of them that was directed to her.
“Spring training is right around the corner,” Lana spoke with authority and grace.
Some of the guys began to howl at the announcement to show their excitement. “You will all be on your best behavior. We will not tolerate any repeats of last season,” she hissed as her eyes locked hard onto Ace.
Ace grinned, almost as if he were proud of his stunts. I’d heard plenty about his antics, everyone had. “No drinking. No drugs. No women. No...” Her voice trailed off as one of the guys yelled out “no fun,” to finish her sentence.
Her lips pursed tightly together, her bright red hair glowing like fire atop her head. The guys started to grow restless, excited, and their enthusiasm turned into a loud banter of sharing memories of their wild past season.
Most of the chatter surrounded Ace, with a few mentions of Luke thrown in. I watched Katrina straighten her stance, clear her throat, and grip her notebook tightly with her perfectly manicured fingers. I knew that Spaceman was notorious for his wild behavior, larger than life personality, and of course, hot temper. This couldn’t be that intimidating to her, not after growing up next to one of the legends.
“Ready for another season wild man?” Luke yelled, directing the question toward Ace. He was still grinning, but he didn’t respond.
He’d settled down, gotten married and had a baby, not necessarily in that order. The only tabloid shots of him lately were walking into baby stores or pushing a stroller through the park. He was old news, no longer the Beast that couldn’t be tamed. Holly clenched her grip onto him, turned him into a husband, a father; all things that the media found boring and mundane.
This new team, my new team, that was what they were known for — troubled players with bad attitudes. Was that why I was here? Was I the new Ace Newman? The one who would draw the media back in their direction? Surely not.
“I know you boys think your antics are cute, fun, and harmless, but they aren’t. You have to work together as a team, and part of that work will start with how you behave during spring training. If we want to be taken seriously, you have to remain professional at all times, on and off the field.” Lana didn’t flinch as she stared down each of the players. I watched her eyes linger on Luke, Ace’s sidekick, the new guy, the one who’d stirred up quite a bit of controversy in the tabloids during the off-season. I wasn’t surprised. He was good looking, young, cocky, and had talent. That was a combination used to build superstars or to destroy dreams. Which one was delivered was determined by how the player handled himself, the fame, and the media. Luke was leaning toward destroying his dream, something his hero Ace Newman should have taught him to steer clear from.
“You,” Lana’s eyes pierced into me. “I know all about you, so I’ll be watching very closely. No stunts.”
Katrina’s lips curled up into a subtle smile as Lana sunk her teeth into my flesh. “Ouch,” I replied playfully, watching carefully as Katrina’s smile widened.
Her eyes were a bright green, greener than any I’d seen before. When the fluorescent lights overhead caught them just right, they sparkled. I stared, but I couldn’t help it. I was trying to see Spaceman in her, but I couldn’t. Her features were so soft, so delicate, while his were manly and rough. Her nose was small, like a button on her face, and her chin dimpled with the cutest indents. Her frame was petite and perfect. I’d never seen Spaceman’s wife, but I was certain Katrina looked like her mother. She must be a beautiful woman.
Lana continued her speech about how we were to behave. We’d been given a list, one by one of what to do, what not to do, and with each rule, the players grew louder with their rebuttals, their mockeries, and their insubordination. Lana was a tough cookie, not crumbling from their dismissal of her authority, but she was losing them quickly and things were growing out of control. Yeah, this is it. I’m a Beast now.
Rhett slammed his fist down onto the table. The entire room grew silent. Katrina jumped. A soft squeal escaped her lips, which made me smile. I didn’t know why. It was cute. She was cute. Lana didn’t flinch; she simply stepped back and let her lips curl into a satisfied smile. The boys were in trouble; Daddy brought out the belt. I was impressed with the strength he exuberated. The players were all loud mouths, myself included, but the Kat had my tongue for the moment.
“Listen up,” he shouted.
“I know you think this is a joke. But, after our first two seasons, we’ve gotten a reputation for being loose cannons. We are known as the team most likely to fuck up. Is that what you want?” he asked, his voice calming.
“No, sir,” Kane Steele piped in, teacher’s pet of the classroom, no doubt.
“Good,” Rhett continued. He took a step back, shoved his hands into his pockets, and seemed to lean back against the thick air in the room. His demeanor was strangely calm, and as he began to smile, I knew I wasn’t the only one worried about what was to come next.
“That’s why when you head to spring training this season, you won’t be alone.” Lana quickly snapped her neck to look in his direction. It was obvious this was news to her as well. Great, another babysitter. So, did that mean Rhett was coming himself or was he sending his fiery red-headed man handler?
“I will be watching you carefully, but I don’t have the time to babysit you. You do need your hands held,” he said with a quick snap.
Lana inched closer to him. I watched as she whispered in his ear. He shrugged her off, smiling at her and shaking his head as if to answer a question she’d asked. My eyes drifted back to Katrina, who seemed unnerved by the situation unfolding before us all.
I’d heard Rhett Hamilton was unorthodox in his methods of running his team, but split-second decisions on the fly without filling in key players seemed to be more than just untraditional, it felt dangerous somehow.
“We’ll be on our best behavior, Lana.” Luke winked at the redhead. She rolled her eyes and shot him a disgusted smirk. She may have looked to be made of fire, but that woman was all ice. Not even Luke Singleton could melt her.
“Lana will not be your babysitter for this trip.” Rhett pulled his hands from his pockets and used one to wipe his brow. “Katrina will tag along. She will report directly to me.”
Lana’s perfectly painted red lips parted and her eyes narrowed, the news obviously fresh to her. Katrina cleared her throat again, loudly. She was nervous. She did a great job at hiding her anxiousness with a quick smile, a straightened stance, and unfazed expression.
Rhett gripped her by the shoulder, pulling her toward him. She hadn’t been informed of this decision, that much was obvious as her cheeks started to flush with color, and her forehead showed signs of distress with small beads of perspiration.
Lana shuffled through the papers in her hand, trying to look busy. It was evident that she wasn’t pleased. Maybe because she didn’t know what Rhett was going to announce beforehand or maybe from jealousy of not being selected as our personal babysitter.
“Katrina knows her way around a baseball team, on and off the field.” Rhett’s words made some of the guys howl as their minds flocked to the gutter. “Don’t be assholes. You know what I mean. She is going to ensure you keep your head in the game.” Rhett released his grip on her. “Lana will be here trying to create some positive press for you, for us, for the team. You’ve already made her job hard enough as it is, please don’t make it any more difficult.”
She looked up, her demeanor back to full-on professionalism. Her lips tightened as she looked around the room. “I’ll have itineraries for you all when you return,” she said quickly.
“Yes. It’s time we show our fans there is more to the Beasts than the wild side. Let them see we have a humanity side as well. One they can connect with. One they will be drawn to, even when you do fuck up. And I know you will fuck up.” Rhett grinned when he spoke, almost as if he was asking us to fuck up.
“Katrina, why don’t you let the guys know what you’ll expect from them?” Rhett pushed Katrina into the spotlight.
Her long, blonde hair was already falling from the loose bun she’d created, in a hurry no doubt. Those bright green eyes lit up the room when she smiled, and from her nervous demeanor, that was all she seemed to be able to do. She appeared fragile to me, too young, too green for this task. Maybe being Bobby “Spaceman” Delaney’s daughter hadn’t toughened her up enough for this job.
She cleared her throat again. I couldn’t take my eyes off her as she stood there in the center of our locker room. I almost expected her to tear up as she appeared to struggle with her words. So sweet.
“I’ve done my homework on each individual player, so not everyone here is going to present a problem.” Her words were strong and to the point. My dick took notice at her instant authority, causing me to sweat a little from my own an
xiousness.
“Some of you will not even know I’m there. Others, well, you know who you are. You will wish I wasn’t. I’ll be monitoring your behavior, only stepping in when needed. If you don’t listen to my advice, if you argue with my authority, I will contact Rhett, and then your future is in his hands. I’m not here to make you uncomfortable, to beat you down, or even babysit you. I’m here to help you look good, to reach your true potential on and off the field, and to present you to the world, to your fans, in a flattering light,” she said without any stress displayed in her voice.
I was impressed.
This little, young cutie had more to her than just a pretty smile. I’d misread her. She could handle this. Hell, she sounded as if she was going to own this, own us. Shit, my dick was swelling.
Rhett beamed with pride as he stared at his new weapon. Lana’s lips parted for a moment before she quickly pursed them back together. Her eyes were filled with surprise by the new girl’s authority and self-control, but I wouldn’t go as far as to say they had any admiration in them. I knew women like Lana, they were a dime a dozen in the baseball industry. Constantly trying to prove themselves amongst the men, take control of the players, and show that having tits didn’t make them any lesser an asset to the team than those with balls. Lana had balls. That was obvious, but what wasn’t so obvious was that little Katrina had them too. Big ones. Possibly bigger than Lana’s.
I shifted my weight, trying to kill the blood flow to my aching cock. She’d surprised me, actually more than that, she'd impressed me. Not many women could do that so quickly, and without undressing. Holy shit, this little cat may be trouble, real trouble.
I couldn’t wait to get on the road, possibly get some one-on-one time with her. After all, I was one of the troubled players she spoke of, so she had to stay close. And if she didn’t, I’d find a reason to make her take notice.
CHAPTER SIX
Katrina
Holy fuck, what just happened? I was going to spend spring training in Florida with the players? Me? Not Lana, but me? Rhett really pushed me on the spot in there, leaving me breathless and unsure of how to handle the situation. I think I did okay. I handled it. I was impressed. Hopefully, he was as well. I cleared my throat so many times it was sore. Shit!
