17
Aiden
Emersyn had cut our shopping trip together short to pick up her brother from his baseball game. She’d worked me up modeling outfits for me in a little boutique in Riverside and I still hadn’t come down.
Thankfully, after The Jecca Encounter as we were now referring to it, we didn’t see anyone else we knew.
Sunday I had a game at Southeastern. Emersyn said she was coming, but during warm ups she texted that her brother had the flu and she had to stay home and take care of him.
Thanks to my still being all worked up over her sexy fashion show, we won, three to two. Unfortunately Derek Owens was still hellbent on trying to fit my fist in his mouth.
“I might’ve been hammered,” he told me in the locker room, “but I know what I saw. That sweet piece of teen ass at your house. She there for tutoring, Singleton, or earning some extra credit on her knees?”
I put my gear in my bag and tried angled my body toward the exit. Before I could take a step, he blocked my path.
“Did you pop that tight little cherry, man? Does she taste as sweet as she looks?”
Yes. And yes.
“I was too busy handling your family drama, Owens,” I said, doing my best to appear bored and not let him know how high he’d raised my blood pressure.
“You know how brothers are,” he said, shrugging one shoulder. “Tell me you and Ax-man never duked it out.”
Once, when I was seventeen. But never again after that.
“Maybe you should try family therapy. If you can fit that in with the court-ordered anger management you got for knocking your girlfriend around.”
He doesn’t flinch but I see it. The hint of fear.
“Wonder what the pro scouts that come to see you would think about that? Probably not a good idea to sign a guy with a history of domestic violence against women.”
“Yeah, you start telling my secrets and I’ll get loose with some of yours.”
I shrug as if I couldn’t care less. “Let me know when you’re feeling loose-lipped. Because if I’m getting dropped from the team anyway, I’ll be sure to make it worth my while.”
Read: I’ll beat your fucking ass down first.The look in his eyes told me he caught my meaning.
It felt like making a deal with the Devil, but I was out of options.
“Or how about we both keep our mouths shut and get through this season? You’ll be rid of me in the spring, Owens.”
He makes a dramatic production out of thinking it over. “You tell Coach I’m your rec for Captain next season and my lips are sealed.”
Shit. Recommending him would be the worst thing I could do to this team.
“Earn it, Owens, and I’ll think about it.”
With that, I finally moved past him and out of my own personal hell.
Monday at school she wore an outfit I’d picked out. An olive shirt-style dress with a brown belt around the waist. Seeing her wear something I chose and bought had my possessive streak flaring.
It took everything I had to stay out of the pit. All through second period, I couldn’t help but wonder if she was in there, waiting for me.
She was tired in class, practically dozing off at her desk. Probably exhausted from taking care of her sick brother. I’m worried about her, but every time I turn around, someone is damn near busting us.
I’m working on something I can’t wait to show her this weekend and praying she’ll love it.
But until then, I’ve got to cool it. At least at school.
