Page 145 of The Trouble With Bad Boys

“It’s not like that, and you know it, so drop it.”

He holds his hand up and chuckles. “All right, all right. I was just trying to give you some perspective, that’s all. Maybe talk to him about it if you two are gonna keep seeing each other behind his back.”

“Yeah, thanks, but I think I got it covered.”

Alec and I were never friends in the way I’m friends with Zane and my roommates. I guess I didn’t feel like I owed him anything to explain myself with Ava, not when he’s her brother, and I feel like it’s up to her whether we tell him and when.

The first half of the game was neck and neck. I overhear Reed and Beckham whispering about Hayes when we hit the locker room at halftime.

We kick things into high gear when we take the field for the second half. It’s like the air in the stadium shifts, and you can feel the tension between the two teams rising.

I’m used to trash talk from players, but something about the way the Kings play today is different. It’s like some of their guys are out for blood.

“Get ready, pussy, I’m coming for you. Every play,” one of their cornerbacks grunts under his breath to Hayes.

Hayes chuckles, shrugging him off. I know he’s putting on a front that he doesn’t give a damn, but deep down he cares.

A few plays later, Hayes goes up to catch a pass from Beckham when the defender comes in like a missile and tackles him to the ground.

Hayes howls in agony. Zane helps him up, and Hayes grunts in the process, clutching his side as he jogs off the field.

Hearing them taunt Hayes for most of the game—only to have him end up jogging off the field hurt—flips a switch in the rest of the guys. Not only were they coming for one of my friends, but we’re at risk of taking our first loss of the season, and I’ll be damned if we let it happen at the hands of the Kings.

It’s a hard-fought battle for the rest of the game until their quarterback makes a long pass down the field and their receiver tips the ball, shifting the momentum in our favor when we intercept.

We take the field, and Beckham practically mocks them, running the same play they did, but this time, it puts Zane in the end zone with a perfectly executed pass to him to put us up by fourteen.

As the time runs out, the Kings stalk off the field in defeat, and Braysen fans storm in after them. I’m a man on a mission, jogging in the opposite direction of everyone else in search of my girl.

When the crowd parts, I see her struggling to find me among the sea of people. I lift her in my arms, gripping her chin between my thumb and finger, and kiss her with everything I have in me.

She presses her forehead against mine, both of us struggling to catch our breath.

“I like seeing you wear my number,” I growl low.

Ava drags her tongue along her lower lip. She wraps her arms around my neck, her eyes roaming over my face before she crashes her mouth on mine again.

When we break the kiss, I pull away and mutter, “Don’t wash it off. Meet me at my house in an hour. I want it on your face while you ride my dick later.”

“You want to leave your mark on my face again? Or I can think of a few ways you can claim me next.”

I growl at the thought of seeing my cum on her cheek and take off toward the locker room, never stopping to put her down. Now that she’s put the idea in my mind, fuck waiting an hour.

I’ve told her I want her in every way I can have her. I’m a patient man, but not when it comes to getting her alone.

Not anymore.

“Don’t worry, baby. I won’t stop until I’ve claimed every inch and made you mine.”

Eleven

AVA

I’ve been worried about Hallyn for the past couple of weeks. Before the Kolmont game she finally broke things off with Tanner.

They were working on repairing their relationship after their split over the summer. While Keaton wasn’t far, it presented a new set of problems between their busy schedules and inability to see each other as often as before. Add on the fact Tanner still seemed to resent Hallyn for coming with me to Braysen.

She put on a good front, but even I could see she wasn’t happy. When she called it quits, I knew it was different this time. This was for good.

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