Page 32 of The Penalty

A commotion a few tables over caught all of our attention. Noah stood on his chair waving a microphone in the air.

“Legends,” he shouted into the mic. “They said we couldn’t do it. They said we were too slow, too complacent, too spoiled. But guess what?”

An answering chorus of whoops and hollers filled the room.

I glanced over at Bennet and arched an eyebrow. A ghost of a smile crossed his lips.

“We fucking showed all of them.” The veins in Noah’s neck popped with every word.

Mr. All-American has some fire in him. I can respect that.

I have no idea what else he shouted once people started yelling and his words became a garbled audio nightmare through the speakers.

Leaning close to Victoria, I slid my hand over her leg and asked, “Are you going to show me?”

A beautiful crimson flush crawled up her neck. “Show you what?”

“The ring.”

I was treated to a fiery stare. “I thought you said they were gaudy.”

“They are. I want to see. Show me.”

She lifted my hand off her leg and placed it on the table. Slowly, and rather seductively, she removed the rings I already wore. “Let’s see if we can make you look like a real football player,” she teased, opening the box and revealing the biggest, sparkliest ring I’ve ever seen.

A sword encrusted in rubies was mounted in six championship trophies.

“Is this supposed to be like the sword in the stone or something?” I asked.

“Something like that.” She pointed at different parts of the ring. “Everything is symbolic. The number of rubies and diamonds, the colors, what’s engraved.” Victoria slid the ring onto my finger.

“Does it have to be this bloody heavy?” I laughed, holding up my hand.

“Never felt the weight of more than two-hundred-fifty diamonds before?”

“It’s a bit much.”

“But it looks good on you.”

“Looking minted, mate,” Bennet commented, glancing up from his phone. “Mind if I steal you away from the lovely Victoria for a few minutes?”

I did mind. “Why?”

His even tone and expression gave him away. “Sponsorship opportunity. Don’t want to bore the ladies with all that.”

“Come on, Bennet,” Victoria chastised. “If you want to go make out with him in a private corner, you have my permission. You don’t have to speak in code. He’s one hell of a kisser.”

Bennet’s eyes flared with amusement. “Meet us in the hall in five minutes to join the fun.”

Hannah remained expressionless. Victoria’s face turned scarlet.

Even with their playful banter, I didn’t have a good feeling about this impending conversation. Bennet rarely interrupted a social event with business matters. This could only be about one thing.

I removed the gaudy beast of a ring, put mine back on, and stroked Victoria’s flushed cheek. “Five minutes.” She swallowed hard when my hand closed around her throat. “And then maybe I’ll let Hannah and Bennet watch me fuck you in the hallway.”

I didn’t have to look at her when I stood up to know how much that affected her.

I want you raw and untamed. Always.