Page 26 of Dangerous Play

“What can I say…”

There was a small silence between us. Max used the time to unpack his school bag and dump his sweaty clothes in the laundry basket, while I sat on his comfortable bed and examined the pictures displayed on the bedside table. One of them was the team picture from last year’s final. I recognized most of the guys from downstairs and it was great seeing Max hold the trophy. Another one was with him and the National team during one of the games—Copa America. The last one caught my attention. It was Max and an older male, wearing the Titan’s jacket and putting his arms around Max. I knew he was familiar but I couldn’t place him.

“That’s Sky McCarthy,” Max offered when I took the picture in my hand, examining his proud smile and sparkly eyes. He looked at him with admiration and love. “He is one of the best midfielders in history in the entire world. He is our assistant coach.”

I gaped at him. “Really?”

“Why do you think we are so good?” Max grinned. “Jokes aside, Coach Parker knows him and couple of years ago he wanted to get into coaching, but didn’t want to make a huge fuss about it, so he invited him, and I guess he just fell in love with our team. He’s not here most of the times, but when he is here…”

“Is he a tough coach?” I asked, placing the picture back and leaning on my elbows to look up at Max, who was standing dangerously close to me. I could feel the heat radiating from him.

“Tough but good and fair. Very skilled. He basically made me into the player I am today. He plays where I play, he can help me, and all the other midfielders the most. In soccer, it’s not enough to have good strikers, you need to have good midfielders to move the ball up and generate game.”

I nodded along as he launched into his little soccer speech.

But my mind kept wondering to the comments thrown at me downstairs about his ex and the big story behind why he actually wanted to fake date me. I knew it wasn’t out of the goodness of his heart as he stated back on the beach. This was way too much of a complication for him when he had his eyes set on one thing only.

Soccer.

“Max?” His name left my lips in a little sigh and his dark eyes connected with mine. Minutes that seemed like hours passed as chemistry sizzled between us. I couldn’t remember the last time I had sex, but it had to be almost three months ago. Max swallowed hard and licked his lips, as if he could read my thoughts. I didn’t trust myself to not reach out for him and do something stupid like kiss him. We should strictly keep that for public appearances. Instead, I cleared my throat, and in a raspy voice, I said, “You owe me a story…”

CHAPTER SEVEN

MAX

I tooka seat next to her, wondering what she might think of me. This reality was far from what she heard of me being a playboy heartbreaker. I hung out with people who deserved that title more than me, and other than the occasional hookups, I was not interested in girls. Not since I burned myself so fiercely that I still bore that scar. The past still haunted me. Which wasn’t a surprise, as I was entering in a fake dating with a random girl who just exited an emotionally abusive relationship. It couldn’t have been more complicated.

And on top of all that, she was hot as hell with burning desire in her gaze that in normal circumstances would have pinned to the bed and kissed senseless by me.

Yet, instead of devouring her pouting lips, I was about to open up about a thing no one other than my closest friends knew.

“I dated this girl, Thalia, freshman year,” I started with a deep breath. “She was fun and we were both fresh out of high school and thought it was a great idea to jump into arelationship. I was playing for the national team since sixteen, and there was really no space for anything else in my life. Thalia got that, her dad was a soccer coach for Miami FC and she knew the game was important to me. But then… as the honeymoon phase ended, and sex became second priority, she became annoyed and bitchy, wanting my attention when I clearly couldn’t prioritize her. Don’t get me wrong, I’m fully aware she deserved a guy who could dedicate himself to her and give her the time and energy she deserved, and I told her this. But she… didn’t want to let me break up with her. Sounds stupid, but we would get into these massive fights, everyone on my dorm floor would hear it, and then the next day, she acted like nothing happened. I said I wanted to break up over hundred times but she kept showing up at my practice, inside the locker room, and even break into my dorm room. She was obsessed yet I kept putting off having another conversation. Coach was riding me hard why I was distracted and asked me into constant meetings to see what else he could do.” A shiver ran through me at the memories. I hated the feeling of not being able to do anything. “I should have been a bigger jerk or I don’t even know what was the appropriate way to do it, but after Christmas when she showed up at my family’s house and introduced herself to my parents telling them how much in love we are, I told her this needed to stop. I was freaked out over her attitude. She passed every single existing line. So, Dex and Maddox came with me when I told her we were done. She cried, made a huge show over it as we were in public and called me horrible names. But I didn’t really care, I just wanted to be rid of her. Boy… was I wrong by thinking I was done with her.” A low laugh escaped me. “She started spreading lies of me cheating on her, me being a jerk, everything basically you heard about me and what people assume to this day. But I kept my head down and just focused on soccer. The season was upon us and I was expecting a call from the National Team forthe summer tournaments. Surprisingly, the call didn’t come from the coach, but from Thalia. She cut me off one day as I was walking from one class to the other. She informed me that her father got the national team coaching position and that if I wanted her to support me playing for the team, I should keep being with her. Obviously, I laughed in her face and didn’t believe a word. But then I got home and saw the news. I called my agent and asked him if I was going to be called to the National Team, he said most likely and I left it as it was. I wasn’t going to be bullied into a fake dating scenario. Eventually, I got the call and all was happy, until Thalia told her daddy I broke her heart and I was benched for all the fucking games. We lost and I told coach that his daughter deserves someone with his full focus on her and not me. He told me I cheated on her. I said I didn’t, but he needed some time to cool down. Now we are okay… but with the World Cup coming up, the best midfielders retiring, I have a good shot of playing an important tournament. And Thalia found me today, reminding me of what she can do to sabotage that chance.”

I dared to steal a glance at Ivy’s face, watching her brows high on her forehead, grimace painting her face.

“Long story short, I need a girlfriend for Thalia to back the fuck off. I can’t be stringing her along, cheating or whatever she wants to tell her daddy I’m doing to her, if I’m publicly in a happy relationship.”

“Wow,” Ivy muttered, slowly shaking her hair. “I don’t usually call girls crazy, but this one definitely qualifies. But I still feel like I should add there is two sides to every story and maybe in hers, you are the villain.”

“I’m sure Ander has a sob story with you as well that makes him look like the victim.” I scoffed. “I just need your help the way you need mine. I honestly can’t deal with her anymore. She is toxic and she will ruin my career in the ground.”

Anger and hurt flashed on Ivy’s face before she nodded. “Duly noted.”

“Not wanting to sound like a dick, but you asked for a story, and I really don’t want the feminist bullshit. Some girls are just bad and there is nothing deeper to look for in them.”

Ivy nodded. “I know, but I wouldn’t want people calling me crazy without giving me a chance to explain. But you handled it pretty well,” she offered consolation, but I just lifted a shoulder.

If she wanted a full story, she could go to Thalia and get it, but I knew that I wasn’t what she said I was. I wished I was a heartless dick like she painted me to be; I even tried to act the part. But that just wasn’t me. Things would have been easier if I was and I wouldn’t be here talking to Ivy and trying to get her to see my point.

“No need to sugarcoat it, I messed up big time. Should have been more assertive.”

“That might not be your type.” She chuckled, making me grin.

“I can be on the field, but my mom taught me to treat woman with respect. That respect bit me in the ass. So, after Thalia, I only ever had one-night stands and only after I informed the girl that I had no intentions of having anything more. I was rude, but I needed to get laid every once in a while, and bunch of them volunteered.”

Ivy laughed. “You are such a guy.”

“I thought you just called me a pussy.”

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