Page 70 of Dangerous Play

MAX

The match was supposedto be tough, and we were all prepared for it. We practiced day in day out. We watched clips, knowing what to expect. We knew the opponents and their plays like it was our own team.

But fuck it, they played dirty.

Yellow cards and red cards kept flying and even I had trouble keeping a straight face and a cool facade. As captain, I needed to keep everyone levelled, but I wanted to punch the referee who was blind to most of the shits Ander and his team pulled. We rotated players, getting suspensions for the first time in our lives and being careful not to catch two yellow cards for the same player.

“He literally grabbed him,” I shouted at the referee after Liam got grabbed by his shirt and pushed away with force. This wasn’t American football; this wasn’t supposed to happen. “Just look at the recording!”

“No, it wasn’t a fault,” the referee replied. “If you say one more thing to me, you will get a yellow card.”

Ander snickered as Maddox and Dex lined up behind me, ready to jump into a fight if needed. Edwins was behind Sanchez, waiting for the fight to break out.

But I couldn’t lose myself, not with the National Team coach watching and waiting for me to slip up.

“Whatever,” I muttered, turning away.

“That’s okay, Aarons. There is no shame in being a loser ordatingone.”

I took a deep breath and forced my body to keep walking.

“I would be more concerned about your girlfriend, Edwins,” Dex jumped in, removing the attention from me. “You know she booty-called me couple of weeks ago when she was supposed to be yours?”

“I fucked her,” he added with a cocky grin. “She came all over my dick screaming my name. So, I guess you guys need to ask yourself why all your girls prefer us over you. I mean... it’s a no-brainer really.”

I rolled my eyes and gave him a slight shake of my head. “Come on, let’s resume the game.”

“You’re dead,” Edwins growled.

Dex grinned.

“Let’s change to defense,” I muttered to my friends. “You will need some people around you. Aaron, Hudson, Maverick?” I called on our best defenses and pointed toward their position signaling the change in formation.

I didn’t have time to consult with Coach Parker, but after the exchange that went down and the 0-0 score, we needed to make sure Dex was in position to score and that position was safe.

“Any of us has the opening to shoot on the goal, go for it. We need to score.”

Both Maddox and Oliver nodded, and the game resumed in more intense and faster pace. The Lions were growing impatientand aggressive, especially with their previous offenses going unnoticed by the referee.

My heart rate peaked as I pushed myself past my limits. We were closing in on their goalpost, pushing them back inch by inch and within minutes we were all in position that if we got the ball we could potentially shoot.

The defenders passed the ball between them, giving it to Oliver who moved it to Maddox and it finally landed at me. The Lions’ defenders were circling me. I had seconds to break away from them, but no matter what trick I pulled with the ball, there was always someone around me. I pivoted over and over until I found a small break in their line and passed the ball smoothly to Dex, waiting to shoot on the goal.

He caught the ball with his left foot and immediately lifted his right one to shoot.

I watched the defenders move toward him.

I closed in on them, positioning in case he wanted to pass it back until he got freed up.

Ander stepped up behind, lifting his foot to kick the ball from Derek’s possession, but he was way too far from the ball and I didn’t get why was he trying to get it when he couldn’t.

I felt like I watched the playback on slow motion on how Ander lifted his foot and kicked the back of Derek’s knee with full force. I saw as his knee buckled and heard his painful shout echo in the stadium as he collapsed.

Everyone froze for a split second, rooted in place, not believing what they saw, before rushing over to Derek.

Ander lifted his hands as the referee approached, saying he didn’t do anything.

But I saw it with my own eyes, and I knew what he did.

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