Page 7 of Filthy Ruck

I dropped my shoulder and rammed it right into his stomach.

He staggered several steps before falling back onto the grass. I fell with him, landing on his legs before rolling away.

He was right there with me, one arm over my chest, the other landing a punch to my jaw.

Pain blossomed on the side of my face, but I punched back with my left fist, connecting with his face, his neck, anywhere I could reach.

“Fuck, break it up!” Coach Max Stanley shouted.

In the next moment, hands grabbed Atlas and me, and pulling us apart.

I got to my feet and jerked myself out of Frost and Ferris Ramsey's grips, shaking off any further attempt to touch me.

I pulled up the front of my shirt to dab at the blood under my nose. Nothing I couldn't handle. I got worse during a game.

“Save it for the field,” Coach snapped. “You're supposed to smash the other guys, not each other. If you want to be a fucking team, this bullshit has to stop.” He glared at me, then at Atlas.

“Sorry, Coach,” I mumbled.

I wasn't sorry. Atlas took the first swing, and got what he deserved. I should have broken his nose. Or better yet, his jaw. With the right injury, he'd be out for the rest of the season.

On the other hand, the penalty for that— I'd be out too. Hell if I was going to give up my place for a dickhead like him. Whatever his problem was, I needed to stop making it mine.

Atlas muttered something and stomped away.

“That was interesting,” Frost remarked. “I know you were just about to hand him his ass.” He actually sounded disappointed the head coach had stepped in to stop the scuffle.

“On a silver platter,” I said with a nod.

Ramsey, the Smashers' hooker, gave me a long look, his blue eyes conveying his annoyance. Whether it was with me, or with Atlas, was anyone's guess. The stocky Englishman was hard to get a read on. If he spoke, it was usually only a word or two. Most of his thoughts, he managed to convey in looks and grunts.

“Ramsey approves, don't you, Ram?” Frost teased. “He'd like nothing better than to see you smash Atlas.”

Ramsey turned his disapproving look on Frost before turning and walking away.

“Atlas is right,” Jay said darkly. “You're a prick. You think you own the whole fucking team. He should have broken your face. You wouldn't be so fucking smug then.” He cut me a look of pure loathing.

I was only too happy to return the look. “I'd still be this smug,” I said. “No way he'd be able to break my face anyway. He punches like a wet noodle.”

I had two older sisters, I knew better than to claim he punched like a girl. Especially since they both played rugby and the older one, Rainy, was the first person who ever broke my nose. No one fucked with either of them and got away with it. Not even me.

Frost dropped his head back and laughed. “Wet noodle. That's hilarious.”

“You know what your problem is?” Jay directed the question to Frost. “You think everything's funny, especially your boyfriend here.” He gestured towards me.

That just made Frost laugh harder. “It's hysterical you think that's some kind of insult.”

“I think it's kind of sad,” I said. “It's obvious Jay is hiding some personal preferences, probably from himself.”

Even now, sexuality was something a lot of guys on the team struggled with. As far as I was concerned, love was love. Preferences shouldn't be used as a weapon against someone else. As for denial, that just made everyone miserable.

Jay glared at me. “You think everyone wants to fuck you. You're delusional.” Before I could respond, he turned and stalked away.

I shrugged. “I don't think everyone wants to fuck me, just the discerning ones.”

Which brought my mind back to Panther. What was her real name? Who was she when she wasn't taking her clothes off for strangers? She was absolutely fucking gorgeous, and I got the impression she was smart. The fact she wasn't lacking in confidence added to her appeal.

In my experience, the best strippers were ones who knew exactly what they had, and were happy to share it. That washer to a T. She wasn't doing it because she had no choice. She enjoyed what she did and she was paid well to do it.

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