Page 10 of Untouchable Player

I put the juice back and slam the fridge, “no way, find someone else.”

“I’ll pay you.”

“I don’t want your money.”

I’m walking away from him when he pulls the ultimate sibling card.

“I’ll tell mom.”

Those three words stop me dead in my tracks.Traitor.

From experience, I know the best defence against the mom card is to call his bluff.

I force a laugh, “tell mom what?”

“That you’re being mean.” He grins.

“Now you’re just being ridiculous.”

“How do you think mom’ll feel if we don’t make it to the play-offs in my last year of college because you wouldn’t tutor our best defenceman and he got kicked off the team?”

The word ‘defenceman’ piques my interest and Harrison is like a fucking spy at noticing the slightest reaction.

“She’d be pretty pissed huh?”

My shoulders drop, “who is it?”

Harrison grins like he’s already won, but I’m by not giving up yet. I barely have time for my own studies.

“Engels.”

That tattoo flashes to the front of my mind. How curious I was to find out if it was really him. Harrison sees an opening and takes it.

“He doesn’t need to get an A, he just needs a C to stay on the team.”

“I don’t…”

“He’s on a scholarship, if he doesn’t pass this course, he’ll get kicked out of school.”

“That’s not my problem.”

“You don’t fool me Nathaniel.” He grins, knowing how much I hate it when people use my name like that.

“Fuck you.”

Harrison laughs. It’s the laugh of someone who is used to getting what they want and being worshipped by everyone around them. I hate that laugh.

“Come on Nate, he’s harmless, he’s not an asshole or anything and he’ll be grateful to you. So will I.”

I don’t need your gratitude.

“And so will mom.”

I think about mom sitting at the kitchen table, watching me eat a sandwich and asking me why I don’t have a boyfriend. Maybe I could distract her? Maybe I could figure out if that picture was really Engels…

“I don’t have a lot of time.”

“Fine!” Harrison slaps his hands on the counter, “you don’t need it, just help him scrape a C and I’ll leave you alone. And I’ll tell mom how helpful you were and she’ll leave you alone too.”

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