Page 38 of A Whole New Trick

“If you’d bothered to stick around and help Lehman finish his cool down, you would’ve heard Coach tell the team we have three days off.” Dane scowls. “I was wondering where you ran off to, but it seems you were trying to catch my girl alone.”

“That’s not what I?—”

“I don’t give a fuck about what excuse you’re going to try and use,” Dane lowers his voice so it doesn’t travel to listening ears, but the words are clear for Aaron and me to hear. “I don’t trust you, Burns. Stay away from Morgan, or you and I will have problems. Do you understand?”

Sweet baby Jesus… that is hot.

Aaron balks.

I can see he wants to argue, but the arena doors open, and the rest of the team and staff begin walking toward us.

“Do you understand,” Dane growls.

Aaron’s eyes flash. He grits his teeth. “I understand.”

He walks away with an angry scowl twisting his features, and I have the uneasy feeling that things with my ex are only going to get worse.

12

DANE

“I crossed a line. I’m sorry.”

I follow Morgan through the hotel lobby, walking toward the back parking lot, where a car waits to take her to her uncle’s ranch. She’s been giving me the silent treatment since I told her ex to stay away from her.

The prick is lucky the team came out of the arena and interrupted our conversation. I saw his expression. He knows I’m not joking about him staying away from Morgan, but he doesn’t plan to listen.

I’d bet money he’s never had someone put him in his place who could beat his ass. He strikes me as the sort who only pushes boundaries with those he views as weaker than him, like his girlfriend.

Ex-girlfriend.

I’d be happy to put the prick in his place, but as much as Morgan dislikes him, I don’t think she’d forgive me if I actually punched her ex. Not with the way she’s avoided talking to me since I threatened the guy.

Morgan glances over her shoulder and shakes her head once. “Not here.”

I bite my lip and nod. There’s nothing else I can do.

We walk down a long hallway, passing a mediocre gym and two-lane lap pool, before reaching the exit at the back of the building.

We follow the signs to where rideshares pick up hotel guests, away from the busy street at the front of the hotel. Even if Morgan wanted to be picked up there, the team bus currently dominates the small semi-circle drive as staff unloads equipment.

Morgan taps on her phone, likely telling the driver she’s at the pick-up spot, before tucking her phone under her arms. “What were you saying?”

“I’m sorry.”

She frowns. “For what?”

“For threatening your ex…” I thought she was pissed, but her current expression makes me doubt myself.

“I didn’t care about that.”

“Then why have you been ignoring me?”

“Have I?” Her forehead furrows. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to ignore you. I just…” She shakes her head. “I’m just so mad at myself for letting Aaron get to me. Again. Seriously, I don’t know what his problem is. We’ve been over for years. He should be over it by now.”

I know what his problem is.

Aaron isn’t over Morgan. Not because he has genuine feelings for her but because he views her as a possession that he’s lost. He’s upset that he no longer has any control over her. He tries to cut Morgan down at every encounter because he has the cruel, idiotic hope that if she stops valuing herself, maybe she’ll come back and let him exert control over her once more.

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