Page 16 of Endgame

That may have been my only interaction. I don’t know if I’d even call it that. Not gonna lie, though, her hardened frontexcitesme. I can’t even remember the last time my body felt this awake and challenged by a woman. Especially one who doesn't give two shits what position I play or how much money I make. She didn't ask one question about me or baseball.

But she shouldn't, Callaway.

She’s your sister's best friend.

You gave her a ride home. Not a ride on the cock between your legs.

However, I did pick up one thing from my junkie of a birth mother. If you want something bad enough, you do whatever it takes tohaveit.

It's probably not my smartest idea, but I’m willing to risk it.

8

DAKOTA

The scorching waterfeels like glass pellets etching my skin, and I welcome it. Today has been a doozy.

After Callaway dropped me off, I called the only mechanic I have on speed dial and had Chevy towed to Dave's Garage. Dave was my dad’s tried-and-true mechanic for years, and he’s taken care of Chevy for me since his passing. My only option now is to wait and see how much this little problem will cost me.

My mind can’t help but drift back to Callaway.

He’s nothing like I expected.

He gives off such untouchable vibes that his openness to help and care caught me off guard. I’m not accustomed to care, care in the sense of someone helping because theywantto, not because they expect something in return or out of obligation. I guess I can include care in general since I seem to be lacking actual people to take on that feeling. He was so delicate with my safety; it both pissed me off and puzzled me.

It’s evident after meeting him that he and Navy were raised by saints. Navy has shared with me snippets of herfamily life, and luckily for her and Cal, their home was filled with copious amounts of love and laughter.

I think she has always known without saying how my lack of family over the last year has affected my life. Happiness be damned. There’s a lot she doesn’t know. I’m careful with opening up my heart to people. Although Navy is someone I trust full-heartedly, it’s a slippery slope when sharing parts of yourself that even you don’t want to remember.

It's not that mine lacked happiness, but it had a shelf life.

It’s been short lived as an adult.

I’m currently in the season of my life when I feel equipped to acknowledge the impact of a parent and my desire to have more than a parental relationship with them.

Why do we have these discoveries so late in life? When it’s too late and tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.

In the blink of an eye, my parents are gone.

Sadly, no letter of last words, no final farewell speech, just a call from my mom’s sister, Aunt Greta, crying out, “Kodi, it isn’t good. Come as fast as you can. There’s not much time.”

That was the moment my entire world shifted. I had no siblings to call or fall on, only the now broken memories stored in the back of my mind and my childhood home left in my name.

Reigning in my depressing thoughts, a tall and assertive baseball player suddenly jumps to the forefront of my mind.

I still can’t believe I only confirmed what Cal could gather about my relationship with Trevor. It’s none of his business, but I didn’t argue in the slightest about sharing with him.

His anger at my response to how Trevor viewed me was ashock. He has nothing to gain or lose by sticking up for me, but he did it anyway with no one else around to witness it.

He seems like one of the good ones.

To clarify my sex life, I’m not celibate. But since my breakup with Trevor, I’ve struggled withmentallybeing in the moment intimately with any man. I haven’t had many opportunities to try, but still. It’s not so much athemthing, but amething. I guess in this situation, though, Trevor enjoyed tearing me apart rather than actually touching and trying to please me.

I’m not pathetic enough to believe any of the hurtful words he spit in my face when we split. I have more respect for myself than that. I won’t lie, though, and say the hurtful comments he made about my appearance make me slightly self-conscious in the bedroom.

Your ass is too big. I can’t hold you any longer.

When I eat your pussy, I expect your hands on me, not your clit.

---