Page 5 of Beautifully Conflicted

Bennet Armstrong.

My chest constricts to the point of pain. I’d been prepping myself to see him tomorrow, and the shock of seeing him now has me damn near frozen in place. He’s just as foreboding off the field as he is on it, in that dark angel way that makes my knees weak. His ocean blue eyes narrow into slits, glaring at me from beneath a crop of nearly black hair. I stare back, entranced by the jaw grinding hard enough to cut glass.

He’s perfection. Dangerous perfection.

The butterflies that always accompany my first glimpse of him have me feeling restless with the urge to move or speak… anything thatmight make those threatening eyes linger on me a little longer. Fuck, just like I’ve always wanted them to.

And they’re on me all right, but after that initial glare they’re now sort of hollow, offering no clues about what he’s thinking.

I don’t suppose there’s any way hollow means good, right?

I’m vaguely aware of several other guys watching me intently, but I don’t register who they are. The only thing I see is how the color seems to drain from Bennet’s face. His lips part into a sneer, and I have to force myself not to wet my own.

“He just got picked up in the transfer portal. Guys, this is Damien.” Aiden points at me, which would make this an excellent time to say hi or smile or even wave at my new teammates. But Bennet’s murderous look has my heart pounding and my cock perking up, so logically that means I revert to my love language of choice… trash talk.

“Hi Lucy.” I wink. “Looks like we’re finally going head-to-head off the field.”

Bennet

So, blood running cold is a real thing.

I didn’t believe in it until the only person I legit hate walked through my front door, and I swear my temperature dropped. I’m not talking about a shiver or a cool breeze either. My insides went subzero as I stared at the one and only person I dread most on the planet.

Damien fucking Montgomery.

I’ve been stuck playing against that smug asshole since pee wee league, and there hasn’t been a single matchup where he didn’t taunt me with his stupid grin or a saucy wink after he disrupted a play. Normally, I respect good competition, but this guy has too big of an ego to warrant my respect. I don’t care how well you play. If you’re a jerk, you don’t get any props from me, plain and simple.

It’s bad enough I didn’t escape him by coming to college—our teams are in the same conference, so we meet every year. But now, I’m gonna have to see himdaily? As in, there’s no escape?

Of all the things to fuck up my Sunday…

First my roommates are all horny bastards who make it impossible to just chill out on the couch without one of them feeling theirboyfriend up.Then, Aiden brings that prick Damien over to hang out. What’s next? The antichrist being reborn?

Seriously, what are the actual odds that that douche not only ends up transferring tomyteam, but meetsmyroommate at the library, and walks throughmyfront door?

Is that fucker stalking me? It seems like something he’d do, so he has even more opportunity and ammunition to taunt me with.

Fuck, I barely survived seeing him two or three times a year with my sanity intact. Now, I’m going to have to see him every practice? What God did I piss off to deserve this cruel and unusual punishment?

This is karma. It has to be. I’m not sure for what, but I know karma when I fucking see it.

I don’t have enemies, except this dick. I’ve never cheated on anyone or at anything. I’ve never flaked out on people when they were counting on me. And I’ve never sought out special treatment for my skill on the field or the size of my checking account. Have I upset some chick? Like the one who nearly went stalker on Jagger before he started dating Cam? Did she make a voodoo doll of me?

Nothing comes to mind. So, what the fuck is Damien Montgomery doing inmyfoyer.

“Hi Lucy.” He winks.Fucking winks. “Looks like we’re finally going head-to-head off the field.”

I don’t think he’s ever called me Lucy in front of anyone before. I’m so shocked, I don’t have a reply. All I can do is glare and gape at him like a fish out of water. I still don’t even know why he picked that stupid moniker all those years ago, and I’ve hated it almost more than I hate him, but I’ve been a good boy and have ignored it since no one else knew about it. Until now, that is.

I can’t believe Aiden. Where’s the fucking loyalty?

Playing the good host, Aiden either doesn’t notice the tension pulsating off me or he ignores it. He just strides into the living room with Damien on his heels, like his personal puppy dog. Still playing dumb, Aiden gestures to the empty seat next to me, but before Damien can plop his ass on the cushion, I spring up and grab Aiden by the arm, dragging him to the kitchen.

“Why the fuck would you bring him here?” I hiss at his wide, astonished eyes.

“You’re upset I brought one of your teammates over?”

“I’m upset you broughtthatteammate over. Aside from the fact I didn’t even know he was our teammate, he’s my literal enemy.”

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