Page 56 of Go Deep

Gabe nods. “Ellis has had a rough day trying to connect. He’s just not on the same page as his receivers today.”

It definitely doesn’t take a genius to read betweenthoselines.

The rest of the half goes by painfully slowly, and the noose around my neck gets tighter and tighter as the seconds tick past. When we can finally leave the booth for a few minutes during the halftime show, Gabe gets up from his chair and darts out of the room.

My heart breaks a little when he doesn’t even acknowledge me, but I can’t blame him. And I can never excuse what I did to him, walking away and pretending not to give a damn when all I really want is to be me, to be me with him. Knowing he wants me, too, makes things even worse.

I stand up from the chair and pull off my headset. Maybe there’s a bar around here. I need a drink, or three, before the second half starts. I shake hands with some of the guys in the booth but escape before they can start to make small talk. I’m not in the mood to talk about stock picks or possible Super Bowl contenders.

Jack Daniel’s will numb my thoughts for a little while until I can get back to my hotel room and drown themcompletely. A small bar is set up down the hallway for people on this floor.

“What can I get you, Mr. Castro?” The bartender smiles at me. “I’m a huge fan.”

“Thanks,” I say in a gruff voice. My shattered football career isn’t anything I want to resurrect, either. “Jack on the rocks. Make it two, please.”

He sets the two plastic cups on the top of the bar. I guess it’s good they’re plastic. If I see Bob again, I might be tempted to throw one at him.

I stuff a ten in his tip cup and take both drinks. One of the large windows in a private alcove near the announcer’s booth overlooks the field and the insanity in the student section. I walk over and a grin tugs at my lips. For the first time since I came into the stadium, I let myself remember the glory days. How I was a king among men, dominating on that field. Nobody could touch me. I was hot shit for a minute, and it felt incredible.

My smile fades. And then everything crumbled, just like my broken body. I take a long gulp from one of the cups, the amber liquid going down like water, and set the other one down in front of me.

“Hey,” a husky voice from behind murmurs. “What are you thinking about so hard?”

I let out a breath.

Kim.

God, I wish I’d never fucked her.

“The game. The Titans are crushing the Panthers today.”

“If you say so. Not like I follow any of this stuff. You know it was never my thing.” She puts a hand on my arm. “You look good, Vince.”

“Thanks.” I take another sip, still staring at the halftime hoopla.

She rubs up against me, snaking a hand around the back of my neck and forcing my head to turn in her direction. “I’ve really missed you, babe. We were so good together. Remember?”

We were. On the surface. But underneath Kim’s polished, gorgeous bleached blonde veneer, she’s vapid as hell and dumb as a bag of rocks. Her goal is to marry rich so she can have the same life and privilege she’s grown used to. She’s got no substance, no functioning brain cells, and thinks a stock ticker is a device people use to increase or decrease stock prices at will.

As if we can literally move the markets with a handheld device.

Not the brightest bulb in the chandelier.

I grit my teeth. Fuck Bob if he thinks he can use Kim to tug on my leash.

“Listen, I’ve got to get back?—”

But my words are swallowed by demanding lips. She backs me against the window, sticking her tongue deep into my mouth while pressing her tits against me. And in a split second of weakness, I let it happen.

Maybe it’s me testing myself to see if I can feel something for her.

Anything.

But the only thing I feel is Gabe’s mouth crushed against mine and the taste of mint on his devious tongue. The only thing I hear is him moaning my name against my mouth. And the only things I feel are lust, carnal hunger, and need…for him.

Not even an iota for her.

I pull away. Kim smiles, a slow seductive smile that tells me in no uncertain terms that she will find a way to be everything I want andneed.

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