Page 39 of Tight End

Max lets out a huff but I ignore him and focus on Coach.

“But understand our position, too. If things get resolved with a press conference, great. The guy’s getting out of the hospital, no major damage done. But we all know this is a pattern with Mr. Scott. He’s been a loose cannon over the past couple of years, and we’re just thinking about you. We don’t want you to get dragged into his downward spiral.”

My back stiffens because it’s pretty clear Brixton is headed in that direction and I’m the guy on his arm, along for the tumultuous ride.

“I’ll be fine. And I will make sure that nothing blows back on the team.” I look between them. “Are we finished here?”

Max taps the tip of his pen against the desk, flashing a glare at me. I guess he’s not used to others abruptly ending his meetings for him.

“Sure,” he bites out. “Just keep this all in mind and hope we don’t need to have a follow-up conversation anytime soon. You have the playoffs in sight. Don’t let anything take your focus off of your job, Hartley.”

With a curt nod, I push back the chair. The legs scrape against the tile floor, the screech making my ears ring.

I turn on my heel and walk out of the office. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Rex shoot up from his chair. The door to Max’s office closes behind us. Once we’re in the hallway, Rex pulls me around a corner.

He straightens his tie like he’s adjusting a noose to let in oxygen. His dark eyes are clouded with worry, brows knitting together.

“Sam, I know you’re the guy who always offers to help people, no matter what. And it’s one of the things I love about you, what the world loves about you.” He leans closer. “But you don’t always need to do it. If it’s going to screw up your life and your reputation…”

I glare at Rex. “I gave him my word. Remember?”

“Yeah, and you have a lot to lose if things go south, just like Max and Coach Taylor tried to warn you about. Why aren’t you thinking about your future? Is Brixton Scott really worth throwing away everything you’ve worked so hard for?”

“You’re singing a very different tune today. Last night, you were on board with Ben’s plans. What changed?”

Rex averts his eyes, his hand once again at the knot around his throat. “I don’t know if it’s the best idea.”

“And is that because it’s more than just my reputation on the line? This all because you’re afraid of blowback onto you? Because if that’s the case?—”

“No, no. That’s not it. I’ll always back you up.” His hand moves to the back of his neck and he paces in the small space in front of me. “I’m just telling you to think long and hard about your future. Your team management is not happy about this, and I don’t want them taking it out on you.”

I drop my voice. “Nobody can know the truth about what we arranged last night, okay? It has to look legit to work. Otherwise I’ll look like an asshole and he’ll look like an even bigger one than he is now. And I’m going to do my part because I said I would. I will be at that press conference today, and I’ll make sure he shows up to Play It Forward right afterward to begin rehab of his image.”

“Jase and Lucas will be there. I’ll make sure they know the deal and to keep this all quiet.” He pauses. “You know, the guy is like a runaway train. There’s no way this goes smoothly at all.”

I square my shoulders, breathing out a deep sigh.

Rex is right. There’s absolutely no fucking way this can go smoothly. Especially since I can’t stop obsessing about the fake boyfriend I need to hate.

Because if I don’t, I may end up just as broken as him.

Chapter 16

Brixton

Iopen my eyes a crack then fling an arm over them to keep out the annoying as fuck stream of blinding light. My skin tingles and the corners of my lips creep upward. Damn. Is it possible to still feel aftershocks hours later?

Stretching my arms overhead, I let out a low groan.

Goddammit.

Waking up means I can’t keep dreaming about Sam fucking me like a savage last night.

I reach under the sheets to stroke my half-hard cock, imagining it’s his hand rubbing me up and down. I settle into the mattress with a deep sigh, still grinning like an idiot.

My mouth isn’t used to that kind of movement. I don’t do a lot of smiling these days. But Sam shocked the hell out of me last night. He turned my view of him completely inside out. When he pulled me off that guy at the bar, I figured him for a total softie do-gooder. But when he drop kicked that asshole at the hospital in my defense and then brought me back here to violate me in the best fucking way possible, I saw a deeperlayer. It’s obviously one that he doesn’t show too often but somehow, I peeled away enough to get a glimpse.

Okay, more than a glimpse and I am not complaining about that.

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