Page 5 of One Last Puck

“Is that right?”

“One hundred! You can try that nice guy shit if you want. But these bitches?—”

“Women.” I cut my eyes at him, letting him know to pick a different set of words.

“That nice guy shit doesn’t work on women. They like being dogged the fuck out,” he stated. “Look at her. She appears sweet and innocent, but I know she’s a freak like the rest. Probably eager to fuck a rich nigga. May let us run her.”

In a different setting, I would have put Liam’s face in the granite of this bar and broke his damn nose, but that would only make me look like the angry, aggressive black man that couldn’t handle his temper. My parents had both instilled in me that there was a time and place for every reaction. It didn’t mean I was weak. It meant I was smart. I had something better planned for Liam.

“I have my theory, and you have yours.”

“Yours is some simp shit.” He waved me off.

“Maybe, but I’m not trying to impress you, nigga.”

Liam stared at me, shaking his head in disagreement. This hot head, divorced motherfucker didn’t get it, and that was good for me. This was going to be the easiest twenty bands I’dever made. Lafayette wasn’t going for his ass or any of my other teammates, because they weren’t hardly her type.

“You need to tighten up, my boy. Simping niggas always finish last.” He stood from the bar stool just as Lafayette finished her conversation with the girls. “Watch and learn something.”

He walked toward Lafayette with a stupid grin on his face. This was the shit I hated about being on a team full of immature niggas. They always had some dumb challenge going on. It was lame as fuck, and the lamest part was I had to go with the shit for the sake of team bonding. As a goalie, I needed to be guarded. I had to trust that my team would not leave me out there defenseless to prove a point or get me traded. So, if that meant going along with some stupid bet I knew I would win, then so be it.

“Here you are, sir.” The bartender returned with my drink.

I wasted no time taking a large gulp of it, jealousy bubbling beneath the surface as I watched Liam in a friendly conversation with Lafayette. A less confident man would have gone over there and stopped him, but I had a pretty good idea of who she was leaving with tonight. All I had to do was sit back, watch her do her thing, and wait. A few seconds later, she dismissed Liam and moved around the room, talking with a few more people. Some of my other teammates approached her but were dismissed even faster than Liam. I sat there pretending not to be watching her, but I was. Not on some jealous shit. I just wanted to make sure these niggas didn’t try her.

“Man, it’s a no go. She’s not going.” Another one of my teammates, Le’Andre, walked up next to me.

“Really?” I faked concern. “Why do you say that? I saw you talking to her.”

“Yeah, I went over there and introduced myself, but she was in work mode. Shorty is only concerned about booking interviews for her show.”

“Damn.” I played along.

Good girl.My little wager was motivating her. That shit had my dick twitching in my pants.

“The night is still young, nigga. Who knows?” I shrugged, sending Le’Andre on his way just in time for Lafayette to waltz her fine ass back over to the bar.

“I just scheduled eight interviews!” she blurted as soon as she was back in my space. She was grinning like she had just won the lottery.

“Damn, I only said five. You’re an overachiever I see. Congratulations!”

I loved seeing her this way, thriving in her element. I could barely contain my happiness. She had my ass over here smiling from ear to ear.

“I don’t think I could have done it without your little friendly push,” she joked, nudging me playfully.

“I’m sure you could have.” I handed her the drink I’d ordered for her. “Spending the night with little old me couldn’t have been that much of a boost.”

“Oh, it was. Trust me.” She leaned forward and slipped me a folded piece of paper.

“Wait. What’s this?” I asked, opening the paper curiously. My dick jumped at the sight of what I assumed to be her room number.

Room 7792

“I won. See you in thirty minutes,” she teased. Her eyes danced with mischief as she took the drink to the head and walked away without saying another word.

“Shit!” I hissed as I watched her disappear into the mingling crowd and then slide out the door.

That woman would be the best thing that ever happened to me. I took a deep breath, glancing at the room number again. A part of me wanted to bolt out behind her right now but leaving together would be too obvious. I wasn’t interested in all these nosy motherfuckers knowing our business just yet.

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