Page 99 of Commander in Briefs

“If Washington were a dick it would be a short, uncircumcised one.”

I laugh.

Theo flew out early this morning to be with his team. He’s on the roster as the starting pitcher tonight against the Mavericks. Even with our relaxing evening, he was still ill as a damn hornet when he left this morning. His attitude about working for the ball club is getting worse by the game. I need to talk to Thad and see if he knows more. I hate to see Theo so unhappy.

“It can’t be that bad,” I say, turning the corner.

“Oh, it’s bad. Bellamy was in my face as soon as I got to the stadium, bitching me out about missing batting practice again.”

“Why did you miss batting practice? Your plane left early enough to make it on time.”

Theo pauses for a moment before sighing. “I might have passed out when I got home and forgot to set my alarm—”

“Theo!”

“And then, since I was late anyway, I stopped for breakfast and a Starbucks coffee.” His tone is amused, as he loves to ruffle feathers wherever he goes.

“You know better than that. Bellamy just wants to find a reason to kick you off the team.”

“Bellamy wants to fuck me on all fours but he won’t, Tom won’t hear of it.”

Tom is the owner of the Washington Nationals. He personally offered Theo the job on the Nationals’ pitching staff when he was merely twenty years old. Even with the forty-year age difference, they are good friends. Thank goodness. Otherwise, I think Theo would have been fired years ago.

Exhaling into the evening air, I scold, “Theo—”

“I know, I know. I’ll do better. I promise.”

Bellamy yells in the background and screams at Theo to get his spoiled, playboy ass out on the field, pronto.

“I gotta go—” he moans, “—and be Bellamy’s bitch for the next four hours. I hope he’s gentle.”

He laughs at the last comment and so do I.

“I’m sure he’ll be sweet.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he mutters, becoming serious. “Hey, Ans?”

“Yeah?”

“Stay with the guys until Cade and Lawson can figure out what’s going on, okay?”

My voice is a whisper when he reminds me of the situation with Nicole. “I promise.”

“Good. Daddy loves you. Be a good girl and keep that pussy wet for me until tomorrow.”

I holler in laughter, his ridiculous comment lightening the mood. “Will do, champ. I love you, too. Knock ‘em dead.”

Theo hangs up and I toss my phone back in my bag. Where the fuck did I park? It feels like I’ve been walking for miles. Thankfully, my white Audi SUV, parked along the curb, comes into view shortly.

“Finally! What the hell was I thinking parking out here in Bumfuck?”

I throw open the driver’s side door, slinging my purchases into the passenger seat, when an eerie sensation tickles the hair on the back of my neck. I turn to take a quick look around, but before I can manage even a glimpse, someone grabs me from behind, his hand covering my mouth.

I kick out, instinct taking over as my fingers immediately scratch and pull at my captor’s hand, attempting to leverage some distance between us. If I can get free, I can run. He’ll never catch me. My running ability can only be outmatched by one other person. And right now, the thought of never seeing that one person again sends enough fright through my veins that I scream for help through the barrier of this crazy man’s hand.

“Hel—” My voice is garbled and unrecognizable as the sweaty palm clutches firmer against my pitiful outcry for help. Then to make matters worse, he closes his other hand over my throat and squeezes. With my air supply cut completely off, I panic, thinking of dropping my weight to the ground and throwing him off-balance. But when he squeezes harder, anticipating a struggle, self-preservation kicks in and I stand stock-still, the only other thing I know to do.

“You tell your friend that if he comes sniffing around my house again I will kill him.”

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