Page 58 of Pitcher

I scoff. “Don’t flatter yourself. All of my clothes are dirty.” I roll my eyes to hide my true feelings—I love wearing his clothes. I love his last name hanging on my back. Silly, I know, but it’s how I feel.

He hums and grins, brushing past me. “I smell bullshit.”

“You’re about to smell bullshit when I put my foot up your ass. Hurry up, Von Bremen, before I lose my patience.”

For God’s sake, get away from me before I hug you and tell you I’m sorry for not running with you this morning.

Finally, he retreats to his room to change, and I’m able to settle down my hormones. Seriously, why am I so emotional today? Theo and I fight all the time. We’re two alphas; we always butt heads.

You know why, screams the stupid part of my brain.

It’s because he’s about to leave me… and maybe because I love him more than a friend.

Before I can fully analyze my emotions, Theo barrels down the hall, scooping up his bat bag from the floor, and heads to the door, throwing over his shoulder, “Come on, McCallister, let’s get to this.”

And just like that, we are back to our old selves.

“Out!”

I give the two freshmen an apologetic smile as they gather their gear quickly and exit the batting cages like their asses are on fire.

“You didn’t have to make them leave,” I argue with the idiot who is filling two pitching machines with quarters. He stops cold and whips around to face me.

“Yes, I did.” He flashes me an ugly look that makes me want to throw a ball at his pretty face. “I don’t need any witnesses for what I’m about to say to you, McCallister.”

So it’s like that, is it?

He has something to say, huh? Well, so do I.

I snatch a bat from his bag and forego a helmet. Shit is about to get real out here.

“All right, Von Bremen, let’s settle this.” I shove him out of my cage and hook the latch. For a moment, we just stare at one another, separated by only chain-linked fencing. His blue eyes are fierce, like he can’t decide if he wants to shake me or hug me. He settles for a growl and a bat, taking his spot a few seconds later in the batter’s box.

“Get ready.” He nods at the machine in warning.

I roll my eyes, squaring my shoulders and adjusting my stance. Before the first ball is launched out of the machine, I briefly wonder what speed setting he put my pitches on.

When the first ball zings past my face, I jump back. Obviously, he set my pitches just as fast as his. But whereas I missed the first pitch, Theo doesn’t. The crack of his bat echoes in the open air.

“You’re an asshole,” I say aloud, readying for the next pitch and missing it.

“This should not be a surprise to you.”

The sound of wood making contact with the ball and his smart-ass tone causes me to grind my teeth together.

“Yes, Theo, I know you have asshole tendencies. However, you were especially cruel last night. You had no right to talk to me that way. I’m not your personal property.”

Another ball smashes into the fence, but he doesn’t answer, which only makes me want to argue with him more.

Forget hitting the ball, I turn to his side of the fence and smash my bat against it. He doesn’t even flinch.

“Theo!”

A fastball whizzes past him, and he misses for the first time. In hindsight, I should have seen his reaction coming, but when he slams his bat against the fence, his chest heaving with every drag of air, I realize I flipped his figurative switch.

His fingers curl around the chain, and he all but growls, “Rhys was going to fuck you on the community mattress in that shithole of a house he lives in. Is that what you wanted, Anniston? To wallow around in all the fluids of the women before you? Is that what you fucking wanted?”

His voice raises, and he slams the bat against the fence again, causing me to flinch.

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