Page 27 of Play Me
“This is my job.” My hands go to my hips in defiance. “What part of that is difficult for you to understand? What’s not registering? I mean, God knows I’m not doing this out of the kindness of my heart.”
“That would be hard to do, considering I don’t think you have one.”
My jaw falls open before I can lock it in place.What a bastard.
I force a swallow as his words seep into my psyche. Nothing he’s said to me so far has bothered me. I slept like a baby all weekend. But this quip hits differently.
I tell myself it’s because he’s so ungrateful for the opportunity being given to him. I’m just shocked that someone can have everything laid out for them like this and still be unappreciative. The idea that this spoiled asshole could have the power to hurt my feelings is implausible.
I’m beyond that.
“Again, if you don’t like it, you should’ve done something about it,” I say, glaring right back and ignoring the swipe at me. I won’t back down from him. I’ll hold my ground. “Because I don’t want to be here. This isn’t my idea of a good time either.”
“You’ve crossed a line, Astrid.”
“Okay,” I say, mocking him.
“You don’t call the shots here.” His features darken. “I mean it. The groceries were one thing. The fucking schedule was another.But this?This is my locker room withmy team.” He glances over his shoulder, the vein in the side of his neck throbbing. “I know you and Renn seem to think I’m incompetent, but I think I can manage getting my locker together.”
I throw my hands in the air. “It’s deodorant and a first-aid kit, for Pete’s sake. It’s not like I’m giving you a box of condoms and a sandwich.”
“Right. I might’ve been able to use those.”
I groan, huffing a breath to keep myself from choking on my frustration.
He stalks across the room, filling the air with the warm scent of his cologne, yet a sudden chill hangs between us. He’s glowering at me.
Out of all the things I thought he’d get upset about, putting together his locker wasn’t it. I also didn’t expect him to be so … mad.
“Guess the articles I read online about you were true,” I say with a shrug.
“The locker room is off-limits to you,” he says, his eyes blazing. “I’m not joking.”
“Unfortunately, that’s not your decision.”
He runs a thick palm over his head in evident frustration.
“If you don’t like it, take it up with Renn,” I say, my hands gripping my hips even tighter. “Because he’s under the impression you need me, and just because you’re acomplete fucking dick, I’m going all in. I’m going to go the extra mile just to piss you off.”
His nostrils flare. “You’ll regret that.”
“Yeah, probably not. Because you’ll be out of here in a few months, and I won’t.”
A door behind me opens, and voices fill the locker room. I rip my gaze from Gray’s.
“Did we interrupt something?” a guy everyone calls Breaker asks.
Gray’s stare burns a hole in the side of my face. I don’t acknowledge it.
“No, you didn’t,” I say, giving Breaker and Jory Plath a smile. I’ve met Jory a couple of times. Calling him one of my favorite players would be a lie, considering that I don’t like any of them. But he’s one of the least grating. “I was just giving Gray a tour. Guys, this is your new scrum half, Gray Adler.” I look at him over my shoulder.Fucker. “This is Breaker and Jory Plath.”
“We know who the hell he is,” Jory says, laughing. “Gray, it’s good to fuckin’ meet ya, my man.” He extends a hand to him. “It’s nice to have ya here. Welcome to Nashville.”
“It’s good to be here,” Gray says, shaking his hand before reaching for Breaker’s. “Nicest facility I’ve ever seen, that’s for damn sure.”
“Fuck, yeah,” Jory says. “This facility has all the perks. They treat us like gods here.”
Breaker chuckles, side-eyeing me. “Looks like Adler got a perk of his own.”
