Page 41 of Hate the Game
“I’ve never seen you around here, babe. You lost?” AJ was already doing his best. He was leaning against my truck with his hand next to Savannah’s head, so he was towering over her. “Even if you are, consider yourself found now. I’m AJ. What’s your name, pretty?”
Savannah swallowed and nearly choked as she started laughing. “I’ve heard about you, AJ. Your dad told me all about your nice car and good credit. I’m not lost, though. Cole brought me. He’ll be taking me, too.”
My shoe scuffed the ground as my body stuttered. I knew what she meant but the idea of taking her was too vivid an image in my head. My mouth watered and I suddenly turned into a dog ready to protect his yard. I made myself known and slid in next to Savannah. Thank God she didn’t object when I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her so she was leaning against my front.
“Damn. Dad’s been hunting for a girl for me again?” Moving back, he nodded at me and after a few seconds we both laughed and did our handshake. “Cole, man. The famous footballer returns. What are you doing here?”
Savannah slapped my hands away but leaned up and kissed me before hurrying away. “Our food!”
AJ watched her go and I saw his eyes going to her ass, the same as mine. When I punched his arm he grunted and threw his hands up. “What do you want me to do, man? She’s stacked. Is that what college girls at USC look like?”
I followed Savannah’s swaying ass with my eyes, enjoying the way her dress always left me holding my breath, wondering if that would be the moment it flew up and showed me thosecheeks. It never did but it didn’t stop me from hoping. “Not most of them. She’s-”
“Special? Fucking gorgeous? Built like a goddamn dream?” AJ blocked me from hitting him again and laughed. “If you think I’m your issue, you’re not paying attention man. Look at that.”
I looked back at Savannah and swore when I saw a few of the local guys I knew from back in the day approaching her. The gangs in East LA were getting smaller and smaller, thanks to men like Antonio, but they still existed and everyone knew those two assholes were runners. I was already moving when they said something to her.
Instead of shying away from them or looking for me to help her, she put her hands on her hips and pointed at them. “You kiss your momma with that mouth?”
***Savannah***
Iraised my eyebrows at the guy who’d just asked me if I wanted to suck his dick or sit on his face first. Self-preservation? I didn’t know her. Not making a scene? Never heard of him. I did know hangry and that was where I was leaning. When neither of them answered my question about kissing their moms, I shook my head and carried on.
“I’m just trying to get my food. I’m hungry and the test taco I just ate was so damn good that my mouth is watering. So, just a warning, if you put anything near or in my mouth that isn’t a fucking taco, I’ll bite it off and spit on the stub. Now, thank you for the offer. I’m sure you’re both lovely and that there are plenty of other women willing to sit on your faces, but I’m here for one thing and one thing only. Tacos. Have you tried them? If you’re nice and you apologize, I’ll share.”
They stared back at me with stupefied expressions and when their eyes shifted over my shoulder I knew Cole was there, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin on my shoulder. I ignored just how comfortable and normal it felt.
“You heard the lady.” Cole’s voice was dangerous, a threat clear from the tone.
The one who’d spoken up about me sitting on his face gathered himself and called me a bitch before storming off. His buddy spit on the ground between us and followed him.
I felt Cole stiffen and move like he was going to go after them so I grabbed his arms that were still wrapped around me and laughed to let him know I was fine. “Relax, Cole. I’m good.”
“They were disrespectful.”
“Yeah? And?” I rolled my eyes. “If I fell apart every time a man was disrespectful to me, I’d be a pile of rubble. Hell, if you’re going to come in with your cape and big hammer, or whatever shit superheroes carry these days, you’re going to have to hit yourself over the head, too.”
He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “Savannah…”
I turned in his arms and rolled my eyes. “I’m made of tougher stuff than that, Cole. If you don’t feed me soon I will lose my mind, though.”
He searched my face and swallowed before stepping away from me and motioning for me to go ahead. I kissed his cheek before meeting Antonio at the front of the truck. He had a bag full of food and he’d pulled a small styrofoam chest from somewhere and it was full, too.
“For later. I can’t send you home with nothing, bonita. Now give me a hug and go eat before you hurt someone.” Antonio grunted when I hugged him tight. “Come back and see me.”
I took the bag from him and Cole took the chest. “If Cole won’t bring me back, I’ll crawl back on my hands and knees if I need to. That taco was delicious. Best taco I’ve ever had.”
“I’ll bring her back, Antonio. Thanks for dinner. I’ll have to save something for Jax and Ryder or they’ll lose their shit.”
After we said our goodbyes Cole led me back to the truck. I wanted to dig right in but he wouldn’t let me. He told me towait because he had somewhere he wanted us to park and eat. It wasn’t easy. When he parked just a few minutes away in front of a massive mural I was glad he’d made me wait. He backed into the spot and we settled on the tailgate to eat.
“This is beautiful.” I smiled at the mural of the beautiful woman smiling down at her little boy. “I’ve noticed all the murals around here. It’s amazing. There’s so much beauty here. And you grew up right here in the middle of it all?”
His face twisted as he stared up at the mural. “I did grow up right here. Just a street over in the attic apartment of a row house. It’s a lot nicer here now. Less gangs and shit. Back then it wasn’t always so nice.”
I swallowed the food I’d shoved into my mouth and wiped my mouth on the back of my hand. When he handed me a napkin, I blushed but pretended it hadn’t happened. “Did you grow up with both of your parents?”
He laughed. “Not even a little bit. My mom met who she called a pretty white boy at a football game. They spent a few days together and here I am. He disappeared, though. Guess he couldn’t handle a bastard kid from the wrong side of the tracks.”
