Page 243 of Steeling Her
“Yeah, yeah. You totally do, Nick.” Perez is stirring the pot and I’m beginning to get annoyed with him.
“No, I fucking don’t. Drop it.” I assert and he begins to smirk, thinking it’s hilarious.
“Perez, don’t,” Jason warns him again. The kid never listens. I’m lucky if I can get his attention during a game, never mind after it. Especially when he’s so close to having his arms around a few girls that he will never see.
“What? So you’re telling me the fucking King of Hooking Up isn’t going to a club to hook up with someone and that he doesn’t have a few lined up and ready to go back in his hotel room? I’d say you met the girl in the hotel—”
“That’s enough!” I roar at him. He didn’t expect that reaction because he drops his towel and freezes on the spot.
“Nick,” Chris warns me. I look at him, annoyed that he doubts me, but I know he’s still unsure and doesn’t know what to believe.
I take in a deep breath and continue to make my way past Perez, who looks terrified of me. I did gain a reputation of always starting fights and using my fists to end them. He knows it too. “Nick,” Chris calls after me, making me stop in my tracks.
“I don’t have a girl back at the fucking hotel.” I say while growling at him and turn to face Perez. “I’m trying to win back the one girl that I have ever loved, and it happens to be his sister”—I point to Chris—“I don’t need you fucking that up for me, Perez. So, no, I have no intention of fucking a girl tonight. I will be going back to my room. I don’t need to be Nick ‘Bad Boy of the NFL’ Jackson for tonight.” I leave after that. Nothing more is said, not even in the showers.
I have a temper, I know, but I don’t like people saying that stuff about me anymore. In the past, I ignored it, but now, I know it will get back to Carter and she will form an incorrect opinion of me. It affects her in more ways than I can count.
The showers were awkward and quiet. Nobody spoke, they were all afraid to. I finish quickly and return to my locker to get changed and leave so I can return to the hotel. Usually, they would have a dinner for the players afterwards, but I’m going to skip that too. I just need to be out of the public eye for the night. I need to recover.
I need to be alone.
I pack my bag and throw it over my shoulder.
“Wait up!” I hear Chris’s voice and it makes me shut my eyes and sigh as I turn around to face him. Of the two brothers, he’s the most protective of her. I know what he’s going to say. “Ride with me, I’m going back to the hotel too. Taylor is with us, so I need to put her to sleep—”
“I can watch her,” I offer. “You and Danielle can go out with Haley and TJ, I can stay in and watch her. I’m going to stay in for the night anyway,” I offer as an excuse to stay out of any clubs they’re going to.
He doesn’t say anything other than nod his head in the direction of the door. I leave with him and walk down the desolate hallways of the stadium.
All you can hear is our footsteps as we walk towards the exit.
He starts talking to break the silence, “I know you love my sister. I kinda always knew you did. I knew she also did too.”
Did, past tense. Have I lost her completely?I sullenly think to myself.
He adjusts his bag before continuing, “I know you’re trying to do right by her, but she doesn’t trust you, Nick. You let her down and broke her heart. I’m her brother, and I will always protect her, especially from broken hearts. I know she’s a fully grown woman, but she’s still my little sister. So, forgive me if I’ve lost trust in you too. Just saying you’re not going out to party with girls and the team doesn’t make it better in my eyes. You have a long way to go with her. It’s not going to be sunshine and—”
“I don’t want that,” I cut him off.
“What do you want then? Do you even know?” he asks. This is the calmest I’ve ever seen Chris. He’s usually a complete goofball and is always laughing while being the butt of a joke, but this is a different version of him; one that I’ve never seen before. It’s quite refreshing even when his words are harsh.
“I want her,” I simply say.
“It’s not that easy—”
“Isn’t it?” I reply. We stop walking and we face one another for this part of the conversation.
“She’s taken,” he reminds me and I look down in sorrow.
“Doesn’t mean I can’t try, Chris. He doesn’t treat her well, even you know that,” I state facts that he can’t even deny.
“But it’s not my choice, not my life, and not my relationship.” He shrugs and places both hands in his pockets.
“But you can see what I see,” I point out.
“That he’s not right for her?” he asks and I nod. “Yeah, I can see that, but she has chosen to stay with him. That’s not up to you.” I sigh. He’s right, but I’m tired of waiting.
“Five years, Chris,” I remind him.
