Page 70 of False Start

fifteen

Fourteen pairsof eyes stared back at me from my very own infield. Their temperatures ranging from thoroughly kissed slow burn to ice age deep freeze.

Eve’s chilly mood came complete with ice balls lined with razor blades.

It’s almost as if she knew not twenty minutes ago I had her ex-girlfriend pinned to the barn wall, her lips under mine, every inch of her front pressed against every inch of mine—something neither of us were too thrilled at the idea of when I fixed her rib.

Jesus, what was I doing?

All of it. Really, what the hell was I doing?

I told myself I wouldn’t touch her today. I’d convinced myself that our kiss the other night had been a mistake. Nothing more than two frustrated and desperate people taking it out on one another—and scratching an itch while we were at it.

There was no point in going down this road with Mayhem because I had a job waiting in Boston.

And she had the world to save.

I wouldn’t stay.

And I wouldn’t ask her to leave.

The minute I tasted her in the shadows of her dark hallway, I wanted to taste her everywhere. I hadn’t gotten every hot breath, every moan, and every dig of her fingertips out of my head since.

Now I got to face the temptation for the next month, day in, day out, hour after hour, minute after agonizing minute.

As for Mayhem’s rule, it was a hell of a lot easier to follow with her team here. Really, I only had to stick to Mayhem’s rules for another hour, because then she’d be sticking it to me.

They had on their gear…knee pads, elbow pads, wristguards—everything other than their helmets and mouthguards—they stood ready to do this. At least physically.

But one thing I knew about this team from the one time I’d seen them in a bout. They push back when pushed.

They were going to need that.

And sometimes to their detriment. But we’d work on that.

Time to see if they had what it took to ride it out.

“Before we get started…” I glanced down at my notes. “I’ve got the information and format of the exhibition. They’re using the RCDL rulebook. Lucky you it’s about half as thick as the WRDF rule book you’re used to. I’ve printed them out for you. Grab a copy on your way out tonight. Make sure you’ve read it before you walk back through that door tomorrow.”

Someone scoffed and I snapped my head up to look at the team. “Problem?”

“Yeah,” Eve said. “We have the same twenty-four hours in a day that you do. Not all of us are here on vacation. Between our jobs and practice and sleep, you expect us to read it all in twenty-four hours. It’s not enough time.”

“Make the time or don’t walk back through that door.”

“What the fuck?” she bit back.

“You need my help, not the other way around. If you want it, you’re going to do it my way.”

“Bullsh—”

I pinned her to the spot with a hard look that cut off her words. “You’re all here to save Crossroads, right?”

Mayhem stepped out and turned to them. She didn’t say a word, but her eyes sure as hell had plenty to say judging by the way they looked around at one another, their chins dipped low, before giving me reluctant nods.

“You have twenty-eight days,” I said after Mayhem stepped back into the line. “That’s it. Twenty-eight days to learn the same skills as teams who have been doing this for a decade. You’ll either do it my way, or you can walk out that door. Anyone can be replaced.”

A few of them shifted on their skates and glanced at one another; a couple others started to roll their eyes, but seemed to think better of it, and Eve looked like she was ready to set me on fire.

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