Page 20 of West Bound

“You wanna get together after the game? I can get a suite at the Belvedere.” His voice is low but still loud enough for the others to hear.

“I don’t know. It depends,” I lie.

“Depends on what?”

“Whether or not you still have the condition.” I tilt my chin up and steel my back.

He looks at me confused and the others grow deathly silent.

“What condition?” he asks.

“You know. The one called a WIFE!” My voice raises ten decibels and I practically spat the word in his face.

His face pales when I mention the poor, oblivious woman. Or maybe she’s not so oblivious. His douchebaggery shines bright for everyone to see, so it’s possible she already knows of all his cheating ways.

The guys let out laughs, a few snorts, someone says “burn” while another smacks his back…hard, causing him to jolt forward.

“Swing and a miss,” I hear one of them call out.

Kenrick glares at me but doesn’t respond because really, what could he say to that.

“That’s what I thought. Good luck tonight fellas,” I say to them over my shoulder as I make my way out into the dugout and over to my little area where I’ll watch the game, gather my notes, and try not to be affected by Phoenix West.

“Fuck yeah,” one of the guys says when the team files back into the dugout after Phoenix throws another golden inning.

His debut has been phenomenal. And as much as I really wanted him to suck so I could delight in the wrath of karma that hit him over the head, I’m relieved to see that the Wranglers made a smart move by signing him.

Players throw down their gloves, and a few grab their bats and make their way out on the field to try to get some points on the board. It’s bottom of the sixth and the score is one zero, Wranglers.

“Did you see the smoke comin’ off that last one, Viv?” The catcher, Cisco Montoya, asks as he plops down on the bench closest to me. “My hand is still hurting.”

I smile down at him as he shakes out his catching hand. “I did. His arm’s looking good.”

“Is that all that’s looking good, Red?”

I look away from Cisco and look directly into the eyes of Phoenix as he walks over to where we stand and takes a seat right next to his new catcher.

“Good job tonight, Phoenix. Your pitching has been amazing…so far.” I try to keep the bite out of my words and don’t give him even an inch of a smile.

“So far? Don’t worry sweetheart. I’ve got the stamina to go all night and I never lose power.” The fucker throws me a wink and Cisco slaps his shoulder.

My jaw clenches and the poor microphone in my hand gets the ever loving life squeezed out of it.

“I bet, though I wouldn’t personally want to find out. With all of that ‘collecting’ you did in college, I’m sure it only got worse once you got into the pros. No doubt there’s a venereal disease or two floating around inside your body. I’d hate to be one of the many lucky recipients to walk away with a lasting parting gift from you.”

Cisco’s eyes widen and his gaze drops to the ground seeing as he’s stuck between the two of us. Phoenix has somehow moved closer to where I sit, sandwiching Cisco between the wall and him.

“No diseases here, Red. I’m clean as a whistle. I’d be happy to show you.”

“Thanks, but no way in fucking hell. I’d rather get frostbite on my nipples than get anywhere near you.” I flick my face back to the field, sending my hair flying over my shoulder.

“Didn’t I just hear that you slept with Kenrick? The very married Kenrick?” His voice drips with something that sounds like a mixture of contempt and jealousy.

“Alright. You wanna do this here? Let’s do it.” I stand up and lean over the railing, giving both of them a clear view of my cleavage when my blouse dips down but that’s the least of my concerns. “I didn’t know that fucktard was married when I slept with him. One. The second I found out, I ended that like a bad habit and took my ass to church to pray for forgiveness. Two. You are the last person I’d ever want to fuck. I may have been a naive girl once, but I’m a grown ass woman and I know a dirty, no good snake when I see one.”

Phoenix’s eyes fill with fire and rage and Cisco sinks further down, trying to become invisible. Doesn’t matter. Neither of us is really paying much attention to him.

“I am not nor have I ever been a snake. I may have been an asshole when I was younger, but I apologized for that. I’ve grown too, you know,” he argues back.

---