Page 167 of Forever Relentless

“Run the play, Spence. I don’t hear you!”

Fuck.

I did not want to play offense.

I stepped into position on the right side of the line.

I waited for Dante to call the play. Would I know it? Of course I would. I played defense for this team, and I knew the whole damn playbook.

Dante’s voice cut through the line. “Trips right. Slant.”

Simple, very basic. The kind of play they ran a hundred times in practice.

I set my feet on the turf and glanced down the line. The O-line was already settling in, helmets tilted forward, waiting for the snap count.

The defensive end crouched across from me, lower this time. About time. At least he was taking it seriously now.

I shifted my weight onto the balls of my feet and glanced back once.

Dante stood behind the center, hands ready, eyes flicking from the defense to me and back again.

He didn’t look thrilled about this.

I couldn’t blame him.

“Set,” he called.

The defense adjusted.

The DE across from me rolled his shoulders like he was about to make a point.

I almost felt bad for him.

“Go!”

The ball snapped.

The DE exploded forward.

I stepped inside, gave him half a shoulder like I was blocking, then slipped past him before he could even get his hands on me. By the time he realized I wasn’t staying on the line, I was already two steps clear.

I cut hard toward the middle.

The safety hesitated.

That was the mistake. I put power into my legs and glanced back as Dante’s arm came up.

For a split second, our eyes met across the field.

Then the ball was in the air.

It spiraled toward me, clean and tight. My hands came up automatically. The catch landed soft against my palms like it was meant to be there all along.

I tucked the ball and turned upfield.

Nobody touched me.

Ten yards.