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He drags me even closer. “Sure we did. I had to know if I needed to fight him for making a move on my girl, after all.”
He slides his hand up, circling my wrist, and does the same with my other arm too. I freeze.
“Bex,” he says, “just give in and let yourself be happy. Being with me can open so many doors for you. Once I’m in the league, we’ll sell this shitty place, and you can just take care of me. That’s what you wanted last year, so why ruin things now? Not like your life would amount to much otherwise.”
His grip tightens as he leans in to kiss me. I’m still frozen, too stunned to move as his lips graze mine. I always knew he was possessive, but this is a whole different level. This scares me.
“Darryl,” I whisper.
“Yeah, baby?”
“Fuck off.” I yank myself out of his grip, rubbing my wrists, and shove past him. “Go play your game. And if you bother me again, especially here, I’ll call the cops.”
He clenches his fists. I stare at him, terrified for the moment the swing connects with my face. My father hit my mother exactly once, shortly before he left for good, and she had a black eye for weeks. Not that it mattered much, because she was in bed mourning her marriage and the miscarriage triggered by heartbreak, but eleven-year-old me saw it every day when I crawled into bed beside her.
If you asked me while we were dating, I’d have said Darryl would never truly hurt me.
But then again, I never thought my father would hurt my mother, and he destroyed her.
He steps so close my heart jumps into my throat, a flat look in his eyes I absolutely hate to see, and pulls me in again, his fingers gripping my wrists so tightly I cry out. “You’re going to wish you didn’t say that, sweetheart.”
I swallow hard, trying to ignore the burning of my eyes.
After a handful of seconds that stretch out into what feels like an eternity, he shoves me backward. I stumble, watching as he stalks away. I clasp a shaking hand over my mouth, trying to swallow down the shock and hurt.
I should go back inside, get back to work, but I can’t make myself move. A tear makes its way down my cheek, and I wipe it away roughly.
No crying, even though my wrists are aching.
Two things are clear. One, I can’t believe I ever had feelings for that asshole. And two, I need a new plan, because obviously he’s not going away.
I need James.
Chapter 10
James
Winning is always fun, but the first home win of the season is something else. The turnout was incredible; every seat in McKee’s massive stadium was filled. Between the marching band and the shouting from the student section, I could barely hear the referees. I’m still hopped up on adrenaline an hour later, ready to celebrate with the team.
“There’s a bar in town,” Bo says as we gather up our duffels and head outside. “McNamara’s. You coming?”
“I won’t drink, but yeah, I’m coming.”
“Sweet.” He hollers the same question to Demarius, who gives us a thumbs-up from across the parking lot. “There’s always a ton of girls there after a win, so if you’re looking to hook up, you won’t have any trouble.”
“Good to know.”
Not that I plan on it. One, because I don’t want to create false expectations for some poor girl, and two, because the only one I’ve been fantasizing about lately is Bex. I’ve tried not to—it’s not like anything is going to happen—but whenever I rub one out, she’s who I picture. Her fantastic tits. The way her nose scrunches up when she’s frustrated. The pouty curve of her lips.
Fuck. I need to figure out a way to put a stop to this, especially if she’s going to be my tutor.
“There he is,” Coop says as he walks toward me. He hugs me, then steps back so Seb can do the same. “Great game, bro.”
I smile. “Didn’t know you came.”
“The perks of having an afternoon scrimmage. Which I crushed, by the way. I’m ready to relax.”
“I’m heading to a bar, want to come?”
