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“Do you know what he did? To Neil I mean.” I give him my best just-fucking-tell-me expression, so he continues. “He made him eat some cockroaches and humiliated him. Savannah didn’t tell you?”
That’s what I took credit for. “Not all the details.”
“I didn’t want to know them, but Lenny was bragging about it when I said Cade didn’t show for practice yesterday. And apparently there was a boat fire at the marina where he works. Did you hear about that?”
“Yeah. I heard.”
“We need Crawford to have a winning season. He’ll listen to you. Talk to him, and I’ll handle Lenny.” Topher holds his hands together like he is praying and steps closer. “Please. I’m sure your dad would be grateful if you talked Cade into staying on the team, too, right?”
“True. I’ll talk to Cade for my dad.” But not how Topher thinks. Dad wants Cade to play more than anything. Maybe I’m going about this all wrong. I can still make Cade miserable and get the ultimate stab at my dad.
Topher pulls me into a bear hug and kisses my forehead. “Thanks so much. I owe you one.”
Before I can respond, Topher is jogging away and disappears down the hallway. I turn to look in the direction Cade had walked in. He wasn’t heading to his next class (which I know is in the opposite direction) because that path only leads to one place—the student lot. He’s leaving campus. Sounds like a plan to me.
So, I do the same. Grab my things and head out. Only when I get to the parking lot, I notice the beat-up truck in its assigned spot. He’s still here somewhere. My guess would be the cemetery since I highly doubt he’s headed to the football field being that he’s so pissy. I toss my bag in my car, then walk to the cemetery.
Score. He’s sitting on the steps of one of the larger mausoleums, his head down, arms propped on his knees. “I can’t do this right now.”
His defeated tone pleases me way too much. “Aw, poor baby has had enough.”
He doesn’t respond with anything but an angry look my way. And that’s when I offer something I never thought I would before. “Then quit. Tell my dad you’re done. And you’ll never have to dothis”—I motion between us—“again.”
He laughs, his head shaking as he drops back against the stone. “Yeah. Making a deal with the devil herself will make my life so much easier.”
“It will. Cross my heart.” I make the dramatic movement of drawing an X over my chest as he looks back to me.
His hands shove against the step as he stands and moves in front of me. “You’d have to actually have a heart for that to work.” And then he turns to walk away.
I’m curious. “Or maybe you don’t want me to leave you alone? After all, you claim you don’t even want to play, but you’re putting up with hell.” That catches his attention a little too good, because before I can react, he’s in front of me, my back hitting a stone wall as he slams his hands on either side of my head and leans forward.
“I did it for my brother initially. But now, I’m only playing because I know how much you hate it. And that’s the only thing I want from you. To make you as miserable as you make me.” He pauses for a few seconds, his breathing increasing as his eyes stay locked with mine.
A smile spreads across my lips as his eyes drop to my mouth. “You really didn’t enjoy yourself at all?” Iknowhe did, so I move my lips next to his ear. “That’s what you hate,” I whisper. “You want to hate me, but you really hate yourself because, even now, you still want me.”
His hands grip my biceps as he holds me away from him, my back pressed against the hard stone. “No. I want you to get the fuck away from me and keep your boy away from Neil.”
“Oh my God, you act like I fed him the damn bugs.” His grip tightens as his anger grows, his face in mine.
“You didn’t have to, but it’s still your fault. It all goes back to you. Because of your little mindfuck with Lenny, he left and terrorized my best friend. Someone I actually care about. Because ofyou.”
Damn. This is too easy. “Blame me if it makes you feel better, but you put him at the top of their list when you joined the team.”
He releases me, his hands pulling at his hair as he shouts out a few curses. “You’re a fucking psycho, Morgan. I know you hate me, your dad, and humanity in general. But what the fuck? You blow up a yacht just to get back at me because I pissed you off?”
“And the best part is you still want me, psycho and all.” I grin as I ask him. “So, what does that make you?”
“A fucking idiot.” He turns and starts to walk away. He didn’t deny my assumption. Not that he could anyway. I know he still wants more and will eventually let himself have it. But I’m getting tired of him walking away from me. He’s done when I say he’s done.
“See you on the field,Crawford.” I see the muscles in his back tense as I add. “Unless you end up like the last QB.”
He stops and looks to me. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“I would tell you, but you wouldn’t believe me anyway since I’m such a lying psycho and all. But take my advice… don’t turn your back to anyone.”
He tries to play off his paranoia, but I see it in his tense posture even as he says, “Just grab the knife out my back while you’re there.”
And now I’m not sure if I’m happy or annoyed that he doesn’t just quit the team and let Dad go directly into panic mode. But when Cade lifts his hand, his index finger up before quickly switching to his middle finger and circling in the air, I decide instantly I’m glad he’s chosen to step onto the field again. Because now, everything that comes his way is solely byhisdoing. Dad’s agony can wait. Bringing Cade Crawford to his knees once and for all will be the ultimate gratification. I need him to experience that same pain that I felt in the moment I hit my knees. When I realized he’d left me when I needed him the most. And that is how he deserves to feel—empty, hopeless, worthless, and fuckin’ pathetic.
