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Story: Perfect Deke

Leaning down, Sawyer wraps his hand around my upper arm. “Not enough. It’s kind of skinny.”

Archer starts up laughing again, and Jon swivels his head to him.

“At the risk of overstepping my coaching boundaries, you do know she’s not just your winger’s sister, but technically, she’s my stepdaughter too. Jokes aside, that’s pretty fucked up. Even for you.”

Archer blushes—full-on fucking blushes—as he tries to pass it off as nothing. “Ah, I’m just messing around with the rookie.”

“You know how it is, Coach,” Sawyer adds.

Jon looks doubtful as he clicks his tongue and pulls his iPad from under his arm. “At some point, do you plan on heading forthe massage you booked in with the trainer?” He raises his other arm and looks at his watch. “Fifteen minutes ago.”

“Shit!” Archer announces, grabbing his towel and hightailing it toward the exit.

Jon shakes his head and takes a sideways glance at me as he makes his way around the gym, continuing his observations.

I lean back on the bench. “Since I lost my spotting partner, fancy teaming up?”

“Sure.” Sawyer rounds the rack and comes to stand behind me. “How are things going with Kendra?”

He passes me the bar, and I pump out a few reps before he takes it back and gives me a breather.

I can’t lie; she’s been a little different over the past couple of days. Initially, I chalked it up to her being nervous since she has a wait until the team USA squad is announced in the next couple of days, but when she told me she was feeling okay about that, my mind started to wander. When she gave me the insane blow job in the elevator, she told me she hadn’t had the words to describe what an asshole my dad was, but she did make it clear that she could see I was nothing like him. Maybe she isn’t so sure now.

I push away any doubt.

“We’re good,” I answer, taking the bar back and moving through my set before Sawyer increases the weight.

“I’m thinking about asking her to move in,” I add.

Sawyer pauses with a weight, and I swivel around to face him.

“But you already live together?”

“Is it Groundhog Day or something?”

I close my eyes at the sound of Tyler’s voice.Not again.

“What do you want, Tyler?” I ask, turning to look at him as he stands at the end of the bench, hands propped on his hips.

He bites on the inside of his cheek. “Why don’t you have the balls to tell me stuff to my face? Everything I’ve found out is because I overhear you.”

I shrug and rub my hands together, wiping some of the chalk from my palms. “I don’t tell you because it has nothing to do with you.”

“So, you’re living together?”

I nod. “Since her apartment was condemned and she needed a place to stay.”

He steps forward until his shins press against the end of the bench. “Wait, so you’re telling me you invited her to live with you before you started dating?”

I nod again, not giving a fuck at this point. I’m in love with his ex-girlfriend, and I’m ninety-nine percent sure she feels the same. There’s fuck all he can do about it.

“Yeah, right after you split.”

His face twists with the usual anger I hope Kendra’s never seen. “It all makes sense—all of it.” He leans forward, pure hatred flowing off him. “You’re nothing but a predator. You waited until she was at her most vulnerable and then decided to strike.”

Yeah, I mind that.

I leap from the bench and head straight for him. “Say that again, asshole!” I spit as Sawyer grabs my arms from behind.