Page 1 of Bound By Lust (Sinful Seven #2)

locker room blues

Jessica

Third and Five… tie game, ten seconds to go from the thirty-two-yard line in the fourth quarter.

“HURTS! WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?! YOU MISSED YOUR ASSIGNMENT ON SECOND DOWN! WE SHOULDN’T BE IN THIS SITUATION!

DON’T FUCK UP THIS TIME!!! O-LINE, YOU’VE BEEN GETTING YOUR ASSES HANDED TO YOU!

IT’S A FUCKING MIRACLE WE’RE EVEN TIED!!

! NOW GO OUT THERE, RUN THE PLAY, AND WIN THIS FUCKING GAME LIKE I KNOW YOU CAN!

!!” Coach yells at the top of his lungs, trying to inspire the squad, but in the process, he makes me feel like shit.

It’s that asshole safety! He blitzed and ran me over, forcing Duval to throw the ball away. Then his ass stepped over me, talking shit about girls not belonging on the field. That really fucking got to me…

Coach has had a heavy emphasis on the pass all game, so I’ve been relegated to being mainly a pass blocker or route runner. We could complete a pass and call a timeout, but our kicker is injured and his backup already missed a field goal and an extra point. Damnit…

During games, I’ve always experienced an adrenaline rush like none other.

I’ve always felt on top of the world, but because of my fuck ups, my team is about to lose.

My chest tightens as anxiety gets the best of me.

I clutch my chest, wanting to throw this fucking helmet off. But I can’t… no matter how I feel.

“JEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSIIIIIICCCCCCAAAAAA!!!!!!!!” I hear over the loud crowd and I spin smiling, but it doesn’t reach my eyes when I notice Faythe holding up the phone with Bebe on it, waving. Instead, a lump forms in my throat at the vacant seat next to her.

I feel like shit right now, but I don’t have time to dwell on any of that.

I line up in shotgun next to Duval. We’re going to try two shots at the red zone. It’s our best chance…

“Aye, alert, alert! Luffy! Luffy!” Duval calls an audible, letting me know it’s a play called for me. Wait, what? Why?! What does he see?

“WHAT THE FU—” We hear Coach yell. This is a risky play, completely against his call, but maybe…

“SET HIKE!” he yells, and I’m kicked into action. The second he steps back to pass, it’s an all-out blitz. Oh my God… this is it!

I brace myself to block the linebacker, and the second he commits, I step out of the way and run a wheel route. When I turn to look at Duval, he’s already being tackled, but before he hits the ground, he throws the ball my way. Shit!

It’s overthrown, so I have to leap as high as I can and stretch my left hand to make the one-handed grab. When I look ahead there are about three players to beat. This is it…

I run ahead at full speed before coming to a sudden stop and juking one of the safeties at around the fifteen-yard line.

I sprint ready to break another tackle, but Tek comes out of nowhere and runs over the fucker trying to stop me.

They both drop in front of me, and I have to hurdle over them. One more!

It’s the asshole that ran me over earlier! Less than ten yards to go… his ass thinks I’m going to avoid him…

I hold the ball tight and he shuffles his feet, expecting me to spin or juke, but instead, I lower my shoulder and run his ass the fuck over.

Once he’s behind me, he goes for a last-ditch effort to trip me and grabs my ankle, but I keep my balance, drag his ass a few yards, and lunge from the three, stretching my arm out with the football. I can make it… I can?—

“TOUCHDOWN!!! JESSICA HURTS SCORES WITH ZEROES ON THE CLOCK!!! THE TIGERS WIN!!!”

“….ssica! …sic….! JESSICA!” I jump, startled, wiping tears from my eyes, turning away when I see Tek standing next to me, still in his uniform. Even though he went to the locker room a while ago, he’s still holding his helmet.

“Oh… I’m sorry, huh? I wa?—”

“You’re crying…” he points out, and my chest sinks. I laugh awkwardly, trying to feign silliness.

“Of course I’m crying. I just won the biggest game of my life, s?—”

“No, I recognize happy tears when I see them… you look down,” he states, and I blink my sore eyes as I look out at the empty stadium where I imagined Frank would be. Suddenly, more tears fall from my eyes. Shit… I wipe harder, willing these tears away.

“N-no,” I stammer. “I’m not crying, I—” I feel his arms wrap around me and though I’m thrown off by it, I return it briefly and step back quickly. “Thank you, Tek. I needed that,” I chuckle, getting myself together.

“Of course. I’ll always be a shoulder you can cry on. I’m always here if you need me.” He steps closer and I back up, holding out my hand to his chest.

“I know and I appreciate that, but there’s no need. I had a moment of weakness, but I’m good.” I give him a bright toothy grin even though I feel like shit and I’m sure he can tell based on the frown on his face, but thankfully he doesn’t linger on it.

“Well, I’m glad you’re good, but still, our MVP shouldn’t be alone. I came to invite you out tonight.” Immediately, I start shaking my head, but he sighs.

“You just won MVP and got the winning touchdown, dude. You’re coming out with us no matter what,” he demands.

“Nah, I can’t. I have plans with a friend tonight. You know her. It’s Faythe, the tiny little fluff ball you met last time,” I try to jog his memory, and he nods.

“Oh I remember her. She came to the game, right? Damn, she got it like that? Just traveling all over the states just to see you?” he jokes.

“NO!” I laugh. “She was in the northeast and just happened to move around here,” I explain. “But I’m supposed to meet her and then I’ll head to the hotel to get some rest before we hop on the flight home tomorrow,” I tell him, and he sighs.

“Damn… okay that makes sense, but if you change your mind, we’ll be at Bar One on Phillips.” He smirks, disappointment written on his face. High key I’m kinda glad he gave up so quickly because I’m not in the mood to be out and about right now.

“Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.” I shift on my feet and wave, walking over to the locker room, leaving him where he found me. I head over to where Coach told me I would be showering and quickly wash off what I’m feeling, though the sadness lingers on my fucking body.

I let the water beat down on me, searching for the usual clarity, but I don’t find it. In fact, I’m fucking downtrodden and browbeaten, no matter how fucking good the water feels.

Where is he? Is he okay? Should I leave early and go home to check on him?

I chew my lip worried about him, knowing he was sick the last time I saw him. His maid was a bitch, but he could have been in the hospital and she could have been acting on her own authority. I can’t use her actions against him… but still, where the fuck is he?

Worried, I quickly wash the soap off my body and dry off, heading to my locker where I quickly pull out my phone to check my messages.

Locked in : Hey baby, are you still sleeping?

Locked in : When you wake up text me I have something to ask you

Locked in : It’s EXTREMELY important!

Locked in : I’m done with lecture and heading to the bus to go to the airport. I won’t have my phone on me for a few hours since Coach won’t let us use our phones unless it’s an emergency. I’ll text after we land.

But my heart pounds hard as fuck in my chest when I realize that the not only did he read the messages, but it was a whole thirty minutes ago… still no response.

My heart beats so hard that my legs go weak. All this time, I’ve been upset, but I convinced myself that no matter what he’d been doing, once he read my messages, especially my email, he’d respond as soon as he got it. I knew it! I fucking knew it!

I knew that he was sick when I last saw him, and I thought that he was possibly in the hospital, and he was so sick he couldn’t get to the phone.

I believed with all my heart that Frank was different and he would never hurt me.

I believed it, but deep down, I questioned if I was only making excuses, but I admonished myself for that insecure thinking.

Apparently, I was wrong. This mother fucker is no different from Matt and all the other sons of bitches that were playing in my damn face the entire time.

Wow…

The hurt is so unreal… it’s much different from how pissed I was about Matt. This is devastation, heartache… anguish.

I plop down on the bench, waiting for the tears, but they won’t come.

I want to kick, scream, and slap the fuck out of him for making me fall in love with him.

My leg trembles and my teeth grind as I stare at my phone.

huffing, flaming fucking mad. Fine… if this is what he wants then I’m fucking done!

Locked in : You know what? I’m tired of this

Locked in : I see you read my messages and chose not to respond…

Locked in : I can take a hint. I’m done. We’re through.

I type out, and my heart sinks deeper when I immediately see read pop up, but nothing follows.

Not a “Baby, let’s talk this out.” No “This was a misunderstanding.” Not even a “Haha, gotcha bitch!” Nothing.

I clutch my chest and lean forward, heart breaking, shaking my head in disbelief. I want to say fuck it but…

“This mother fucker got me fucked up!” I shoot up, ready to go home so I can fight him, but as I walk out the locker and my phone vibrates in my hand, I perk up thinking it’s him, though I deflate when I see it’s my dad calling. Shit.

I don’t want to answer since we fell out but… what if he’s calling to tell me congratulations?

Nervous, I pick up the phone with a shyness I never have with my dad but… this… I don’t know, this is important. Maybe after this game he’ll change his mind.

“Hey Dad,” I try to sound upbeat even though my heart is racing.

“Jessica, hey baby girl how are you?” his voice comes through gently. Okay… that’s a good sign.

“I’m good, Dad. How are you and Mom?”

“We’re fine, baby girl…” he trails off and I stand there and wait for him to say good game or something, but no. We just sit there on the phone, quiet.

“W-well that’s good. Uhm, did you need something?” I ask and he clears his throat.

“Yes actually… yes your mother and I were wondering if you gave any thought to what we talked about?” My heart sinks… really? Right now? On game day when I won MVP? REALLLYYY?

“No, Dad, I haven’t. I’m too busy winning MVP over here to be bothered,” I snort, and he sighs.

“Jessica, baby girl, that was a fluke. You—” I don’t let him finish as I pull the phone from my ear and hang the fuck up. Nooooppppe!

Not ta-day, Satan. Damn, the devil busy today! I stuff my phone into my pocket, ignoring him as I grab my jacket and stomp out of the locker room.

Screw Frank and my dad. I’ m not finna be sitting around like I’m desperate for a congratulations and a text back. When I walk out, Tek is waiting.

“Oh hey. What are you doing waiting here? I told you I had plans,” I remind him and he rubs the back of his neck.

“Yes well… uhm…”

“What?” I ask, trying to be patient, but I’m not in the mood right now.

“I was just hoping you would change your mind and come out, is all.” I go to reject him again but my phone vibrates with a text and I pull it out to see it’s Faye.

Faye : Hey Jess… I’m sorry to cancel but I have an emergency with a friend. He needs my help. Do you mind if I come a bit later tonight? Even if it’s late, I want to see you…

Jess : Yeah girl no problems. I hope everything is okay…

Faye : Uhm… me too. Ttyl and congratulations again boo

Jess : Thanks boo. Keep me Posted

I put my phone away about to lie but this bastard is over my shoulders, reading my text.

“Hey!” I move back and he chuckles awkwardly.

“M-my bad… but it seems it’s good news, huh? Now we can go out,” he smiles and I hold in a groan. I don’t want to go out… like at all, but I have a feeling if I don’t, he’s going to be whining about it.

“Sure, Tek. I’m down, but,” I pause and check the time. Damn it’s early… “Don’t you think it’s early to be going out?”

“No. They have a spot at the bar we’re going to… it’s a bar and club put together. We can hang out there until later.” He rocks back excitedly on his heels and I already dread my answer, but I nod.

“Bet, then you can ride with me back to the hotel!” He takes my arm, and I want to yank it back, but I don’t. I just follow him to his car, tired. Ugh this day is not going as planned and I hate that for me. Damn!