Page 54 of Broken Play (The O’Ryan Family #1)

FIFTY-THREE

GREYSON

Grown men don't cry is bullshit. My therapist taught me that if you need to cry, don't hold back. So I sit hunched over in my den, fists planted on my knees, letting the tears streak down my cheeks, hot and silent, seeping into the creases of my palms and trailing down my wrists.

My wrists.

The same pain.

The ache there is too familiar, with old memories threatening to pull me under.

I rub my thumb over the inked scar, tracing the rough line that once meant the end—and somehow became a mark of survival.

The pain is fresh, raw, demanding to be felt.

That old blackness claws at the edges of my mind, whispering how easy it would be to slip just once.

I don't even hear the door open until my brother's voice cuts through the fog, low and steady. "Greyson? You in here, man?"

I don't have the energy to answer, but J.D. stands in front of me, and just like that, the dam bursts open. All the feelings from the past and the present engulf me in a flame of pain. He gets on his knees in front of me, holding my hands. "Look at me. I'm here."

Sucking up the tears falling from my lips, I fall forward into his strength. "She's gone. We're over. She chose the blackmailer over me."

"Shh," he says as he squeezes me hard. "She called me to come over.

Sutton didn't want you to be alone. She loves you, even if it doesn't seem like it right now.

" He pulls my head back, peering into my eyes.

"We'll get through this. Witt will find out who this fucker is and destroy them. Then you and Sutton can be together."

"You think so?" I ask with an unsteady voice.

"Yes. Now, go take a shower. You smell like sex, so it must not have been all bad," he jokes. He slaps my back. "Up. Now."

As much as I want to roll my eyes, I can't. My eyes are painfully swollen, so I stand and walk up the stairs with my brother right behind me. He sits in the bathroom, pretending to trim his beard, making sure I don't get tricky with my razor.

After a hot shower, some of the muscle aches are gone, but not the one in my heart. "Thanks for coming. I couldn't ask for a better brother or friend." I laugh. "I could ask for a better coach, though."

"You run Broken Play one more time, and you're getting benched... again."

A warm smile slides across my face. "You don't like me outsmarting you."

"Wait, that's it," he says. "A decoy like in Broken Play. Let's hire an actor who looks like Sutton. That way, if the blackmailer releases the video, people will think it's the actor and not Sutton. Or we could pay a cleat chaser. They'd love fifteen minutes of fame."

I shake my head no. "It's late. I need to get some sleep. You can go."

"I'm not going anywhere. I'll sleep in the room across the hall. We'll drive to the game together tomorrow."

I don't put up a fight. There's no reason to make him worry. He'd call Dad, and soon there would be an intervention at my house.

Dad. He worried this would happen, but I won't let it strangle me. J.D.'s right; all we need to do is find out who's doing this. Then Sutton won't have to worry.

I take a sleeping pill to get a wink of sleep. Sutton's smile keeps flashing in front of me. It's almost like I can feel her soft skin beside me and smell the citrus scent of her shampoo. I use sports psychology, envisioning us happy together, and I fall asleep.

The next morning, I call Witt and tell him I need something now. He doesn't ask about Sutton, and he doesn't need to know right now. My next call is to Noelle, and I ask her not to post anything today. She's nosy, so I tell her what happened, minus the sex.

Parker meets us at the stadium for weightlifting. Witt pings my phone, telling me that he's got something. I run outside where it's private.

"What do you have?"

"The laptop used was located at the Florida Tennis Academy. Isn't that where Sutton lived?"

"It's Bodhi. "

Witt says, "I don't think so. He's playing in a tournament in Atlanta. I also found out that he's running a camp this weekend at ACE Tennis."

My mind works overtime to figure this out. The next call is to my agent, and I ask him to find me the best attorney in Texas or the country. I'll find a way to take away everything Bodhi has.

Practice starts, and Sutton stares out her office window at the field, not really at me. She doesn't move for several minutes. My heart feels like it's been stitched by a janitor instead of by a doctor, and each stitch pops as I breathe her in.

I pick up my helmet and pump it in the air.

I'm the best fucking quarterback in the league, and it's time I showed it.

Lead by example. It's time I put my family first. They've done everything in their power for me.

They held me up. Kept my secrets. Played private detective.

Social media coordinator. Now I'll win this game for J.D.

, Dad, Parker, Noelle, Witt, and even Sutton.

"Dillos on three. One. Two. Three. Dillos!"

I live for Thursday night games. You get a long weekend off, and I plan to spend it with Sutton, whether she knows it or not.

There's no stopping me today. J.D. will be the head coach again next year if I have anything to do with it. And the way to make sure the family stays in Austin together is to win. I've never run from pressure, and I'm not starting now. I'm looking it in the eye and devouring it .

I have three passing touchdowns, but in the fourth quarter, one of the linemen throws one hell of a block, so instead of handing it off to the running back, I'm left open.

Barreling forward, my legs chew up the turf; I jump over a pile of linemen to score, and then.

.. I'm out. It's like I'm in a dream. Sutton and I are holding hands on the beach with Paulina splashing her feet in the water. It feels good, and I swear I'm smiling.

I hear people calling my name over and over, but it sounds like it's coming from far away. "Ten, Ten. Wake up. Open your eyes, Ten."

I try to peel my eyes open, but it doesn't work. J.D.'s and Coach Stricker's voices shout my name.

Finally, my lids open to a hazy sky with heads hovering over me. But it's one beautiful woman who steals my breath: Sutton. "Oh God, Ten. Are you okay? Can you move?"

Can I move?

My head hurts, but I nod.

"Ten, I can't kiss you if you don't tell me you're okay."

That wakes me up. "You're going to kiss me? On the field? In front of everyone?"

"I am."

"Well, you better be ready because I'm going to love the hell out of you."

"I wouldn't expect anything less."

"Back off, guys." They help me stand. I'm pretty sure I have a concussion, but I don't care, and I take off my helmet, holding it at my side while I wrap one arm around Sutton's neck and pull her in for a kiss.

We know when the Kiss Cam lands on us because the crowd roars and claps.

We kiss so long that the referee comes over to break it up.

"I love you, Sutton. "

"And I love you, Ten."

"Did I get the touchdown?"

"You did."

I wobble over to the sideline with Sutton by my side. When we sit down, I ask, "Aren't you scared the video will come out?"

"Your dad convinced me that you wouldn't let that happen, and Witt found out who owns the computer that sent the emails.

" She looks down, fiddling with her Armadillo jersey that I'm just now realizing has my number on it.

I growl at the thought. She's not a possession, but damn, I get possessive of my girl in my jersey.

"Who? Bodhi?"

She shakes her head no and folds her lips over, clearly unnerved. "Anna," she whispers. It doesn't register because it can't be Anna.

My jaw nearly hits the floor. "Your best friend, Anna?"

"Yep, looks like it. I can't believe she could let the world see me in a porn video."

"We were making love, not porn... but if you want to try out some new things, I'm here for it."

"Have you confronted her, or has Witt sent an email telling her to stop or we'll ruin her?"

"No, I wanted to talk to you about it first. She's in town for Bodhi's tennis camp to help him. Should we confront her there?"

I have a splitting headache, but after I think about it, I say, "Act like everything is okay and invite her over to your house. We'll confront her together. But wait, she was emailing someone in the company who was doing her dirty work. Who? Do we know?"

"Can we talk about this later, in private? "

"Darlin', there will be no talking tonight. Tonight, I'm devouring your body and marking every inch of it. I hope you have a Little House on the Prairie dress to wear tomorrow because everyone will know who you belong to."

"Is that right? Only if I get to do the same to you."

"I'm counting on it."