Page 89 of Only for Me

With all the exposure circling around me and Makari, it wasn’t a good look to be caught on camera in a club full of half-naked women and endless bottles of liquor. And since everything leaked about me and Makari there was always a camera following me.

“Yeah, you’re right.”

“Daniels. Where the hell do you think you’re going? Hayes is done but you’re not. Your defensive line is running drills. Y’all looked like shit out here today,” Thompson, the defensive coordinator, yelled from across the field.

“Is he fucking for real?” Ryland frowned hard.

I laughed, cutting my eyes that way. “Very and you better go handle that before they move Rawlins up to first string and your ass is on the sidelines watching him in your spot.”

“I wish the fuck they would.” His frown deepened but he turned and jogged back toward where Thompson was standing.

I was done for the day so I headed back to the locker room and checked my phone as soon as I was inside, knowing Makari had likely texted me. Instead I got caught up with a call from Van. She had been on me about doing an interview to shut down whatever the world thought they knew about me and Makari but I had been putting it off. I really didn’t want to be out there like that.

“What’s good, Van?” I answered and dropped down on the bench in front of my locker.

“Have you discussed the interview with Makari yet?”

“Nah, not yet.”

“We need to get this under control, Omiri. It’s seriously becoming a distraction and your focus needs to be on the upcoming season, not answering questions about your personal life every time a camera is shoved in front of you.”

“I’ll handle it.”

“When? You have a lot to accomplish this season and all anyone wants to talk about is Makari and your daughter.”

I massaged my temples and nodded.

“I’ll talk to her tonight.”

“Tonight, Omiri, or I’m making the decision and you can deal with Makari when she curses you out for an impromptu interview you could have prepared her for.” I grinned at how annoyed she was and how Vanessa wasn’t playing with me anymore about this.

“I said I’ll handle it. I promise I’ll talk to her tonight.”

“Fine but I mean it. Handle it or I will.”

“I got you. I’ll hit you up later.”

After I ended the call, I grabbed my bag and headed to the shower and changed thinking about what Van said. Our team was trying to make history and I wouldn’t let my personal life overshadow what we had the potential to do. As soon as I was dressed and made it to my car, my phone was vibrating with a call from a name I hadn’t seen on my screen in a few months.

“What’s good, Ky?”

“Sup, O. What your day looking like? Can you pull up? It’s important.” Ky and I had been down for years but lived in two different worlds. When I was on the field, he was in the streets. A few years back he got caught up, had to do a two year bid, and I looked out for his family because he was a solid dude.

“Yeah, I can do that. Give me like twenty minutes. I’m not that far from you.”

“Bet, I’ll see you in twenty.”

I ended the call and texted Makari.

Me: Running late. Need to make a stop. You need anything?

Her response came back quickly.

Makari: Just you. How long you gonna be?

Me: Hour maybe. What you need me for?

Makari: Same thing I needed you for this morning before you left for practice