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Chapter Eighteen

Gavin

It’s Friday night, and none of us have any plans beyond the usual. It’s a bye week, which means no game on Saturday, and it sucks that we’ve been run so hard during practice this week. But Coach and everyone else on staff wanted to prove to us that they mean serious business. They’ve dropped a few guys from the team who couldn’t cut it. Mostly younger players who don’t have the stamina or mental capacity to play at this level.

It’s a test. Like a gauntlet to get rid of the riffraff, as Porter described the ones they cut. We all have to suffer along with everyone else during this time period, and quite frankly, it sucks. This is why I think Nico and Coop are putting together an epic party tomorrow night. We need to blow off a little steam.

I wouldn’t mind blowing off a little steam tonight, either, but no one seems into it.

“We’re going to get hammered tomorrow,” Nico gripes at me when I suggest we should go out. “Let’s save it up.”

“Sounds like a good plan,” Coop chimes in. “I’m fucking exhausted after this week.”

“Wimps,” I mutter, shaking my head. “We can’t party a couple of nights in a row?”

“Nope. I’m too tired for that shit. Plus, I wanna save money,” Coop says.

“Same. And we’re supposed to be watching our caloric intake,” Nico adds, sounding like a goddamn nutritionist. Meaning he’s been spending a lot of time with Everleigh, since that’s her major.

Just a hunch, but I would bet money on it being why he’s talking like this.

“Too tired? Save money?” Since when did they become responsible human beings? “Give me a break.”

“You never want to party lately, and now suddenly you do. What’s your deal?” Nico asks, his brows drawn together. Like I’m confusing his ass.

I glance at my phone. It’s almost seven thirty and I’m starving. I decide to change the subject. “Let’s grab something to eat. Maybe have a beer?”

I need something to take the edge off. I don’t know what’s wrong with me lately, but I’m tense as fuck. And it’s not all the team shit that’s going on either. I’ve been through that before, and while it’s exhausting like Coop said, I’m confident in my position and how I’m doing.

Actually, I do know what’s wrong. I haven’t seen Sienna in almost a week, and I feel like shit over ... all our recent interactions. Telling her to be patient was a huge mistake, and I handled it all wrong. I already have a plan formed, and I’m going to apologize to her tomorrow at the party. If she’ll even hear me out.

“How about Hector’s?” Nico suggests.

“You’re addicted to that place,” Coop grumbles.

“Sounds good,” I tell Nico, eager to go anywhere as long as they’re both on board. “Let’s go.”

We decide to walk over to Hector’s since it’s so close to their house, like everything else in this town. The place is busy as usual, and we get in line, chatting up everyone who approaches, which is a lot of people. We have a crowd surrounding us, everyone wanting to talk about the season and the upcoming game next week, though it dissipates as we get closer to the order window.

“Hey, isn’t that Sienna?” Nico asks.

My head whips in the direction Nico’s looking so fast I probably strained a muscle in my neck, but I don’t spot her.

“Yep. It sure is,” Coop says, pausing. “Who’s the dude?”

His tone is suspicious, which is natural, considering that’s his sister he’s talking about.

Wait a minute.

“ Dude? ” I repeat, scanning the area almost frantically. Hector’s has a massive patio, which is full of tables and chairs, and there are so many people out there, I still can’t see her.

Until I do. I spot her dark-red hair spilling down her back in loose waves. That bright smile on her pretty face. The way she’s watching the guy sitting across from her with undivided interest, and holy shit ...

I see red.

“I don’t recognize him,” Nico says, his knowing gaze landing on me. He’s even smirking, the bastard. “Do you recognize him, Gav?”

“No,” I bite out, working my jaw from side to side. I realize I’m flexing my fingers straight, splaying them out before curling them into tight fists. Over and over again, and I tell myself to fucking relax.

“I don’t either,” Coop says, keeping his attention on his sister. “Not that she tells me anything.”

“You’re too overprotective,” Nico protests. “That’s why she doesn’t tell you shit. She’s afraid you’re going to go ham on some poor dude’s ass when you find out she’s dating him or whatever.”

“I would never do that,” Coop mutters, and Nico and I share a look. We both very much doubt it, but we don’t challenge him.

And this is just one reason why I keep my feelings for Sienna to myself. I don’t need Coop’s wrath if he ever found out his sister and I have a—thing. I need to keep him on my side, not make him an enemy.

But shit. I’m in so deep with Sienna, I feel closer to her than I do to her brother. And she’s out with some random on a Friday night? Though what did I expect? She was furious when I asked her to be patient with me. I said everything wrong and fucked everything up. She’s already moved on, going out with another guy a week after we were together.

I did this to myself. I should’ve tried to talk to her days ago, but I didn’t. I didn’t prioritize her, and maybe this guy will. Maybe he’s the better man for her. A better man than me.

That realization is like a swift kick in the dick.

We eventually order our food, and I pay for all of us, sending Nico to grab a table, which he does. Only a few away from where Sienna is sitting with this ... stranger who seems entranced with her. The dumb fuck can’t look away from her, and I get it. He’s practically got big red hearts shining in his eyes with the way he’s staring at her.

It’s fucking infuriating.

Coop and I settle in at the picnic table, and I choose the side that allows me to spy on Sienna unabashedly. She’s right in my line of vision, and my gaze roams over her, taking in what she’s wearing. A hot-pink strapless dress that’s pretty simple. And long, thank God. It covers her legs, which I think are her best asset besides her ass and face and breasts and everything else, and it makes me wonder if she’s really into this guy or what.

But then I notice the way the dude’s eyes drop to her chest every few minutes. It’s subtle and quick, not enough to offend, and I know he’s checking out her tits. She’s got some cleavage showing, but not too much. Just enough to entice.

Damn it, it’s working. On the both of us.

Her hair is piled on top of her head in an artfully messy bun, and she’s got thin gold hoops hanging from her ears that swing every time she moves her head. Her freckled skin is on display, and I rest my fisted hands in my lap, hating how bad I want to touch her. March over to her table and grab her, swing her over my shoulder and tell that puny asshole he needs to back the fuck off.

I have no right to do any of that. I don’t own her, and I could’ve. She was willing to give herself to me totally if I’d said the word. I had her in my bed. Naked. I had my mouth on her pussy. I had my dick inside her. Multiple times. I came all over her ass, for the love of God. Talk about a claiming. Only to push her away. I deserve this. All of it.

Dropping my head, I reach for my beer and slug it back, draining almost half my glass in one go.

“Easy there, partner. You don’t want to have to go back to that line, do you?” Nico inclines his head, and I glance over my shoulder to check out the line, which is now even longer than when we were in it.

“Right.” I push the glass away from me, fighting the instinct to look at Sienna, but it’s no use. I can’t stop watching her, unable to tear my attention away from her, and it’s like she senses it. Senses me .

Sienna lifts her head, turning slowly until our gazes meet. I see the surprise flare in her dark eyes, and her expression hardens, becoming unreadable. Without even an inkling of hesitation, she returns her focus to the guy sitting across from her and starts talking, that pretty smile back on her face as she becomes more animated.

Jesus. I’m jealous. Who is this guy? How did she meet him? Has he kissed her yet? Have they fucked? The image fills my head, and I can’t stop it from happening. Sienna naked, rolling around on a bed, this—stranger on top of her.

I close my eyes and shake my head, willing the image to disappear, and I breathe deep, opening my eyes to find Nico and Coop watching me with matching perplexed expressions on their faces.

“You okay there, bro?” Nico asks, and just from the tone of his voice, I know that fucker realizes what’s going on.

“Fine.” I smile. More like I grimace, but I keep it going, pretending that everything is A-OK. Just fucking great. Life couldn’t be better. “Hungry.”

“Me too. Feels like I could eat two burritos. I should’ve ordered an extra one,” Coop says, oblivious as ever.

“You don’t need two burritos. You’ll be fine.” Nico slaps Coop on the shoulder, his gaze coming back to me. “You, though? I’m a little worried, QB. You’re not acting right.”

“I’m fine.” Even to my own ears, I don’t sound fine—which I’ve already said twice. I sound pissed as hell.

Nico chuckles. Coop is too busy watching the order window, ready to leap when they call our number. Eventually they do, and Coop is off like a shot, moving fast for such a big dude. “I’ll get the food.”

“Grab napkins,” I remind him.

“Sure, Dad,” he mutters as he stalks off.

The moment we’re alone, Nico goes in. “Not liking what you’re seeing, are you?” His smug tone is irritating as hell.

“It doesn’t matter what she’s doing. I don’t own her.” The moment the words leave my mouth, they feel like a lie. I wish I owned her. It would sound fucking fantastic if I was able to call her mine. But I don’t have the right, and I need to remember that.

“Who is that guy, anyway?” Nico turns and blatantly watches them. Even holds his hand up in a wave when they catch him. Jesus, he just doesn’t give a damn, does he? He turns to face me once again. “I don’t recognize him.”

“Me either.”

“She hasn’t dated anyone in a while,” Nico muses.

I fucked her last weekend is on the tip of my tongue, but I don’t say it. Talk about stirring up the drama.

“How do you know so much about her love life?” is what I say instead.

“You’d be surprised at all the details I know. About you. And her.” He smirks, the sight of it striking alarm inside me.

I’ve told him a few things, but I rarely go into detail. I know he and Sienna are close—friendship close. She might’ve told him something about our recent encounter, which means the secret I share with Sienna might not be so secret anymore.

“You haven’t said anything to Coop, have you?” I can hear the edge of panic in my voice, and I swallow hard, trying to calm myself. “I don’t need him knowing anything in regard to me and his sister.”

“What exactly happened between you two, anyway? She’s hinted at stuff but has never come out and said anything concrete.” Nico frowns. “I take that back. I do know the two of you went at each other in her dorm her freshman year, but you were interrupted.”

Relief fills me, and I take another sip of my beer. If that’s all Nico knows, then that’s not a big deal. Though I don’t want Coop to know about it. “Never mention that again.”

Nico chuckles. “Bad memory?”

Great memory is what I want to say, but I don’t. We’ve made even better memories since then. My fingers remember the silky feeling of her soft skin, and my lips recall the taste of her plump, sweet mouth, and that is just ... not good.

Not good at all.

“You don’t need to deny your feelings, Gavin. Allowing them to build up inside of you is bound to push you to your breaking point,” Nico says.

Too late. I’m already at my breaking point.

“Dinner is served.” Coop drops the tray full of food in the middle of the table, settling into the space he just vacated right beside Nico, who reaches for a burrito at the same time Coop does.

I’m the one who wanted to go out to eat. I’m the one who declared he was starving, but my appetite has fled thanks to what I’m currently witnessing. I grab my burrito almost reluctantly, unwrapping the foil about halfway down, and stare at the top—it looks like it could burst, it’s so full. I glance up to see Nico and Coop already eating, our table silent, and my gaze shifts to Sienna. How she reaches across the table at that exact moment to lightly tap the guy’s hand with her fingers, and my silent rage rises inside me, settling in my throat. Leaving me in a choke hold.

I drop the burrito back in the plastic basket it came in, disgusted. She touched him and I hate it.

Hate it.

Coop and Nico start talking between taking bites, and eventually I join in on the conversation, needing the distraction. I start eating, polish off half my burrito, and wrap the foil back around it so I can save it for later. I finish off my beer, too, tempted to grab another, and I check the line to see there’s only a couple of people in it.

“Want another beer?” I ask my friends as I stand. “My treat.”

“Sure,” they both say.

I head over to stand in line, keeping a glower on my face on purpose so no one approaches me. I’m not in the mood for idle chitchat, and I definitely don’t want a woman trying to flirt with me either. I’d rather be alone, wallowing in my misery.

Something I’m really fucking good at.

Of course, Sienna chooses the moment I’m not at the table to bring her new friend over to meet her brother and Nico. I blatantly stare them down as I watch them chat, grateful the line moves fast so I can order our beers. Within two minutes, I’m headed back to our table clutching our drinks, walking carefully so I don’t spill as I hold them in a triangle formation. Sienna and the dude are still standing by our table talking with Coop while Nico watches it all unfold, an amused expression on his face.

Looks like he’s enjoying every second of it, too, the jackass.

His gaze cuts to mine, and he’s grinning, calling out my name as I approach the table. Sienna’s head jerks up, her expression turning almost defiant as she watches me settle the three glasses of beer on our table.

“Gav,” she mutters, her lips barely moving.

“Sienna,” I throw back at her, equally hostile. I sort of hate it when she calls me by my nickname.

Nico has the nerve to crack up at our little exchange.

“Gav, this is Ryland Hartwig. We went to high school with him,” Coop says, indicating the guy Sienna is with.

“Hey.” Ryland thrusts his hand toward me, and I have no choice but to take it. “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.” I give his hand a firm squeeze before I let go. “High school, huh?”

“We were on the wrestling team together,” Coop adds. “Though I quit after my freshman year.”

I eye Ryland up and down, not impressed. He doesn’t seem big enough to be on the wrestling team, but then again, the short, stocky guys tend to do pretty well competing in the sport, so what do I know?

“I was heavier then,” Ryland doesn’t hesitate to add. “After I graduated from high school, I worked on shedding all that extra weight.”

“Good for you,” Nico says encouragingly, reminding me of a meddling little gremlin. I send him a look, and his eyes go wide. Playing Mr. Innocent—such a crock of shit. “You look great, man.”

“Thanks.” Ryland dips his head in acknowledgment, and I really look at him, realizing that he’s ... oh shit. He’s shorter than Sienna.

And how does she feel about that, hmm? I’ve even heard her say over the years that she could never date a guy who’s shorter than her. Around five ten, I believe? The three of us tower over her. But this guy?

Nope.

“We should get going,” Sienna says, not even looking in my direction. “Have a good night, guys!”

“Nice meeting you,” Nico tells Ryland while Coop calls out his goodbyes.

Me? I remain silent, settling onto the bench seat and reaching for my beer, taking a big swallow.

I’d love to get drunk and forget this night ever happened.