Page 30 of Please Don’t Go (The Midnight Strike #1)

DANIEL

Slowly, I sink into the cold tub, my muscles tense, and I hold my breath until the frigid water sits right below my chest. Exhaling a breath, my body goes slack, my eyes flutter closed, and my head lolls back.

“I know that’s right,” Kai softly groans as he sinks into the tub next to me followed by Angel, Gray, and Noah. “Jesus Christ,” he sighs, body sagging.

Practices are already brutal, but because we’re about two weeks away from Opening Day, they have intensified times ten.

“They must hate us because what the hell? My arms.” Gray tips his head back and shifts in the water, trying to get comfortable.

“Stop moving,” Noah grumbles, muttering something in Portuguese under his breath.

Our Brazilian friend likes to do that to spite us because he can occasionally be a dick, and it brings him great joy knowing we have no idea what he’s saying. He didn’t voice that or smile about it, but I can see the elation in his eyes when he sees the frustration on Kai’s and Gray’s faces.

For Angel and me, our dialect may be different, but we can semi-ish pick up a word or two.

“Don’t act like you’re not sore, Sosa.” Kai muffles his groan, his voice and body drained from today’s demanding schedule.

He doesn’t reply because he knows he’d be lying. We’re all tired and no amount of lying can hide how spent our bodies are.

“That’s what I thought,” Kai loftily retorts before his gaze skids in my direction. “So…Danny…” His lips stretch into a sly grin.

I should’ve gone home. I’ve been able to avoid their inquisition all week, but I know it was inevitable and their questions were bound to be asked. But that doesn’t mean I have to answer, and I’m not. I have six minutes in the tub. Just six more.

“Yeah…so Danny boy. Where have you been, papi ?” Angel cocks his head to the side, observantly watching me just like the other guys are. Even Noah is staring at me, waiting for an answer. “You’ve not slept over since Monday. That’s four days now. Today’s Friday. Are we going to five?”

I abstain from laughing because they’re all staring at me curiously.

“Why are you guys keeping tabs on me?” I avoid the question, asking my own.

“Who is she?” Gray all too eagerly asks.

“I’ve been staying over to work on my swing.”

I’m not lying. I’ve been staying over and working on a few things. But then again, I guess the reason I’ve been spending extra time in the batting cages is because of Josie.

After she sat on me on Monday, I realized that I may be a little sexually frustrated. Maybe a little is an understatement because every day this week, I may have…ugh…even admitting this to myself is pathetic, but I’ve been fucking my own hand.

It’s not Josie’s fault my dick can’t seem to calm down every time I’m alone and thinking of her.

I hate myself because it’s wrong. She’s allowing me to stay in her house and I’m taking advantage by thinking of her when I come.

I’ve also overstayed my welcome because she didn’t say I could move in.

Only said I could go over whenever I needed space from the guys.

She hasn’t said anything, not that I’ve seen her much this week.

We’ve been so busy, I didn’t get to see her Wednesday because I had a meeting with my coaches.

Still, I want to stay despite the slight awkwardness on my end Monday night.

I actually plan to bring it up tonight, that is, if she’s awake.

I know she has swimming lessons tomorrow, so she might be asleep but if she’s not, I’m going to talk to her about me potentially making it official and moving in.

Maybe it’s too fast, too soon, but I hate that she’s alone and maybe she prefers that and I’ll respect her decision if she does, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.

“But you’re not coming home,” Kai pointedly inserts.

“Okay and?” I lift a shoulder in an indifferent shrug and unlock my phone. I peruse Instagram, blatantly ignoring all their questions until a message at the top shuts them out.

Josie: Hey. I need to talk to you

Despite the freezing water, I find myself sweating. I probably—no I definitely overstepped and invaded her space and boundaries.

I made sure to keep the house as it is. Josie wasn’t lying when she said she likes to keep things a particular way.

I try to recall if I left anything out of place or if I did anything that would upset her, but nothing comes to mind.

Me: Be there in 30 mins. Is that alright?

Josie: Yeah. Please drive carefully Garcia!

Me: I will. I promise

“I’ll see you guys later.” I climb out of the tub.

More questions get thrown my way, but I can’t focus on a single one.

“It’s Josie, isn’t it?” is what Gray asks. I don’t mean to give myself away, but I tense. “I fucking knew it.” I hear the smirk in his voice as I walk away.

I could’ve been at her house in less than twenty, but I needed to make a stop at my house first. But as I pulled into the driveway, I regretted it as I spotted a white Toyota parked in the driveway and Amanda perched on the first step of the front door.

Sucking a breath to muster up every ounce of patience, I climb out of my car and walk over to her.

“Hey, Danny,” she softly greets, her voice melancholy and full of longing.

“Hey.” I keep it short because the last thing I need is for her to get the wrong idea.

She must sense that because she gives me a tight-lipped smile. “Can we talk?”

“I really can’t right now.” I walk around her to open the front door.

“Please, I just need you to hear me out,” she pleads and even though my back is to her, I feel how close she is. “I promise I’ll leave once I say what I need to say.”

I close my eyes, garnering the strength to say fuck it and tell her to leave. But I’m not that person. As much as I want to be a dick, I can’t.

“Okay but make it quick. I need to be somewhere.” I open the door and let her walk in first, before I do.

She stands by the staircase, no doubt waiting for me to give her the green light to go up to my room, but I jerk my head in the direction of the living room.

“I’d like for us to speak in private.” A pinch of annoyance crosses her face when I shake my head.

“We shouldn’t be interrupted. The guys won’t be here for another twenty minutes and we need to make this quick,” I supply.

She stares at me, offended, and scoffs but she sighs and takes a seat on the sectional. I swallow back my grumble and take a seat on the recliner.

“I know nothing I say or do will change what I did but if I could go back and change it, I would.”

I stand because we’ve had this conversation several times and it never ends well.

“We can’t keep doing this. I told you I’m done and?—”

“I understood that loud and clear when you sent me that picture Monday night.” She stands, anger flooding her blue eyes. “If you want that to make us even, then we’re good. I promise.” Her eyes soften. “I’m over it and I can look past it.”

I incredulously scoff. “Look?—”

“I miss you.” Her voice cracks and eyes fill with unshed tears. “I know I fucked up and I hate myself for it.”

She steps closer but I take two back. Shaking my head, I heave a deep sigh. “Please don’t do this. Please don’t.”

“Danny, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Her bottom lip trembles and a tear streaks down her face.

There’s a pang in my chest but it hits harder at her next words.

“Have you forgotten everything we did together? What about karaoke? And all those pictures you took of me, of us? All the promises we made to each other and how much fun we had. Remember when we fell asleep at the beach? Or when we got locked out of my car and it rained? Please don’t let my fuckup taint the good memories. We have so many, remember?”

Amanda steps closer, but this time, I don’t move. She approaches me and snakes her arms around my torso. She peers up at me, those blue eyes glistening red and a trail of tears staining her cheeks.

“I love you,” she feebly implores.

“I…” I hesitate but she weakly smiles nonetheless, standing straighter against me. “I don’t love you.”

I didn’t hesitate because I’m not sure what I feel for her. I hesitated because despite what she did to me, I don’t want to hurt her, but I guess I did anyway because the look on her face morphs in pain.

“What—but—I—” she blubbers, and more tears cascade down her face. “You really don’t miss me?”

“Amanda.” I grab her shoulders, staring down at her and as I do, I think of brown eyes. “I don’t. I don’t miss you and I don’t have any more feelings for you.” I gently push her away from me until her arms fall at her sides. “I think it’s best if we stop talking to each other.”

Her brows pull, lips thin, and bloodshot eyes hollow. “You really don’t want to give us a second chance? You really can’t forgive me?”

“No,” I firmly say. “I don’t want a second chance and I’ve moved on.”

Her face grows taut and those saddened eyes turn ice cold. “Moved on with Bryson’s ex? Is that who you’re going to see now?”

“I don’t need to explain myself to you.”

She ruefully laughs and folds her arms over her chest. “I saw you both at the party. I saw the way you were dancing with her. Is this your way of getting back at both of us? If this is your way of making me jealous, congratulations. It worked. I’m jealous. Really fucking jealous, Danny.”

“I’m not doing this to get back at you. We’re friends and we were just dancing.” I grind my teeth, doing my best to hold it together.

“Just friends? She had her ass all over you. That’s not a friend!

” She drops her hands at her sides then points an accusatory finger at me.

“Wait, that was her in the picture, wasn’t it?

” She sullenly laughs when I don’t answer.

“You had your fun, petty moment. I get it, I deserved it. If there’s videos too, send them my way.

I deserve that too. But I’m willing to overlook it all.

I don’t care what you’ve done. I just want you back. ”

“No!” My voice raises more than I intended it to. “I can’t keep doing this. I’m trying so hard to keep the peace but you just?—”

“I just what?” Her voice raises. “I’m just trying to get my boyfriend back. I’m just trying to apologize because I know I fucked up. I know what I did was wrong. I know! I’m so sorry!”

“You fucked my teammate on my birthday!” She flinches but I can’t bring myself to care anymore.

I’ve been too nice, and she has the audacity to act like she’s in pain as if she didn’t cause me my own.

“You sexted my teammate on our anniversary! You looked at the camera when my teammate’s dick was between your breasts and smiled.

You fucking smiled, Amanda! You’re not sorry, you’re just sorry you got caught.

We have so many memories, but in all of those, he was there too. So don’t make yourself the victim.”

The worst of it is that it wasn’t just Bryson. She may not have slept with the other guys, but she flirted with anyone who’d give her attention. She loves that and that’s why she fucked around with Bryson because he gave it to her.

“I didn’t know he was going to send it to you,” she meekly says.

I laugh, because she’s got to be kidding me. “Not only did you fuck him but you knew he had a girlfriend. You knew he was dating Josefine. You knew and neither one of you cared. So whatever I do with Josefine is none of your goddamn business.”

She’s shaking with rage, fisting her hands at her sides, blowing a ragged, brittle breath.

“Fine, whatever.” She stalks past me, but before she’s out the door, she looks over her shoulder. “He wants her back, you know. Bryson.” She says his name as though I need the clarification, and then she storms out and slams the door.

A second later, the guys walk in, pretending like they didn’t hear that, but I know they heard everything.

“See, now this is why I don’t do girlfriends,” Angel announces and I know it’s more to lessen the tension but I’m so mad, I go to my room, grab what I need, and leave.

I’m speeding into Josie’s driveway forty minutes later. I’m only ten minutes late but she could have already gone to bed. I’m hoping that’s not the case and my hope is kindled when I see her outside, her driver’s door opened.

All the anger coursing in my system instantly vanishes at the sight of her. My thoughts of Amanda, Bryson, and the email I have yet to open shift to the back of my head. Incandescent brown eyes take over my field of vision when I put my car in park and hop out with the gift in my hand.

“Hey, what are you?—”

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Josie lashes out, voice cracking with fury and eyes burning with a lethal rage. I stagger in my step.

“What’s wrong?” I walk towards her, but she steps backwards and away from me.

“What’s wrong?” she repeats in disbelief.

Her sharp, seething voice pierces me, her body vibrating so fiercely it stuns me.

“What’s wrong? You said thirty minutes! You said…

” She stalks towards me and jabs her finger at my chest. “Thirty minutes, Daniel! You said you would be…” Her voice goes hoarse and then it cracks. “Here in thirty minutes. You promised!”

“Josefine, hey, I’m here now, I’m sorry. I didn’t?—”

“No!” she shouts, backing away, raising a hand for me to stay away from her. “I don’t want you here. I want you to leave. This was a mistake. Grab you stuff and get the fuck out!”

She blows out a heavy, pain-filled breath and storms into her house, leaving me alone outside.