Page 20 of Rushing Her: Seattle, Westerners (Gridiron Warriors #2)
Alexandra
I watch the clock as it ticks down. We are three points up on the Settlers, and if we can hold them off, the Westerners will have won the Victory Bowl, and my new husband will have his fourth Bowl ring.
The game has been a nail-biter. Portland isn’t letting us get ahead too much, and we aren’t letting them get away. Every time we’ve taken the lead, they tie it up, but here we are with two minutes left in the game.
Brogan fakes to another player but then shoots the ball downfield where Brayden waits, and he catches it. I jump up and down, screaming, as Brayden takes off running as if the hounds of hell are on his heels.
“Go. Go. Go, baby. Go,” I scream over and over, along with everyone else around me. My sister and I are in the same section even though we are technically supporting opposite teams.
Brayden continues to run, and I hold my stomach as I jump and shout. His dad and brother are right next to me. They all came back when they found out he made it to the bowl again. Brayden executes long leaps as he finally lands in the end zone.
The stadium becomes pandemonium. The volume is deafening, but we can’t stop. After a few years of not making it this far, Seattle will take home the trophy again.
Staff arrive to accompany us down to the turf as the final plays are completed. Portland doesn’t quit, but they realize they can’t come up with the ten points needed to tie in the minute and a half left on the clock.
Time runs out, and the players all shake hands as confetti drops, and we, family members, rush the field.
A few weeks ago, Brayden and I got married, with just our immediate family and close friends in attendance. However, we haven’t told the press yet because we didn’t want the announcement to take away from the Victory Bowl.
With Warner at my side, we head across the field toward Brayden. He’s on his tippy-toes, looking over the crowd for me. He and T.K. shake hands, then I’m standing in front of the man I was lucky to get a second chance with.
“I love you,” I scream over the crowds, and he returns the sentiment before picking me up and hugging me long and hard.
Together, we take a moment just the two of us. Eventually, Brayden gets pulled away, and the trophy is presented to the team. I stand there watching as people gather all around me. Several of them rush to the podium as they name the MVP, and of course, it’s Brayden.
Before I know it, I’m jostled back, farther away than I realize, and Warner has been separated from me.
“I’ve been waiting a long time to get to you,” a voice says, sending a chill up my spine.
I snap my head around as something presses into my side. Glancing down, a gun is aimed at my children.
“Don’t do this here,” I plead.
“It’s the only way. Come on.” Kimberly drags me even farther away, and when I notice Warner looking for me, there’s nothing I can say without making a scene that could get my children shot.
The woman drags me into the opposing team’s hallway, and we shuffle through the crowds and mingling players. I know T.K. isn’t here to see me, and any other Settlers players are still on the field celebrating with the winners.
“This is for team members only,” one of the coaches attempts to stop us.
“We are with Top Tier Sports Agency. Don’t you recognize Alexandra King?” Kimberly says, and he looks at me.
I’m unsure of how to signal him until I remember something I saw once: I nod as I hold my hand in front of my body, tucking my thumb across my palm, then closing my fingers over the top. I do it a couple of times and shift my eyes to my side, where the gun jabs against me.
“Oh, hey, Alexandra. Have you talked to T.K.?” the coach asks, trying to help, but Kimberly yanks me away.
I pray that the guy gets to my husband for assistance.
“We have to get out to a press conference.” Kimberly drags me along until shoving me through a pair of doors, where a car is waiting. I’m hauled into the back passenger side and notice a man in the driver's seat as she follows in behind me.
Someone yells my name, and a gunshot rings out. I recognize Warner’s voice, but then Kimberly turns the gun back on me.
“Drive,” she orders, and we take off, racing across the parking lot, away from the traffic and toward the player’s exit. Crowds of people and reporters stand around, so I make the signal again, praying someone notices and acts on it, but something slams into the side of my head.
“Stop whatever you’re doing,” Kimberly screams, and I feel a bit dizzy from the smack to my head.
The car accelerates, and the farther it gets away from the stadium, the more scared I become.
Brayden
F rom my vantage point on the podium, I seek out my wife but don’t see her; however, I catch Warner speeding off down one of the tunnels to the Settlers’ locker rooms. It’s then that I realize there is only one reason why she would be doing that.
I jump off the stage and haul ass down the hallway.
T.K. joins me, and together we continue on.
“Hey, some woman just kidnapped Alexandra King.” The Settlers’ Special Teams coach stops us. “She couldn’t talk, but I saw the gun, and she was signaling help.” Just then, a gunshot rings out.
“Noooo,” I bellow as I run to the doors faster than I did in the game. Warner is there, and she has her gun drawn. She pushes through the doors, and I watch as a car races off with my wife’s red head in the back of it. “Are you shot?” I ask Warner, and she shakes her head.
“No. She missed. She was able to maneuver Alex away from us and got to her before I could.”
“God dammit,” I shout as others show up. As soon as Thor steps outside, I storm over to him. “Activate that tracker you put in her engagement ring.”
“On it.” Thor pulls out his phone and clicks away. “The car is heading for the warehouse district.”
“Warner, let’s go.”
Someone stops me. “You need to stay here.” It’s my agent holding me back.
“What the fuck are you talking about? That’s my wife who was just kidnapped,” I bark.
“I’ll stay here and keep an eye on the family,” T.K. offers.
“Thank you.” I nod at him as Thor, Warner, and I head out the door. More of her team arrives, and we all scatter in several SUVs.
Warners says, “I’ll have an ambulance and police on standby,” and I nod in the affirmative, praying that I didn’t just lose the greatest win of my life due to a crazed fan.