Page 62 of The Betrayal You Serve

Fuck everything else. She's the only thing that's important right now.

* * *

The team and the coaching staff are all buzzing when we get back to the locker room after a solid win for our homecoming game.

It was incredible, playing again in front of a crowd that size and killing our opponents was insane, but unlike everyone else around me, I don't feel like we've just turned our season around because, by the end of the weekend, there's a very good chance my season is over.

As I sat in my car outside the stadium before I came in here to get ready for the game, I made the call that's going to change my life.

I should have done it earlier this week. But I wanted this. One more taste at the dream that I had in my hands if only for a few weeks.

It's the proof I needed that a better life can exist. Just because I was born in the Creek, it doesn't have to mean that I have a life sentence signed by the Devil himself.

I've done his dirty work. I've done my time. And now, I'm done.

I'm so fucking done being his little bitch and if that means I lose all of this, then so be it.

Kyle is fine now. He got his new start and he's got his own future to look forward to.

The guys around me chat excitedly about tonight's party but I zone them all out.

I'm not going. I'm going to slip away, probably unnoticed by most and much to Luca's delight and they'll most likely go on to have a solid season. They'll forget all about my short stint as a Panther, while it'll stay with me forever.

"Dude, you coming to the party?" Zayn asks with a solid slap to my shoulder.

I have no fucking clue why he's okay with me right now but he's clearly decided that his warning was good enough and he's keeping his nose out of his sister's business for once.

"Nah, I'm heading home for the weekend."

"What? No. Come on. You can't go back to Rosewood after a game like that."

"Watch me," I mutter.

Throwing my bag over my shoulder, I nod at Coach who's talking to Luca and the quarterback coach as a way of saying goodbye and I head out to find the one person who I know will be happy to see me.

"Bro, you fucking killed it," Kyle says, racing over to me.

"Thanks, man."

"It was fucking insane watching you down there. I can't believe you missed the first two games. Fuck, I want this," he says, looking around in total awe over everything.

"You can have it," I say, throwing my arms around his shoulders. "Now, you promised me a steak. That better still stand," I tell him, leading him away from the crowd.

"Legend, wait," someone calls.

Simultaneously, we both look over our shoulders, but I soon find that it isn't anyone for me.

Ashton, Kyle's friend and captain, jogs over. "You seriously heading back?"

"Yeah, I am."

"You can go party if you want," I tell my brother.

"Nah, not this weekend. Come on," he says to me. "Enjoy. And don't get too wasted," he warns Ash before turning back to me and walking toward where my car is.

"You can totally stay. I can go back to Rosewood alone, you know."

"I know but I kinda wanna spend some time with you. Missed you, bro."