Page 127 of The Game You Play (Rixon Raiders 2)

“I’ve tried, twice. This is the thanks I got.” He pointed to the ugly bruise forming around his eye.

“Okay, go find Asher and help with the crowd. We’ve got this.”

We did?

Because my legs felt ready to give out on me as I clung to Mya.

“Okay,” Asher reappeared, breathless and flushed. “I’m here, what’s the plan?”

“I’m thinking you two should get in there before you lose your quarterback for the play-offs,” Mya deadpanned.

“Man, I love a woman who tells it like it is.” Ash grinned at her. “Yo, Thatcher,” he sauntered toward them, “Having all the fun without me?”

“Fuck off, Bennet, this is between me and Ford.” Thatcher wasn’t unscathed, blood trickling from a cut in his lip, another under his eye. He also had a nasty bruise ripening around his ribs.

“Sorry, bro, but we kind of need our QB for the play-offs; you know, the ones you didn’t make this year.”

“What the hell is he doing?” Mya lurched forward but Cam cut her off with his arm.

“He’s got this.”

“The hell he does, look…” She flicked her head to where a couple of Eagles’ players were closing in on him.

“Fuck, okay, you three stay here.”

“Cam,” Hailee said, “I’m not sure this is a good idea. Maybe we should call the police?”

“If it comes to that, we will, I promise. But for now, just stay here.” He levelled her with a look I rarely saw from him.

“That boy has more restraint than me,” Mya remarked.

“That’s what I’m worried about.” Hailee reached back for my hand and we stood there, the three of us, watching while the guys we cared about faced off with Thatcher and his bunch of goons.

“Whatever Asher did, it worked. Look, people are leaving.”

We glanced back to find the crowd slowly dispersing, being herded away by the remaining Raiders.

“It’s over, Thatcher,” Cameron stepped between him and Jason.

“You think just because you showed up with your girl in tow that it’s over? It’s over when I say it’s fucking over.” He was incensed, anger rolling off him like a tidal wave. “In fact, since she’s here,” his eyes found Hailee, “why don’t you come over here and experience what it feels like to be with a real ma—”

Cameron’s fist drove straight into his face. Thatcher grunted in pain, staggering back, but he quickly righted himself, spitting blood onto the ground. “So you do have balls, Chase? I was beginning to think you didn’t after you let me and the guys mess with your girl time and time again.”

“Cameron, don’t.” Hailee tore her hand free, moving toward them, but before she got there, Grady appeared and scooped her up, bringing her back to us.

“Stay out of this, Hailee, trust me.”

“Aw, you don’t want to play? What about your girl, Ford, does she like to play? It sure looked like it from the—”

“Thatcher,” Jason’s tone was icy cold.

A chill ran up my spine watching them. There was so much anger and hatred between them, I knew I was missing some of the pieces of the puzzle.

“Lewis, stop,” a girl’s voice shattered the tension.

“Aimee, I thought I told you to stay the fuck out of this?”

Her dark hair whipped around her as she ran toward them, putting herself in front of Jason as if she was shielding him.