Against the Rules (Even The Score #4)

79. king

CHAPTER 79

KING

I'M TELLING YOU TO MOVE

We had an early morning captain meeting before practice, but Ryan didn’t say anything to me. He used the assistant coaches to redirect questions until I understood what we were doing.

No communication. Got it.

Twenty seconds before the meeting was supposed to end, Ryan walked out.

I didn’t realize how close Ryan, Adam, and I usually kept together until we stayed apart during practice. I ran through drills without a word to anybody then had a defensive meeting after lunch to come back to.

When I walked in, I saw Adam in the first chair. Staring at me, a hard look in his eyes.

It was so goddamn noticeable, a few linemen shot me confused glances. This wasn’t practice where we had something to keep our attention on. It was in front of everyone.

The assistant coaches came in and still, Adam had that look on his face, directed at me.

"Is everything fine, King?" Coach Anders asked.

I could see the assistants of the assistant coaches, all with the same questions on their faces, plain as day. The entire meeting would be like this. No doubt the questions would trail after me during my gym slots too.

I waved them away and strode up to Adam.

"If you think you’re going to say sorry, I’m not interested," he said, loud enough for people to glance up from the tables.

"I didn’t come to apologize," I replied coolly. "The meeting’s starting. You’re sitting in the captain’s chair. I’m telling you to move."

More than fifty guys, teammates, coaches, and assistants alike, audibly shifted, everyone turning their full attention on us. I didn’t say it as loud as him, but I didn’t need to.

Adam’s eyes widened when he realized I was right. I never gave a damn about that chair, most meetings I ignored it, but, usually, one of my best friends wasn’t making a scene, glaring at me over a stupid fight from the night before where he yelled at my girlfriend.

It was one thing to be pissed off at me. But here? The dynamics were different.

I wasn’t just Adam’s friend who tagged along and protected him in bar fights anymore. I was a captain. The coaches were watching. If they saw it as a problem, they’d pull me aside for talks about it, and that sounded about as appealing as a hammer to the back of the head.

Adam couldn’t pull this kind of shit in front of everybody and expect it to be okay.

He pushed up from the chair and stalked down the desks.

The light chatter died. Everyone was silent.

I sat down and motioned for the assistant coaches to begin.

When the coaches tried to talk to me afterwards, I brushed past questions. Adam and I could be pissed off at each other, but I wouldn’t shove him in the spotlight like that. I couldn’t do that to him.

The entire day was like that. Diverted questions, ignoring each other, muttered comments, until Ryan, Adam, and I were on edge. By four o’clock, I was exhausted, but at least I had my gym slots to be alone with my music.

I made it halfway before one of Lawson’s assistants stopped me.

"Coach wants to see you."

Silent, I stalled outside of my coach’s office. Usually, professionals filed in and out of it when he wasn’t on the field, but no one walked outside.

I pulled open the door.

The two chairs were already occupied, Ryan and Adam. Ryan glanced back at me, his face stony, but Adam stared straight ahead, content to ignore me. My eyes flashed to Lawson too, his jaw set.

"Take a seat, King."

I sat on the couch.

"Does anyone want to take a flying leap and guess why I’ve had no less than twenty people—who get paid more than the goddamn professors here—asking what the hell is going on with you three? Because I sure would enjoy an answer."

None of us said anything.

"If you were three freshmen, I could understand the kids’ games but you’re senior players. Two of you are captains." He took off his Romans cap and thumped it against the desk. "Someone better tell me what the hell’s going on before I lose my temper."

Months ago, I would’ve jumped for an excuse to bail all three of us out if Lawson asked but now I had no idea what to say.

Ryan would never lie to Coach.

And ever since Adam and Piper got together, he went on a strict, no-lying policy.

Where did that leave us?

I shifted uncomfortably. "I’m sorry?—"

"For what, King? What are you admitting guilt for?"

I fell silent again.

None of us said anything, there was only the faint ticking of the clock on the wall. As much as I wanted to stay upset with the guys, I couldn’t. They were being petty, but they were my first real friends. Besides, they already found out about Willow. How long could I expect to keep the relationship from Coach with all of us knowing?

I closed my eyes. "I?—"

"We stayed out late last night, sir," Ryan said.

My eyes flashed wide. I stared at the back of his head in disbelief. He could’ve easily explained it, and that would’ve meant my ass, but he lied for me .

Adam cleared his throat. "We went to a frat party and drank too much, sir. It won’t happen again."

My throat tightened. They were covering for me.

"You’re telling me that I got twenty people on my payroll, filing concerns because the three of you went out and got friendly with Jack Daniels? Three senior players, two captains, hungover? "

The guys nodded and I followed suit, unable to believe it.

"Do I look like a goddamn nurse to you, Cross?" he shot out.

"No, sir."

"Russell, do I got my scrubs on?"

"No, sir."

"Does this look like the fucking sobriety center, King?"

I was quick to shake my head. "No, sir."

"Fall training is around the corner, our first game is in sixteen days, if this is the kind of model behavior you want to present, get the hell off of my field. I expected better from all three of you. Russell, you most of all. I thought you were on the right track here."

"I’m sorry, sir," he mumbled.

"You will be if I catch wind of this happening again. I’ll have all three of you scrubbing the showers for everybody to watch and I’ll cook the fucking popcorn. Is that understood? "

It was an out-of-body experience, the three of us were dismissed out to the hallway. I couldn’t believe it. We skirted trouble—which was surprising enough as is—and they took the fall for me.

I cleared my throat. "Hey, I?—"

Ryan left without another word.

He didn’t even pause.

That was how it still was. I watched him leave until he disappeared down the next hallway, before I turned to Adam, who gazed at me, a hard look on his face.

"I—uh—" I hesitated. "Thanks."

"Do me a favor, King."

I nodded.

"Fuck off."

Adam shoved his hands in his pockets and took his exit.