Dirty Player (The Montgomery Billionaires #3)

CHAPTER ONE

LEVI

SIX MONTHS LATER

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“Here we go,” Dad says. “Proud of you no matter what, son.”

“I’m going to throw up,” Bella says, biting her fingernails.

“Shush.”

My eyes are glued to the screen as my heart thuds in anticipation.

This is it.

My life is about to change one way or the other.

“In this year’s first pick for the NFL draft, the Philadelphia Hawkes select Levi Montgomery, quarterback from Penn State.”

The room erupts.

I freeze for a moment, then the words sink in, and I leap off the sofa and scream. Knox and Atlas tackle me, and we go tumbling to the floor, laughing as the reality of what this means for me sinks in.

Oh, my fucking god!

I just got fucking drafted!

“Jesus I should’ve moved the antiques.” I hear Dad cry, but his voice is thick with emotion and pride.

I fly at him, hugging him harder than I ever have in my life.

“Thanks for believing in me, Dad,” I whisper for his ears only.

“So proud of you, son. So damn proud.” He grabs my face, smiling at me with glossy eyes. “Your mom would have been too.”

Fuck.

I’m not going to cry. Well, I might.

We both know I nearly didn’t make it.

After finding Kaylee sucking Colby Wade’s face, I went downhill a little. And a little is a big deal when you need to keep your grades up and be a star college football player while the scouts are watching.

There was no getting away from them. They were in the media for weeks.

My pride and game were hurting, but not as much as my heart. That I kept to myself.

“Montgomery, word.” Coach had pulled me aside. I’d followed him into his office where he stood with his hands on his hips, staring at me.

We’d just lost a game.

“What’s going on?” he demanded.

Fuck, my heart had been thumping like crazy.

“Yeah, just having a bad week I guess.” I rubbed my hand up the back of my head awkwardly.

“Levi, that wasn’t a bad week. That was a colossal fucking loss. You dropped the ball. Twice.”

Shit.

Once, because I’d thought I’d seen Kaylee’s red Nikes in the crowd.

I couldn’t believe I was letting a jersey chaser fuck up my dreams.

“Listen, son.” Coach sighed, dropping his arms, then crossing them as he sat on the edge of his desk. “If this is about that girl, I need you to pull your head out of your ass and get back in the game.”

I nodded.

“I can tell you right now, Levi, you have a real shot at going pro,” he said, and it wasn’t the first time he’d told me this.

Rubbing the side of my neck, I nodded some more.

“ If you refocus.”

He was right. I wasn’t intentionally fucking up. I hadn’t expected to feel like this. I’d never liked a girl this much. Being cheated on so publicly fucking hurt.

Losing Kaylee, who I’d realized had become so important in my life in such a short time, had felt like losing a best friend.

Not just a lover.

And while I’d ignored all her attempts at contact, it felt like no excuse would be enough to change what had happened.

“No girl is worth ruining your future. Very few get this type of opportunity. Hell, I didn’t. You’re a talented player. Let her go.”

“Thanks.” I slid my hands into my pocket.

“Don’t thank me.” He pushed off the desk, his hands returning to hips. “If I don’t see improvement next week, I’m pulling you from the team. These next few games are key for the season and your chance at being drafted.”

“Coach, wait—”

He held up his hand. “There is no waiting. Life is happening to you right now, Montgomery. Go do what you need to do, then bring your A-game with you next week.”

He looked at me and I could hear the words hanging in the air. Or you are out.

“Or you are out,” Coach said.

Fuck.

Over and over and over, I heard those words for the next few days. He’d given me a chance when another coach may not have. I could’ve lost my dream because of Kaylee Rose.

When I told my brothers, they were furious.

At me.

And at her.

I swore to myself I’d never let another woman come between me and football.

Six months on and life looks different for all of us.

I just got fucking drafted!

But also Knox and Atlas, sworn to be bachelors their entire lives, have fallen in love. Knox is married, and Atlas engaged.

I’m the ol’ single man in the family.

Well, except Dad, who is obviously a widower.

Oh, and I’m about to become an uncle again. Jamie, Bella’s daughter, was my first niece, and Payton is about one thousand weeks pregnant.

Her words, not mine.

Dad clears his throat and holds up his glass to make a toast. Everyone is grinning like a bunch of idiots as we quieten down.

“To my youngest child. I’m proud as hell of all my kids and my grandkids, and today is no different,” Dad says. “I wish your mom was alive today to see this. She used to dress you up in little Hawkes t-shirts and tell me one day you’ll play for them.”

What?

“She never said that to me.” I bite the inside of my lip.

“Because she didn’t want to pressure you. Neither of us did. Until you told us this was your dream.”

My siblings glance at me and I see the emotion in their eyes, mirroring mine.

We all miss Mom.

“This is an incredible achievement, Levi. You’ve worked hard and honored the gift you’ve been given. I don’t know where you got it from. I’m not sporty and neither was Mom.”

“He’s adopted,” Atlas teases.

It’s a stupid joke that’s about fifteen years old. We all ignore him while he chuckles to himself.

“I’m a pro player, bitches!” I punch my arm into the air as my two best friends, Kyler and Drew, launch themselves at me.

“I guess you’re going to have a million groupies now.” Bella groans.

I smirk.

Because I’m trying to get my reputation back as the Player, but I’m failing. I’ve hardly dated and just focused on the game.

And the girl I once loved walking around campus.

“He only has eyes for one girl,” Kyler says, nudging my arm.

Goddammit.

My mood darkens. Only my brothers know the true depth of my feelings when it comes to Kaylee. And not even they do, truly.

“Fuck off.” I laugh, hoping they’ll drop it.

Knox and Levi share a glance.

“Who?” Payton asks, glancing around. She’s always trying to keep up with the family gossip.

“You better not be talking about Kaylee?” my new manager, Trent, says.

He also knows.

Soon after I hired him, Dad and my Penn State coach met with him. Trent needs to know everything. I appreciate that’s the only way these things work.

But Kaylee and I are over.

So are her and Colby—big surprise.

Trent saw me watching her one day after a game and called me on it. I made the mistake of telling Kyler and Drew one day at lunch.

“Well, she’s single. Why don’t you try again? Or just fuck her.” Kyler shrugged.

“Fuck that. She cheated on me.” I stuffed a mouthful of food in my mouth.

“Who cares? She’s still hot. Not like you’re going to marry her.”

I just kept chewing.

“Well, if you aren’t going to tap it again, how do you feel about—” Drew started.

“Finish that fucking sentence and I’ll string your balls around your neck.” I growled.

Kyler sat back and grinned. “Interesting.”

It wasn’t fucking interesting. It was disturbing. My reaction was an overkill. I should have said yes and let Drew date her.

Then get cheated on.

“Kaylee Rose?” Atlas asks Trent, bringing me back to the present.

Shit.

“Tell me you are not seeing her again,” Knox adds. “She’s a jersey chaser, Levi.”

I glare at him. “No, I’m not. Can we just move on? There are no women in my life.”

Payton looks intrigued while Knox studies me.

Most people can’t read him, but I’m his little brother. I’ve been looking up to him since I could. He’s worried and disappointed.

Sometimes I feel like I have three fathers, but the truth is, my brothers are there for me no matter what, and so this shit just comes with the territory.

“I heard she is dating Jimmy Gage now,” Drew shares.

She is?

“See.” I shrug in defense, even though my fingers itch to open Instagram and find out if it’s true.

I hate that I care.

But I do.

For some fucking reason I can’t seem to get over Kaylee, but I have to. I can’t and won’t let my feelings for her interfere with my game. No matter who she dates...or fucks.

I’ve made it to the NFL. I’m now the quarterback for the Philadelphia Hawkes. Staying there is my priority.

No, fuck that. Making it to the Super Bowl is!