Chapter 24
TWENTY-FOUR
EMMETT
“You had an exceptional season, and you did it with all new teammates and coaches,” the ESPN interviewer says, his perfectly coiffed hair taking up my entire computer screen.
I’ll give it to him, they’re some luscious locks, but I can’t imagine the amount of hair products he goes through to keep them under control.
“What do you attribute to your success in Cleveland?”
I clear my throat. Honestly, I hate doing these things, but it’s all part of the new leaf I’m determined to turn over.
Not only am I going to build relationships with my guys, but I’m going to say yes more when I’m asked to leave my comfort zone.
That includes talking to journalists with millions of people watching and judging, even if it has me clenching my butt cheeks so I don’t shit myself.
“We faced a lot of adversity this year. We lost Baker, which shook the entire organization, but my guys really stepped up. Dane dedicated every waking hour to getting comfortable on the field, and it all just started falling into place after that. We’re brothers now—all of us—ready to go to war for each other each week, no matter who the opponent is. ”
He nods, looking down at the list of questions in front of him as I breathe an internal sigh of relief.
I hate talking about myself, so if I can find a way to incorporate the team into my answers, I will.
He trains his eyes back on me, continuing.
“It looks like you’ve found a good home there in Cleveland, but your current one-year contract expires this spring. Any word on an extension?”
“You’d have to talk to my agent about that one,” I say on a forced, fabricated laugh. “I’d love to retire with the Renegades, but that’s up to the Grant family. All I can do is continue to show them that I’m an asset to their team.”
It isn’t lost on me that my career is still up in the air, but fuck.
It’s been brought up so many times that I’m starting to wonder if I’ll even be here next season.
I’d like to think that I’ve done enough to buy myself a little more time, but the truth is that they could send me packing whenever they want if a better option comes along.
And what would that mean for my personal life?
Even though Stella had no intentions of staying here, she seems happy in Cleveland.
She’s been texting back and forth with Bailey all week, and I know they’re planning on meeting up for brunch soon.
If we’re going to give this thing a real shot, this is the absolute best place to do it—surrounded by people who truly care.
“Thanks for stopping by, Emmett. We hope you have a great offseason, and we look forward to seeing what you do next year.”
“I appreciate that,” I reply with a tight smile.
“Go Renegades.” With that, the screen goes blank, and the video call hangs up from the other end.
I exhale a slow breath, slouching back in my office chair as I rub my hands down my face.
I’m glad it’s over, although I’m sure my publicist will be texting in no time with another.
The questions will be the same, ending with a reminder that my time in this city may be borrowed.
I hate it, but that’s the way the league works.
You may think your future is all mapped out, but the rug can be pulled out from under you at any moment, forcing you to a brand-new team full of strangers.
Not wanting to think about it anymore, I pull my phone from my pocket, excitement washing over me when I see a text message from Stella. It hasn’t even been a full twenty-four hours since I left her snug and cozy in her bed, but fuck. I’ve hated every minute of it.
STELLA:
You should come over tonight.
ME:
Miss me that much, huh, Wild Girl?
STELLA:
So much. I was thinking I could cook you dinner, and then maybe we could get naked and hide under the covers for a few days.
ME:
You drive a hard bargain.
I’m in.
STELLA:
I thought you might be.
I also had another idea.
ME:
I’m listening.
STELLA:
Ever since you brought up our free use agreement, I can’t stop thinking about how much I liked it. What if we did it again…but keep it ongoing?
I pull up her contact info, pressing the button to FaceTime. This isn’t a conversation we should be having via text. While we explored this dynamic before, that was a long time ago. We’re completely different people now, so she needs to be absolutely sure before she gives herself to me in this way.
She picks up after one ring, her flawless, makeup-free face filling the screen.
Her dark hair falls in waves over her smooth shoulders, skin glowing with whatever she put on after her shower.
This woman is a goddamn knockout, seven days a week.
She always has been. “Hey.” Her voice is coy, lashes fluttering sweetly as she greets me, and I can tell she’s ready to play.
“You look pretty,” I say, unable to stop the compliment from coming out. “Like an innocent angel, but that question makes me think you’re on demon time.”
She bites her bottom lip, the sight making my dick twitch in my sweatpants. How I went from having sex a couple of times a year—and being filled with regret after—to aching for Stella after just a single day is beyond me. But here we are. “I might be.”
“Do you think it’s a good idea to enter a free use agreement so soon?” I ask. “I mean, I’m totally on board from my end, but do you really trust me enough to let me take you whenever and wherever I want? That’s a pretty big deal, Stell. I need you to be sure.”
Her eyes soften, staying trained on my face as her chest rises and falls steadily.
“I’m sure, Em. I know we’re taking things one day at a time, but we’ve always done some of our best communicating when there were no words spoken at all.
You deserved nothing but my unwavering trust when we were younger, and I want you to understand how committed I am to giving it now.
So, use me. Fuck me. Punish me, if that’s what you want.
You have my ongoing consent to make up for all the pain and lost time, however you see fit. ”
“Fuck,” I groan, my cock standing at attention under the desk.
When we did this before, it was only for two days, and because she was still living with her parents, our time together was limited.
I couldn’t just walk into the house, tear her clothes off, and fuck her against the wall or window. But now, the possibilities are endless.
Her confident words ease my nerves, hormones surging through me in their wake.
“You’ll use your safe word if you feel uncomfortable in any way,” I state.
It’s not a question. There are so many things I want to do to Stella, and while I know what her limits were before, those can be ever-changing.
She could like one thing today and decide she doesn’t tomorrow.
I need her to remember that she’s always in charge, despite the fact that she’s handing control over to me.
“Of course,” she replies. I study her expression, looking for any signs that she isn’t taking this seriously, but there’s not a single ounce of trepidation to be found.
She wants this just as badly as I do. Dirty thoughts play like a porno in my mind, conjuring up the filthiest situations.
I can’t wait to try them all, pushing her body to what she thinks is its limit, just to show her that she’s much stronger than she gives herself credit for.
I want to bring her so much pleasure that she cries big, swollen tears as she begs me to stop—but she won’t really want me to.
I hunger for that moment, where her safe word is hanging on the tip of her tongue, but she refuses to use it while I force one last orgasm out of her.
I want her limp, used, and dripping with my cum—an explicit reminder that she always has, and always will, belong to me.
“All right,” I assent with a devious smirk. “It’s on. I’ll see you later, baby.”