Chapter Eleven
CHAPTER ELEVEN
MADISON
There is nothing like being in a baseball stadium. The fresh air, the grass of the outfield, the grounds crew doing last-minute prep on the field to make it look game ready. The smells of peanuts and hotdogs and stale beer that are always present. And the people. So many people from all walks of life. The grandpa who brings his first grandchild to his first game. The frat boys who paint their faces after hanging out in the parking lot pre-gaming like a football tailgating party.
Hanging out in the suites like the elites is different. No lines to wait in for snacks and drinks. Someone who asks if you need anything. Clean bathrooms and temperature controls. Until you step outside the room. Which is where I’m currently sitting with Ava. She feels the same as me.
“Can’t we go sit behind the dugout? That’s my most favorite spot,” she asks, shoving a gooey pretzel with cheese into her mouth.
“Not today, sweetheart. We need to stay up here and keep our friends company.”
“Ugh, but they don’t even like baseball!”
“I do!” Lucas says, stepping out of the door with a big grin on his face. Yeah, he gets it.
“You want to take me down to the dugout?” she looks at him hopefully.
“Nah, kiddo. It’s a big day for your daddy. We don’t want to ruin it. But Aaron is making a plate and I’ve promised to explain the rules of the game to him. Want to help me?”
I mouth ‘thank-you’ to him when Ava jumps up from her seat and goes in search of Aaron.
“She’s a good kid.” He smiles. “Coach has a lot of people here for him today.”
“He does.” I return his grin, looking at the overflowing suite behind us.
“And that’s why you’re sitting outside alone, isn’t it?”
“This life isn’t mine.” I wave my hand at the room. “I’m a simple girl who likes simple things. Cheap, inexpensive beer and a hotdog are all I need to be happy.”
“I’m glad Uncle Carter found you. You’re good for each other. And you should let him buy you the expensive, expensive beer sometimes.”
“You’re growing into a mighty fine man, Lucas Ashley. Don’t ever lose that, okay?”
We laugh and enjoy some small talk, others coming out to join in before the game. Lottie and Tiny are with Nat, Joker and Ginny are next to Davis and Trish, and Elle and Ranger are with us as well. I’ve met all of Tiny and Elle’s brothers, as well as their parents. Carter’s dad is here with Zach, Trish’s dad, his friend Preacher from Carmichael’s Ranch with his nephew Sammy, and the ANON guys who saved me. Nate, Aiden, Grady, and Daniel are here and on duty while Daniel is in the other suite with his wife and her sisters, their spouses, and parents. It’s a huge gathering of new and old friends, and all of them are here to celebrate Carter’s accomplishments. My sister joins me, plopping down in the chair and handing me a beer.
We clink our glasses and toast, “Beer, balls, and boys make the world go round!”
The announcements start, and everyone comes out to watch, Joker pulling my baseball cap lower on my face. “Just in case.” He shrugs, always the protector on duty. Ginny just smiles and shakes her head.
“Ladies and gentlemen. Tonight, we welcome back one of our own, Carter Bailey, as we celebrate the legend by retiring his jersey. Carter always took pride in this team and we in him. He is an inspiration to us all. He’s a teammate, leader, friend, son, and father.
The number fifty-seven is more than a jersey number. It’s a legacy. One that the Diamond Cove Sails retires today. There will never be another Carter Bailey, and there will never be another fifty-seven. Please, welcome Carter Bailey to the field.”
The entire stadium erupts into chaos. Screams and clapping and cheers and hoots. Everyone is wearing a Bailey shirt or jersey and some are crying. Me. I’m crying. But so are Lottie and her dad, Nat and Ava. And a few other stray tears from the guys, too. We listen as Carter gives his speech, closing it with information about his new foundation and the importance of helping all kids reach their goals.
He’s just about done when Ava gives me a panicked look and grabs my hand, pulling me inside the suite.
“What’s wrong?”
“I need to go out there.” She points to the concourse.
“What’s out there, sweetheart?”
“Uncle Tiny just went into the bathroom and I gotta go!”
There’s a public bathroom right across from where we are, and I grab her hand and start walking to the door.
“Where you going?” Nate asks, stepping up beside us.
“Bathroom emergency.” I tilt my head to Ava.
“I’ll go with you. Carter’ll be up here in a minute, he’ll be pissed if I let you all go off alone.”
“Whatever.” I grin at him, taking Ava’s hand.
“Can we get a hat on the way back?” Ava asks, full of fake innocence.
“You’ve got a hat, kiddo.”
“No, the little one. The one with the ice-cream in it.”
“Let’s see how busy it is. If not now, I’m sure someone will get you one.”
“Fine,” she sighs, drama queen that she is. “Okay. I gotta pee!”
We step into the busy concourse and make our way to the bathroom. Nate points to a spot across from the door, letting me know that’s where he’ll be, and we go in. Ava runs to a stall, and I walk to the mirror to make sure my makeup still looks okay. Everyone must be in line for food because it’s blessedly empty. I hear Ava humming and smile to myself.
“Cute kid,” a woman with black hair says, coming up beside me.
“Thanks. I think we’ll keep her.”
“Shouldn’t keep what’s not yours,” she replies cryptically. “It never ends well.”
I try to get a better look at her, but before I can turn all the way around, she pulls a switchblade with what looks like a very sharp edge on me and my eyes are glued to the knife, not her face.
“What do you want?” I ask, trying to figure out if Nate would hear me if I yell.
“I want what’s mine. You’ve been playing house in my life, and it’s time to put you in your place.”
“I don’t know?—”
“Shut. The. Fuck. Up,” she interrupts me. “You know who the fuck I am.” She removes her hat, showing me her face. It’s Carrissa, Carter’s ex. “And we can stop playing games now. Unless you want me to hurt the brat.”
“Mommy?” Ava’s soft voice asks from behind us. “What are you doing? Why do you have that?”
“Ava, baby,” the woman coos. “I missed you so much. Have you missed me?”
The sugary sweet baby talking voice makes my stomach turn. Ava frowns, shaking her head. “I don’t like you. You were mean to me and my daddy, and you left us.”
“I did what I had to do, and you and your daddy owe me.”
“What do you think they owe you?” I ask her.
“Everything. He left me with nothing after I worked so hard for years to build his brand, to make him a star. I even saddled myself with a kid and ruined my body, and that still wasn’t worth anything to him!”
“That’s a lie!” Ava yells, running over and kicking Carrissa in the shin.
“Shut up, you little brat!” she seethes, pushing Ava away from her and onto the ground.
“Carrissa!” I yell, picking Ava up and placing her behind me. “Stop. You got more than you deserved, and you need to leave.”
“Oh, you think you’re the big bad bitch now, huh? Sleeping with the golden dick and you’re all high and mighty?”
Without thinking, I slap her. A bitch slap if there ever was one. I hate violence. I’ve lived violence. But this? This fells pretty fucking good. Until it doesn’t. She hits me back, a left hook I never see coming.
“Next time, it’s this fucking knife in your face, you fucking whore!”
“What do you want?” I ask, wiping the blood from my cheek where her ring broke the skin. Hurts like hell, but sadly, not the worst I’ve ever had.
“I want what’s mine. I want what I deserve. And you’ll get it for me, or I’ll take care of the brat.”
“I’m not doing anything for you. You deserve nothing for how you abandoned that little girl. She’s the best thing you ever did, and you walked away.”
“You don’t know anything!”
As Carrissa rambles on about all the things she feels she’s owed, I squeeze Ava’s hand and look over my shoulder at her. I know she’s gotten the message when she returns the squeeze. Because at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what happens to me, I won’t let Ava be hurt.
“Enough,” I interrupt her. “All I hear from your mouth is that you want more money. You don’t give a shit about your daughter, you don’t give a shit about Carter. And you never did.” I nod at Ava. “It’s always been about the money. And when baby-trapping him didn’t work, you walked away. With a few extra zeroes in your bank account for your trouble. You did that. You manipulated the situation and now you’ve realized you lost.”
“Fuck you!” Carrissa screeches.
Chaos ensues. Ava gives a mighty impression of a banshee, flailing her arms as wide as she can, taking up as much space as possible, and running back and forth. Carrissa is distracted just enough that I rush her, both of us tumbling to the ground.
“Ava!” I yell. “Now!”
Without looking back, Ava takes off for the door, throwing it open while still yelling. If that doesn’t bring the calvary, nothing will.
“ What did you do?” Carrissa screams, pulling my hair and trying to get me off of her.
I don’t reply, looking around for the knife. I heard it clang on the floor when we fell, but I can’t find it. And this bitch keeps fighting with me, hitting me anywhere she can while keeping one hand in my hair. She punches me again in the same place as before, and I see stars. Enough for her to get me off balance. Rookie mistake on my part. When she yanks my head as hard as she can, I know I’m losing the battle.
“ENOUGH!”
The last thing I hear before my head hits the hard concrete and I slump over Carrissa’s body, losing consciousness, is Carter’s voice.