Chapter 7 Sydney #2
“Yes, sir.” The muscles in his jaw clench as he nods tightly.
Clearly, he doesn’t do well with authority, which explains why he likes to take charge in other aspects of his life.
Although, once he got over the initial hesitation, he seemed to be fairly comfortable submitting to me last night.
Even after I granted him a small bit of control, he still allowed me to pull back on the reins when I needed to, which I honestly only did because I felt my own resolve slipping.
I had to remind myself several times that I was the one with the power, chalking it up to the way he practically made me brainless the moment he pressed his tongue between my legs.
But that was then, and now that I know who he truly is, I should have no problem keeping myself in check.
Right?
“Good,” my dad says, still seemingly oblivious.
“That takes care of that, then. Livvy and I have some work to do here, so why don’t the two of you head to the vacant office at the far end of the hall and get to know each other?
You can come up with a plan and get a few community outreach events scheduled before our first preseason game in a few weeks. ”
I nod, hugging my father and sister goodbye before exiting the room.
I barely even acknowledge Steele, but from the sound of his heavy footfalls as we move across the industrial carpet, he’s hot on my heels the entire way.
It isn’t until we both pass through the doorway and he closes us in that one of us breaks the silence.
“Sydney fucking Grant,” he spits, his tone laced with venom. I turn, fully confused at why the hell he sounds so pissed when I should be the angry one. After all, he tore the Renegades to shreds, voicing his disdain for the entire organization as he unknowingly held the owner’s daughter.
My brows furrow, rage slowly beginning to bubble up to the surface.
“You don’t deserve to say my name, asshole.
After the things you said last night about the company you were transferred to”—I bring my hands up, curling my fingers into air quotes—“you don’t even deserve to be here. Liars aren’t welcome.”
He scoffs. “That’s fucking rich, coming from you.
I’m still trying to figure out how you set me up to be in your room last night.
Did you need some dirt on daddy’s new player so you could get him to do whatever you want?
I should’ve known this fucking team would pull some shady shit like this. What a joke.”
“You think I had something to do with you getting lost at Velvet? That was all you, dickface. And had I known who you were, I’d have never opened the fucking door.” My body is practically vibrating, chest heaving with every frustrated breath I pull in.
He rolls his eyes. “Yeah. Like I’m supposed to believe your father owns a fucking football team, and you don’t know who I am. At the very least, you had to have looked me up after agreeing to work with me.”
I huff a sarcastic laugh. “Bold of you to assume I give a fuck about who you are. I’m not my sister. Football isn’t my thing. My dad asked me to help, and I agreed. I didn’t care about any of the details.”
He shakes his head in exasperation. I honestly don’t give a shit if he believes me.
I’ve never been into the game. In fact, the only reason I even know some of the current Renegades is because I’m friends with them.
It started when Livvy began dating Maddox.
That was around the time that Jett Kingsley’s wife, Bailey, became our esthetician, which is how we got close with her.
Emmett Hayes and his wife, Stella, came along shortly after, when she was the in-home nurse for our now-retired quarterback, Austin Baker.
Theo Calloway and his girlfriend, Finley, started hanging out with us not too long after, when she was pregnant with their daughter.
Aside from those people, I couldn’t name another Renegade, even though I’ve tried to memorize the ones I don’t see on a daily basis.
Well, I guess I can name one more now.
“So, now what?” he says, his expression equal parts angry and annoyed. “We’re just supposed to pretend like we don’t know each other? Like I didn’t blow your fucking back out last night while you begged for more?”
My pussy clenches, and I want to punch myself in the face for it.
Fuck this guy if he thinks he can rattle me by saying shit like that.
Had I known who he was, or that it was my family he was dragging through the mud, I’d have kicked his ass out.
Instead, I had to tear myself away, fighting the urge to kiss him as I said goodbye.
Fuck him so very much for that, by the way.
I raise my chin, finding every ounce of restraint I have left before moving toward him.
I stop a couple of feet away, tilting my neck up so our gazes are completely locked.
“I didn’t beg for shit, Steele Harlow,” I spit, his name like vinegar on my tongue.
“As far as I’m concerned, we don’t know each other at all.
The sex was mediocre at best, so don’t flatter yourself.
I’m sure I’ll be right back there later this week with someone who can make me come a hell of a lot harder than you did. ”
One corner of his mouth tugs up into a cocky grin, and he steps forward until the tips of our shoes are touching.
Our bodies are only an inch apart, if that, my chest skimming his as I suck in a shaky breath.
Suddenly, I feel so small, craning my neck up to look at him.
He locks onto the motion, taking it as an invitation to reach out and collar my throat with his thick, strong fingers.
“We’re not in your little room anymore, baby,” he drawls, leaning in so close that I can practically taste the mint of his toothpaste as it dances across my lips.
“I may have crawled for you last night, but I suggest you watch that sassy mouth of yours, or I’ll prove just how effortlessly I can put you on your knees. ”
Fuck.