Chapter 5 The Poisoned Apple
The Poisoned Apple
Jack
After we enter the locker room to get ready, I head to Assistant Coach Turner’s office. The world around us is on fire, but apparently my coach wants to talk about how I can improve my performance on the field.
Hopefully, this has nothing to do with how good my mouth felt on his cock. I blow out a breath and knock on the door.
“Come in.”
Opening the door, I walk in, leaving it open behind me.
“Close the door.” Darius rocks back in his office chair and nods toward it.
Fine. I close it and drop into the seat across from him at his desk. “What did you want to talk about?”
He folds his hands. “You blocked my number.”
I rise, but he holds out his hands to calm me.
“Sit, Jack. I just want to talk.” His brown eyes plead with me. I hope to hell this is about the closure he needs, because I’m more than willing to give it to him.
“I’m with someone.” Lounging in the chair, I stretch one leg in front of me. “I don’t cheat.”
He nods. “Harper Davidson, right?”
“Yeah.” I cock my eyebrow. It’s weird that he knows, even if it’s not a secret.
“I’m not here to get with a student, Jack.” His hands fold together on the desk as he meets my eyes. “What happened over the summer was good, but a mistake I shouldn’t have let happen.”
“Like you said, it was a mistake.” I lean back in my chair. “No harm. No foul. I’m eighteen. We just didn’t realize we’d have this type of relationship in the future.”
He nods. “I also want to apologize for reaching out the other weekend.” He drops his gaze to the desk. “It was a weak moment, and it won’t happen again. I don’t want you to think I’m hung up or anything. I just want us to be coach and player and nothing else.”
“That’s all I want.”
He lifts his gaze to mine. “Good. This stays between us then?”
“Caden knows.” I rub the back of my neck. “The others might suspect something, but no one will say anything about it.”
When I notice the slight panic on his face, I rush out, “We deal with things on our own.”
“Yeah, that’s the other thing.” Darius leans back in his chair. “Pranks are part of high school, but that shit could get you guys in a lot of trouble. Especially when the kid is left nude in public.”
A smile tugs at my lips, but I try to keep it from forming. “Yeah, I get that. Good thing we weren’t part of it then, right?”
Darius rolls his eyes. “Just keep that shit to a minimum during the season. I’d hate to have to bench you guys.”
Now I smile because there’s no way Coach would bench us. “You haven’t been here long. That’s not the way things work.”
“I’m getting that.” He rubs the back of his neck and releases his breath. “I also wanted to give you a head’s up.”
“On what?” My brow furrows.
“During P.E. second period, I overheard some guys discussing your girl.”
I straighten. “Who?”
He shakes his head. “I came in for something. I know the football players and some other guys at the school, but I wasn’t familiar with this group.”
“What did they look like?” I lean forward. Any information is good information. I can find out tonight who’s in second period P.E. Fuck, no I can’t. It’s game, then party, then stay at Caden’s house, and I’m not missing one second with Harper.
“Rich, white kids.” He shrugs and gives me a cocky smile. “You all look alike to me.”
That makes me smile. I like Darius. Fuck, I liked him a lot this summer, but I also know what’s best for me and for him. That means drawing a firm line.
“Fit kids, like they do sports even if it’s not football.” Darius shrugs. “No one stood out. Sorry.”
“I appreciate the head’s up. Anything else, Coach?” I meet his dark eyes.
He gives me this look of regret. Yeah, something could have been between us. We could have grown into something more, but this isn’t the right time or place. He has his career to look out for, and I have Harper and the guys.
“I expect you guys to destroy the competition tonight.”
Smirking, I rise. “Hell yeah.”
He stands and holds out his hand to me. I shake it. Maybe I needed some resolution to this as well. I draw away, not letting it linger. Things might still be awkward between us, but at least we’re on the same page.
Whatever this was is over.
Harper
Me:
What time are we meeting?
Sidney:
During warm-ups. Kickoff is at 7 so quarter til
Me:
Near the concession?
Sidney:
That works. Don’t be late
I sigh as I read through the texts again, looking for any subtext or any way they can fuck me over. Mom cocks her eyebrow across the table.
“What’s the plan, Miss Popularity?” She leans back in her chair and crosses her arms. Her eyes drop to Jack’s jersey that I still have on. If Sidney ditches me, I’m at least wearing one of their jerseys to the game. Besides, I like Jack.
“Football game with Kenz. Party after. Spend the night somewhere other than our creepy house.” I meet her concerned eyes. I told her what Kenz and I decided to say. We saw a guy outside the window, and he ran away when we turned on the light.
“I’m calling a security company this weekend.” She shakes her head and looks toward the door. “I’m glad you can stay somewhere else until I can figure something out. Bob said he’d be happy to install some security lights on the doors.”
I take a bite of the pizza I ordered and try not to think about the other nocturnal visitors I’ve had. They won’t admit to how they get in, but will they have issues when a security system is installed?
“Hopefully, you won’t be working nights next week?” I ask with a smile.
She blows out a breath. “Someone is determined to schedule me nights. I’m sorry, Harper. Normally this isn’t a problem, but the nurse who usually takes nights is out on maternity leave, and the hospital has been busy.”
“It’s okay. I’m a grown-up. I’ll just stay with friends.”
When I take another bite, she narrows her eyes.
“Is this Penny a good fit for you? I could always ask Bob and Fran—”
“Yes, Penny is fine. No, on Bob and Fran.” A couple of times Mom had me stay with them on a night she got called in.
Their house smells like old stuff, and the guest bedroom had antique dolls in the corner.
Creepy ones with glass eyes and cracked faces.
Ice trickles down my spine. “I’ll find somewhere to sleep that isn’t here. ”
Mom studies me. Am I giving off the wrong vibes? Finally, she sighs. “I’m just hoping my turn ends, and someone else is forced to work nights.”
“Me too.” I pick up my plate and take it to the dishwasher.
“Is that what you’re wearing to the game?” She joins me at the sink. Her gaze flows over Jack’s jersey and the skater skirt I have on with my converse.
“Why? Did I spill?” I glance down, but there isn’t anything obviously wrong.
“Won’t you be cold?” Mom’s eyes dip to my legs.
I can feel the heat rising in my face. Normally, I wear jeans to games. “No, I’ll be fine.”
“Maybe take a blanket with you.” She leans over and presses a kiss to my head. “Wouldn’t want you to get sick.”
“Okay.”
Kenz knocks on the door.
“Gotta go.” I wrap my arms around my mom. “Love you.”
“Love you too. Be careful. Text me where you’re staying tonight.”
I grab my backpack with my overnight stuff. “Will do.”
When I open the door, Kenz grins. “Ready?”
“Bye,” I say, pulling the door shut, and step down next to Kenz. “Maybe I should have explained everything to Mom. At least the weird stuff that’s been happening.”
She walks beside me to her car. “She knows about the knocking and the tire. You told her about the guy?”
“That we saw him through the window and turned on the light.”
It’s not the whole truth. The whole truth is that guy was in my bedroom last night.
Nothing good could have come from that. I didn’t call the police.
My owners said they would deal with it, but maybe we should have gotten the police involved.
If Luke hadn’t been here, I don’t want to think about what might have happened. A shiver goes down my spine.
“Then she knows what’s happening.” Kenz unlocks the car doors and we get in. “What do you think she’d do differently if she knew?”
I shrug and stare out the front window. “Maybe switch with someone so she wouldn’t be on night shift.”
“And that would mean all those late-night snuggles go away.” Kenz grins. “She knows there’s something going on, but she doesn’t know you have the guys protecting you.”
She backs out of the driveway, and I tip my head back against the headrest. “But what if she could do something about it? What if we’re wrong, and it’s not a high schooler messing around? What if it’s an actual psychopath, and they go after my mom when I’m not there?”
Kenz blows out her breath. “Fuck, that’s heavy. I suppose it could have been anyone last night. I could have fought off a rapist. But he was built more like a teenager than a full-grown man.”
“I didn’t get a good look at him.” I smooth my skirt down, trying to think if I saw him. Luke kept him away from me.
“I still think you’re safest with the guys,” Kenz says.
“Mom said she would get a security system.” That should help keep us safe. Or at least ease her mind.
“You staying over after the party tonight?” Kenz turns to look at me and wiggles her eyebrows.
“Yes. Though I don’t know how I feel about it.”
“Still mad at them?” Kenz turns into the far parking lot to find an open space.
“Mostly. Caden, Eli, and Nico definitely, but Jack...” This afternoon was freeing and nice and has me considering things I tried to ignore.
She pulls into a parking spot and turns off the car. “But Jack?”
“He’s being nice and thoughtful. I’m afraid it’s just another trap.” I blow out a breath.
Kenz shakes her head. “Maybe. What about Luke?”
My heart skips a little. “Luke’s always an asshole. He doesn’t pretend to be anything else, but fuck, do I want him.” I turn to face Kenz. “How can I want someone if I don’t know if I even like him?”
That’s a little bit of a lie. There are moments when I like Luke. Moments where I feel more for him.