Chapter 11 Lucas
Lucas
We stood outside the casino entrance while life buzzed around us.
People came and went, horns blew, and valets jangled keys.
But I was so entranced with the beautiful goddess before me that I barely noticed any of it.
Or maybe I was waiting for her response to my declaration that I liked her more than I’d wanted to admit. But it was out there now.
I expected her to slap me or run. Instead, she pressed her hands on my chest and batted her long lashes at me.
My heart sputtered. I felt dizzy around her as if she’d put a spell on me. I was ready to sweep her off her feet, hug her tightly, kiss her gently, and whisper sweet nothings to her. But she was the one sweeping me off my feet. She was the one drawing out a side of me I’d buried long ago.
“Can you take me home, please?” she asked in a breathy tone.
I stuck out my elbow. “Your chariot awaits, my queen.”
She scrunched her nose, looking cute and sexy. “Queen? Not Midnight?”
“You don’t like Midnight.”
She captured her bottom lip between her teeth and hooked her arm in mine. “I lied. So if I’m your queen, are you my king?”
I was silently giving myself high fives that this was going better than I’d anticipated it would. From no strings to a small opening that could lead to more. This was a huge win.
“Only if you want me to be.” I escorted her down to the crosswalk at the end of the valet area as a warm breeze blew.
“Do you give good back rubs?”
“I’ve been known to.”
“Mm,” she said, then her demeanor changed on a dime as she stiffened. “Where’s Ryker?”
“He took an Uber home. Something with his girl, Haven.”
She clutched on to me tighter. “Are you lying just to get me alone?”
“What if I am?”
The question died when an SUV stopped at the red light exiting the casino, and the passenger called out to Mazzie.
She went ramrod straight, as did I.
Josh glared daggers at me. “This isn’t over, wide receiver.”
Despite my urge to lash out, I held my tongue.
A fight would include both Josh and the driver.
I liked to think I could take them both, but I didn’t want to test the waters.
Besides, Coach would have my ass on a platter if I got into a fight.
He still might if he found out I’d been at a casino.
More importantly, I wouldn’t put Mazzie in harm’s way.
Mazzie was shaking by the time the SUV sped off. “I hate him.”
“Midnight, I got you.”
I made a mental note to ask Mazzie more about Josh. His threat earlier about breaking my arm or leg lingered in the back of mind, and I had no doubt he and I would run into each other again. But the way she was trembling, I didn’t want to upset her any more than she already was.
Silence followed us under the moonlit sky as we wound our way through the parking lot.
Cedar Ridge was out in the middle of cattle country, oil fields, and open land, and on a clear, crisp night, the stars were brightly visible from the right spot.
I thought about taking a detour to a lake I knew in Cedar Ridge and kicking back with Mazzie as we gazed at the stars.
But I had to take baby steps. I didn’t want to come off as overbearing like her ex.
As I opened the passenger door to my truck for her to hop in, she studied me.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Stay away from Josh. He’s got a temper the size of Texas.”
A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. “Are you worried about me?”
“Seriously, Lucas.” She stuck her hands on her hips, angling her head. “If you run into him on campus, walk away.”
“He goes to Lakemont?” He didn’t strike me as the college type. More like the criminal type.
“He can ruin you. His family can too. The Turleys own one of the largest cattle ranches in these parts.”
I was touched that she was worried. “Mazzie, I can handle myself.”
“I heard him say he would break your arm.”
I pulled her to me, wanting nothing more than to kiss her until the sun came up. Instead, I brushed my nose over hers. “I’m not about to seek him out. But if he comes at me, I have to defend myself. Anything else I should know about him, though?”
She dipped her fingers into the waistband of my jeans. “That guy who was driving the SUV. That’s Shane Blackwood, the casino owner’s son. He was in prison. I don’t know much about him, but he might be trouble too.”
I guided her chin upward. “Hey, nothing is going to happen, but I am worried about your safety.”
She closed her eyes briefly. “Josh won’t do anything drastic.”
My anger flared. “He hurt you in the casino. That to me is drastic. He’s trying to control you, and you two aren’t even dating.”
“He won’t do anything more than he did tonight.” She sounded as though she was trying to convince herself more than me.
I wanted to believe her. She had kneed him in the groin, after all. But Kurtis had been nearby then. What would happen if Mazzie was alone with Josh?
I wanted to somehow protect her, but we weren’t dating.
Her phone rang, cutting off the conversation. She climbed in the truck as she answered, and I slid behind the wheel.
Fifteen minutes later, after she’d talked to Bailey about her sister and I called Ryker to tell him I was heading home, we rode in silence.
Nothing but country music filled the cab while my mind kept circling back to Josh.
I needed to know more about their history, but pushing too hard would only make her shut down.
Then Sam Hunt’s song “Locked Up” came over the radio.
While I liked Sam Hunt’s music, this song wasn’t great. So I turned the volume down.
“I like Sam Hunt,” she said.
“I do, too, but not that song.”
She was quiet for a moment. “Why was your dad in prison?”
I shot her an incredulous look. “That’s quite a jump from Sam Hunt.”
“The song got me thinking about my mom. I’m sure you know her car accident landed her in jail. Bailey said she told Erik.”
I guessed the song did tell a story about being in jail. “Right. I’m sorry about your mom.”
“Me too.” She frowned. “I’m not sure how things will go with her case. But she was denied bail.”
I knew all too well how it felt to be in Mazzie’s shoes.
“My father shouldn’t be gambling. Kurtis embezzled two million from his accounting firm.
Gambled that away then drained the bank accounts he and my mom had and gambled away that too.
He thought he could win back the two mil, but he only dug his hole deeper.
But then his employer found out what he’d done, and the next thing, he’s in prison.
He was released two weeks ago. He said he changed, but that was a lie.
” For some reason, it felt freeing to say all that.
“He seems like a good guy.”
“Given that he cost my mom everything, I can’t wrap my head around good.”
She tangled her hands in her lap. “I get that. I feel the same way about my mom sometimes. She has these moments that make me think that she’s changing, but then she goes and gets herself arrested. I’m afraid of CPS taking Kaylee away. But I feel grateful for Bailey’s parents, who are helping us.”
Dr. and Mrs. Armstrong were well-known in Lakemont. Mrs. Armstrong participated in several charities with my mom. I didn’t know her that well though.
“Are your parents still married?” she asked.
“On paper. But Kurtis isn’t living with her.
He’s at a hotel. My mom drew up divorce papers about five years ago, but she never followed through.
She still loves Kurtis.” I hoped like hell she changed her mind after she learned that her husband was gambling again.
“Can we talk about something else?” My mood was turning south.
“Are you going to homecoming next weekend?”
“I haven’t been to homecoming since my freshman year.”
I stole a glance at her, digging deep for the courage to ask her to go to the homecoming game. Knowing she would be in the stands might inject some newfound motivation into my performance. “Would you like to go?”
She gnawed on her bottom lip. “Are you asking me out, Hellion?”
“Uh, maybe?” Please say yes.
“What would all the other women say?” she teased.
“I only care about one, and she’s sitting next to me.”
She leaned her elbow on the console, resting her chin on her hand. “Mm.”
She was so close that I could kiss her quickly. But then I might drive off the road.
“The midnight pep rally is electric,” I said.
“You mean the Wolf Howl where the girls gather on the football field, then the stadium lights go out, and football players have ninety seconds to kiss a girl for good luck?”
“It’s not just about that,” I argued, though I wanted to be the one to lock lips with her.
“It’s about building anticipation for the game the next day.
Right now, our overall stats are 2-3, and even worse, in conference play, we’re 0-2.
We need to start winning games, or we’re not going to be eligible for a bowl game or conference championship. ”
“And you believe in the tradition that the Wolf Howl will bring the team luck?” She sounded skeptical.
“It’s worked every year. Maybe you could be my lucky charm.”
She giggled. “I doubt that. Besides, you’ll have women lining up on the field.”
I heard a hint of something in her voice. “Are you jealous?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Not in the least.”
“Liar.”
Her cheeks turned red. “So, why don’t you have a girlfriend?”
“Maybe I haven’t found the right one yet. Your turn.”
“Men are too much trouble. I have a life plan that doesn’t include dating.”
I exited off the highway to Lakemont. “So, what happened with the cowboy?”
“Now who’s jealous?” she tossed out.
I wasn’t jealous of the cowboy. I was afraid for her. I wanted to know more about him. Keep your friends close and enemies closer. There was truth in that motto.
She retreated inward, biting that lip again as she lifted her elbow off the console and turned her attention out the passenger window.
Several minutes passed as a soupy tension stretched between us.
“I’m sorry for bringing up Josh again, Midnight. But I need to know.” I got the vibe something bad had happened between them.
One thing I couldn’t stomach was a man physically hurting a woman. My cousin had been subjected to domestic violence, and she’d suffered greatly, and if it wasn’t for Chelsea House for Battered Women, she would probably be dead.
She bared her teeth at me. “Look, you’ve been a nice guy. I appreciate you giving me a ride, but I don’t have time for relationships.”
Whoa! I felt like she drove a knife through my heart. A minute ago, we were having an easy conversation.
“Is it so wrong that I want to protect you?”
“I don’t need protecting or feeling suffocated,” she bit out, sharp and cold.
For the final stretch home, I dialed up the volume on the radio and focused on the road. By the time I was pulling into the driveway of the well-landscaped Armstrong mansion, the tension was so thick that it would take a saw to cut through it.
I parked behind a Volvo and was about to jump out to open Mazzie’s door, but she beat me to it.
“Thanks for the ride.” She flew out as though I were a monster.
Gutted wouldn’t begin to describe how I felt. I guessed she wouldn’t be going to the homecoming game.
I sat there for a long minute as I watched her. Before she grabbed the handle, Bailey came out, and Mazzie rushed inside.
Bailey appeared dazed and confused as she hurried over to my truck in her bare feet. I could see why Erik was into her—big tits, curvy waist, pretty green eyes, and wavy strawberry-blond hair. All attributes right up Erik’s alley.
I rolled down my window.
“What happened to Mazzie?” Bailey asked. “I know she got fired, but when I talked to her, she seemed okay. Now, she’s upset.”
“I asked if Josh had hurt her before tonight. Did he?”
“Not to my knowledge. If he did, though, he wouldn’t have a dick left. Have you met Mazzie?”
I chuckled, but I wasn’t convinced that asshole hadn’t hurt her.
“Lucas, watch your back,” she warned. “Josh is super jealous. You know the type—if he can’t have her, no one else will.”
Josh didn’t matter. Mazzie did. But after tonight, I doubted she would want anything to do with me, and that made me want to crawl in a hole and die.