Chapter 25
Adam
I don't have time for this shit.
The coaches have called a mandatory evening practice since some of the guys decided to show their asses after last week's game.
Cotton has talked me down from kicking every one of their asses three times.
This shit is keeping me from Eve and Ace's game.
There's no telling how long this thing will last since, according to our head coach, "You privileged little divas think ya'll can just say and do whatever the hell ya'll want 'cause you can play a little football and it's our job to show you how the real-world works.
Well, gentlemen welcome to the consequences of your bonehead actions.
We'll be on that turf until we feel that you've learned the error of your dumbass ways".
Practice is grueling, but it's definitely worse on the three guys who caused all the trouble. Chad and Jason have both thrown up and Todd is looking a little green. I take every moment I can to sit and watch the girls’ game online.
I've seen Ace play thousands of times. She's incredible.
She's light on her feet and she can jump like a damn puma.
As good as Ace is though, Eve is better.
She's all in . She can anticipate the ball before the other side has even responded.
She knows exactly where to be at all times.
She almost doesn't need teammates. She definitely doesn't need anyone apart from Ace.
I love the difference in how she and Ace play together now.
They play off of one another, set each other up, and anticipate each other's move without speaking.
It's incredible to watch. It pisses me off that I can't be there.
Cotton was right about it being a bad idea to assault a teammate again, but I'm going to turn Cal loose on them.
He loves to prank people. Maybe he'll put itch powder in their jock straps. The man's a damn savage.
We practice hard and it feels never-ending.
Once I finally get a chance to sit again, the damn game is over.
The girls are already shaking hands with the other team.
I wouldn't get to see this if it weren't for the Campus Sleuth.
He streams the games live, but he continues to watch the athletes afterward to see who talks to who and who the media is interested in.
It's clear that the reporters are interested in Eve, but they realize quickly that she doesn't share their interest. She puts her head down and walks through them as though she can't hear her name being called.
She walks toward the bleachers and who the fuck is that?
Eve walks right up to a man who looks a hell of a lot like a guy I will be decapitating soon.
I can't see her face, but I can see this asshole grinning from ear to ear as he plans his own death when he wraps his arms around Eve, picking her feet up off the ground and spinning her in a circle.
Sparks ignite in my brain. The crackle of electricity is audible in my head.
My skin feels hot, and my heart begins to race.
My hands are shaking and itching to act, to respond to this invasion.
The camera pans away to Ace as she's talking to a reporter. I vaguely hear her say something about Eve and team effort, but my thoughts are on the girl who's off camera somewhere with a dead man.
"I have to go. I have to find Eve."
Cotton looks at me and, without hesitation, grabs his phone from beside the bench. His fingers fly across the screen before he puts it down. "Give me 15 minutes and we'll all be out of here."
I don't know what he just did but I don't have 15 minutes. I have to get out of here now. "I can't. I have to go."
"Please, Cap. Just 15 minutes, I promise."
I don't want to wait but I know that he'll come through.
Cotton always comes through. No one knows how he does it.
Eve looked like she knew the guy, so I should assume that he won't hurt her, but I don't. Did she know he would be there?
If so, why didn't she tell me? I know the answer to the question before the thought has even fully formed.
She knows I would have said no. Whatever it was that she would've asked that had anything to do with this other man would've been a no.
She's too fucking defiant for her own good.
Thirteen minutes have gone by when the defensive coordinator gets a phone call.
Thirty seconds into the phone call, he rushes over to the head coach and whispers into his ear.
Coach Brown's head jerks up and he calls time on the practice.
He tells everyone to get off the field and change at home.
Damn. I know Cotton is good, but he still surprises me sometimes.
Cotton, Cal, and I sprint out of the dome and when we reach the parking lot, we see what had the coaches pissing in their pants.
There is a line of 50 or so bikers coming this way.
They're carrying signs. The first sign I see says, 'football is murder, save the pig skins'.
What the fuck? Another sign says, 'Pigs need love too'.
Cal and I turn to look at Cotton, utterly mystified.
"You needed a job done. Don't question my methods."
Cal and I shake our heads and pile into Cotton's SUV. Pulling out my phone, I call out the address of where I've tracked Eve's phone to. Cotton's head slowly swivels in my direction. "Are you sure, Cap?"
"Yeah. That's where her phone is."
Cotton nods his head slowly and puts the car in drive.
"What? What's wrong with that address?"
Cotton clears his throat before speaking. "Keep your cool, okay? I'm sure it's innocent."
"Spit it the fuck out, Cotton."
"That's Miraval Austin's address. It's a Resort fear grips me at the sight of that look before she turns back to the man who's bent over the console table, holding his jaw. "What the hell, Eve?!" He yells at her.
I want so badly to step in and wreck this man, but I know she has things she needs to say, so I wait for my turn.
"I. Trusted. You. How dare you use that trust to manipulate me? You have embarrassed yourself and shamed your profession."
That's. My. Fucking. Woman.
Eve turns without another word and walks toward us. She passes Cal and he keeps his eyes focused on his target. When she gets close to me, I reach for her and pull her into me. "Don't worry. I'll take care of him. Wait for me in the lobby."
"No. I'm leaving. Come with me now, or I'll leave without you."
She's giving ME an ultimatum right now? I look at her face to examine it for any sign that she isn't serious. She can't be. This man is clearly desperate for my attention.
"I don't need you to take care of this, Adam. I handled it myself. I'm going home. You can come with me, or you can stay here but I am leaving." With those words, she turns and opens the door, leading me by the balls into the hall directly behind her. Cal and Cotton don't move.
"We're going home. Get everything." Cotton nods in response to my request. Cal's eyes are still glued to the very unfortunate man who is now standing upright on the other side of the room, looking back at us with wide, justifiably worried eyes.