Chapter 37
Noelle
Nik is a smart guy, but I think he’s blinded by the love of his family and his hatred of Rhett to see it. And the only way I’ll be able to prove it to him is to go by myself. And now I have to give him my facts, not feelings, on this situation.
“Nik, Eva incorporated her company three weeks after the game. That’s not a coincidence, it's perfectly planned.”
I hold his eyes, speaking slowly but matter-of-factly. “She acted like your lawyer at the school hearings. How did she know to suppress their findings if she didn’t know anything about what your dad owed?”
I keep talking. “She said she’d handle looking for your dad, but I think she already knew where he was, what he did, and made him stay away.
She couldn’t risk him coming back and gambling again, or telling you what had happened.
She needed time to build the company, make other accounts, and make new LLCs to bury all that she did.
“The warnings about not digging too deep, stay away from college game talk, the emails I received. Why was I told that? I’d know nothing about looking further if that wasn’t said to me. I would have seen a bad game and moved along.”
He stares at me, piecing it together just like I did.
“And why me? Because once she heard I was doing an article, she researched me. Eva isn’t stupid.
She’s calculated and needed to cover bases before I even stepped to the plate.
I’m close to showing her empire was built on a single dropped ball.
Because if I say it out loud, if I prove it, the foundation and integrity of her company cracks wide open. ”
“Nik, you dropped that pass, but Eva is the one who told you to, and she used your dad to do it.” I swallow hard, choking on the words. “You may not have known it was her, but it was her.”
I let out a shaky breath, so afraid he’s going to tell me I’m wrong. He’s going to tell me he doesn’t believe me; his sister wouldn’t do such a thing. I’m afraid he’s going to tell me I’m so far off base that I’m only looking for a story to take down his entire family.
But he doesn't. He lets out a breath, then leans back on his hands on the bed, looking up at the ceiling.
“Noelle, I…” He’s got no words. I don’t know what he wants to say because nothing comes out. He bites his bottom lip, closing his eyes and breathing deep. He’s still searching for words when there just aren’t any for how badly he’s hurting. “So how does talking with Rhett make this work out?”
“I think Rhett knows and is dying to tell Ghost’s true identity, then and now.” He looks at me. “Ghost is Eva, Nik.”
He closes his eyes, and all I see is a man who has had his whole life laid out for him. A good life where his family could have prospered. And instead, they used him to get ahead, not caring that he’d have to carry the burden.
“I’m sorry. I never thought this was the story I’d find.” I bite off the last of the push pop and toss the plastic in the garbage, reaching for another one. I unwrap it quickly and begin sucking on it.
He lies back on the bed, arms stretched out wide. “I can’t think when you're eating that candy.”
I let out a laugh and wave the push pop around. “The candy helps me think.”
His head rolls to the side, and he looks at me with eyes that don’t want to know the truth, but it all makes sense to him now. The facts are lining up, and now he has to deal with it.
“I never told her I was being interviewed. But early on, she called me and told me to pull out of the story. I asked how she knew about it, and she said it was her job to protect me. Still, I didn’t know how she knew. You and I barely had two conversations before she called me.”
“I’m sure she was somehow alerted that I was asking questions. And she didn’t know it was me, but she was made aware that someone was poking around.”
“Rhett said Ghost is notified every time you put in a request for information. Ghost had to… Eva…” His thoughts are jumbled, the words not able to form.
“I don’t want to think tonight.” He lifts his hand to me.
“I don’t want to think about sending you to talk to Rhett.
I don't want to think about what you'll find, or what could happen. Help me forget it all. At least for tonight. For tonight, let’s be Nik and Noelle.”
I smile sadly at him, and all the pain I see on his face. “I can do that.”
I drop the push pop on the desk and take his hand, and he pulls me to him on the bed. I lay my head on his chest, and he circles his arms around me, asking, “Tell me what happens next?”
“Well, you're going to play a game tomorrow and win.”
He squeezes me before trailing his hands to my ass, giving me a little pat. “Then what?"
“I don't know. What happens after a game?”
“Oh, come on, you’ve been here long enough to know.”
I laugh. “You’ll eat, come home, and pass out, then get up and go back to the stadium. More press, more games.”
“Mhmm. Wash, rinse, and repeat, right? Until I’m bringing home that ring?”
I pick my head up, eyes wide. “You’re not supposed to talk about that!”
He lays his head back and laughs loudly. “You are catching on!” He leans up and gives a quick kiss to my nose. “We don’t talk about it. We only talk from one game to the next.”
“Well, now you just ruined it.”
“Shh! Noelle!” he says exaggeratedly. “I was only testing you, so I get a pass there.”
“You’re terrible.” I pinch his side, and he squirms around until he rolls me to my back and is hovering over me.
He asks again, “Tell me what happens next.”
“Right now?” He licks his bottom lip and nods his head. I lean up and kiss him, sweetly at first. I want him to feel good, I want him to feel I’m right here with him and not going anywhere. All this family drama isn’t going to chase me away. I’ll do everything I can to save him.
I kiss his chin, his neck, working my way over to his shoulder. I smooth my hands under his shirt; his skin is hot. He smells like a mix of his aftershave and fresh air. “You always smell so good.”
“And you always smell like candy.”
I push him to his back and crawl over him. “Wanna lick?” His pupils dilate, but before he can respond, I say, “Me first.”
He huffs a short laugh and drops his head to the bed, while I pop the button on his jeans. He lifts his hips, and I slide them down his long legs. He watches as I grab the push pop, giving it slow licks while running my hand up and down his muscular thighs.
“You’re such a tease.”
I giggle before placing the pop back on the desk.
Bending down, I nibble on the inside of his thigh, and he jumps, letting out a low moan.
“I won't tease you all night. I know you have a curfew.” Pulling my shirt over my head, I let it drop.
He sits up, reaching for me, and runs his hands along my bra strap.
“How’d I get so lucky?”
“You learned how to play your cards right.”
“Was that a gambling joke?”
I stifle a laugh, moving back in between his legs. “Just lightening the mood.”
“You should suck my dick; that will lighten the mood.”
I slap the inside of his thigh and say, “Don’t be so crude!” as he lets out a half-laugh, half-moan.
He cups my face, “Okay, okay. I’m sorry.” I lean into his warm palm, turning my head to kiss it. And when he outlines my lips with his thumb, I nip it with my teeth before sucking it and twirling my tongue around it. “Noelle.” My name comes out of his mouth on a low rasp, and it turns me on.
I lean up on my knees and urge him to his back, smoothing my hands up and down his thighs, over his cock, and to his belly.
I hook my fingers into the waistband of his boxer briefs and slowly pull them down.
When his cock breaks free of the fabric, I’m right there with a kiss to his head.
I slide his boxers off and grasp his shaft, running my tongue around his head, giving light nips and sucks.
“Fuck, watching you with that lollipop, I knew you’d be good at this.”
“Mmm,” I say as I continue to tease and stroke him.
He sits up, widening his legs, running his hands through my hair.
“I’ve imagined you here, in between my legs, exactly like this.
” I look up at him, taking him deeper, and his mouth drops open, his eyes low-lidded.
“Fuck, étsi akeivós. Just like that.” His hips punch out slightly, and he reaches for my breast, squeezing and running his thumb over the lace.
I lean back on my knees and continue to play with him, flicking my tongue fast over his head before taking him deep to the back of my throat.
Rolling his balls lightly, I repeat the motion.
His cock is so hard in my hand, the power I feel is indescribable.
He moans again, low and guttural, and I say, “Ya know, you're this insanely attractive, larger-than-life football player, and here I am, just a nosey reporter.” He smiles as I stroke him quickly. “Yet, I’m about to bring you to your knees with just a few licks.”
“Think that’s all it’s going to take?”
“I know it.” I grasp him and take his entire length, bobbing up and down, quickly following behind my mouth with my hand, stroking, sucking, and pulling. His hands fist the blankets, and his hips move in rhythm with me.
“Fuck, you’re gonna make me come.” I continue to torture him, and he says, “Noelle, last warning.”
“Do it.” I look up at him as I take him to the back of my throat and stay there, my gag reflex threatening to appear as I feel him pulse.
He grips my hair tight, I relax my throat and let him fuck my mouth.
Within a moment, his back arches. He shouts, and his cock is rock hard as he comes.
I swallow what I can, spit and cum dripping from my mouth as he never takes his eyes off me.
He’s breathing heavily as he reaches for his T-shirt, handing it to me and helping me wipe my face. “I needed that.”
I giggle. “Me, too.”
He pulls me up next to him on the bed, cradling me and running his hands all over me. “But now it’s my turn. Where’s that push pop?”