Текст книги "Gold"

Автор книги: K. A. Linde

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 22 (всего у книги 26 страниц)

He pulled her into a hug. The adrenaline was wearing off, and she felt really tired again. She had to be up soon to get ready for the game, but she still felt exhausted.

“I guess Pace didn’t do anything bad this time around.”

“Maybe he’s learned his lesson,” Eric said, but he didn’t sound like he believed it. “Go on back upstairs, and get some rest. I’ll see you at the game.”

He kissed her long and hard. Each kiss had a hint of desperation. It was like they both wanted to ensure that if this was the last kiss they ever had, it would be perfect.

Bryna scurried out of Eric’s room and went upstairs to get a little bit more sleep. Pace was gone when she arrived, and she was thankful that it was just she and Stacia.

When they woke up and were getting ready for the game, Stacia glanced over at her and asked, “Everything okay last night?”

“Yeah. Surprisingly.”

Stacia smiled bright. “See? We both were just having a good time. Nothing to worry about.”

Bryna relaxed and tried to believe Stacia. “I hope you’re right.”

They were driven over to the field early that morning. It was a noon game, and the sun was bright overhead. This game was important if they wanted to make it to another conference championship. They had already lost to Oregon earlier this season at home.

Nothing seemed to go as planned, not a single thing in the game. Bryna had never watched so many things go wrong in one game. It was like watching a live update of her love life over the past year. Injuries, bad calls, dropped balls, missed field goals. Everything that could happen, happened.

There it was. The final score. Loss.

They had lost to Colorado.

It was a crushing blow. After an undefeated season last year, no one was prepared for two losses so early in the year.

The team left the field with heavy hearts. The Colorado fans were cheering loudly in the stands. They had all stayed to watch last year’s national champions be brought low.

Eric came up beside her but didn’t say anything. She knew they were both frustrated with what had happened.

Stacia was in front of them, trying to console Pace. His objections to Marshall were getting louder and louder and drawing attention. The last thing they needed was for a camera to catch what he was saying.

“None of this shit would have happened if they’d put me in as quarterback. Marshall fucked up this game. He lost it for us,” he spat viciously.

“We can’t change it now,” Stacia said.

“We can change the fucking coaching staff being up Marshall’s ass. He’s not Blaine. He’s not going first round at the draft. Figure your shit out and work it out. Put me in instead.”

Stacia opened her mouth to say something more, but Eric lost it.

He grabbed Pace by the collar and threw him up against the cement wall. “Shut your fucking mouth.”

Bryna’s eyes bugged out, and she glanced around to see if any media were in the tunnel. It looked clear, but fuck, they could get in so much trouble.

“Get off me!” Pace growled.

They were nearly an even match. Eric had about an inch on Pace, but Pace was still in pads, so he looked bigger than Eric at the moment.

“You’re a worthless piece of shit. If I had it my way, the coaching staff would never put you in as quarterback. You have to prove yourself before you get playing time, and you don’t fucking deserve it after what you did.”

Bryna grabbed Eric’s arm and tried to pull him back. “Eric, stop! What if someone sees? Stop it!”

Stacia tried to get between them. “Eric, let him go now.”

Eric pushed off the wall and took a step away from Pace, but they were in a standoff.

“I don’t know what the fuck you think I did, but you and I both know I deserve playing time over Marshall.”

“I don’t believe that at all.”

Pace laughed. He looked between Eric and Bryna. “Have you been listening to Bryna? Is all of this because you’re banging my sister? So has everyone else, Eric.”

It happened so fast. Bryna hadn’t even seen it coming. Eric swung and punched Pace right in the face. They were on top of each other in an instant. Bryna and Stacia desperately tried to get between them, but when two giant football players over six feet tall want to fight, there was nothing they could do to stop them. A few of the other guys rushed over and tore them apart. Marshall was one of them.

He grabbed Eric and hauled him away. “What the fuck, E?” Marshall asked.

“He’s pissed because he’s banging my sister and listening to her drivel,” Pace said. He was holding his face. Blood was pouring out of his nose, and it looked like he had a busted eyebrow.

Eric seemed perfectly okay. He had gotten the jump on Pace.

“You got her fucking attacked, you fucking asshole!” Eric yelled at Pace.

“What are you talking about?” Pace asked. His eyes landed on Bryna.

“After what you said to Cam, he physically attacked Bryna.”

“What did you tell Cam?” Stacia asked. Her voice was suddenly flat.

“The truth,” Pace spat. He was still so riled up that he hadn’t heard the warning in Stacia’s voice. “That Bryna is a slut and fucks around and likes to play games with people.”

Stacia glared at him. “You went behind my back and behind her back to tell Cam that shit? He almost raped her!” she cried.

“What?” Pace asked, shocked. He turned to Bryna. “Seriously?”

“Yeah,” Bryna whispered. Great. Now all of her dirty laundry had been aired to the football team.

“I never believed her when she said you fucked with her life on purpose,” Stacia said. “Now, I get it. I don’t understand it, but I get it. I can’t be a part of that. You hurt my best friend.”

“Stacia, I didn’t know he would do that.”

“And you didn’t care!” she yelled back. “Then, you won’t care as I walk away.”

Bryna stared on in amazement as Stacia turned and left. Pace looked stunned.

“I didn’t know,” he said to Bryna.

“Too little, too late,” she said.

Then, she jogged after Stacia and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She released the tiniest of sobs that Bryna knew was sure to turn into a waterfall once it really hit her that she had lost her quarterback.

THE NEXT WEEKEND, the team won a stunning victory at home. It was Halloween, and the annual Slutfest party was being thrown at a house the cheerleading captain, Lauren, had rented for the event. It was one of the biggest events of the year, and people had been talking about it all week. Lauren had promised that she was going all out this year, bigger and better than ever before. Reportedly half of the student population had been invited.

“I don’t want to go,” Stacia said.

“You need to get out and stop moping around about Pace,” Trihn said.

“I’m not moping. I’m mourning.”

“You’re not mourning. Nothing died!” Trihn reminded her.

“It feels like it.”

“It’ll be fine,” Bryna said. She finished applying fire-red lipstick and then turned to her friends. “The party will be so big that you won’t even see him. All right?”

“What if I want to?”

“You don’t,” Trihn said. “He’s an ass. Think about what he did.”

“I know,” she murmured. “But…this sucks.”

Stacia had been like this all week. She’d cried herself to sleep every night, and Bryna had seen that she had a dozen missed calls from Pace on her phone. She felt bad for Stacia. She hated seeing her friend in pain, but she was glad Stacia had taken the blinders off. He wasn’t a good person. Stacia needed to drop him from his pedestal, preferably on his head.

“You’re going. That’s the end of it,” Bryna said, putting her foot down. “Now, I’m going to head over to Eric’s. I’ll meet you guys there.”

Stacia’s bottom lip popped out. “Have fun with your football player.”

“Eric doesn’t play football anymore. He isn’t defined by what he does. He’s defined by the kind of person he is. He is good and kind and valuable without the title,” Bryna said. “That is the kind of person you deserve, too.”

Trihn and Stacia stared at her in shock. A year ago, she would never have said anything like that. In fact, she would have laughed at someone who had said that to her. A lot had changed in a year.

She smiled at her friends and then exited the apartment.

She was in an excellent mood by the time she arrived at Eric’s house. This was their official coming-out party. She liked to call it that, considering their history. After the blowup at the game last weekend, everyone had found out they were dating, but they still hadn’t really been seen together as a couple yet. Tonight was the night.

She walked into Eric’s house, unannounced, and found him lounging in the living room, watching The Avengers.

“You’re not dressed up,” she said. She placed her hands on her hips.

They had both agreed to dress up.

His eyes crawled over her body, and his jaw dropped. She appreciated the look as she had gone all out in a bright red devil costume, including a red corset, boy shorts, and garter with mile-high heels, horns, and a tail.

“You didn’t either,” he joked.

“You’re hilarious.”

“Queen Bee is out to play tonight.” He hopped off the couch and straight toward her.

He moved in for a kiss, and she darted out of the way.

“Lipstick.”

He laughed. “All right. I don’t have to kiss those lips then.” He kissed down her throat while his hands grabbed her ass.

“Dear God, we’re never going to make it out of this house, are we?” she asked.

He met her gaze. “Do you want to? I’m not going to be able to keep my hands off of you all night as it is.”

“I think this will be fun to witness,” she teased. “Now, what the hell are you wearing anyway?”

“I’m Coach Galloway.” He pointed at the name on his shirt.

She glared at him. “You stole one of his shirts and are basically going as yourself? That’s not dressing up, Cowboy.”

“All right. I hate dressing up, but you look hot.”

“Jerk.”

He looked her up and down and seemed to be considering something. “I do have a great idea for a costume.”

“What’s that?”

“How about you be the devil on my shoulder?”

He scooped her up before she had a chance to realize what he’d said, and he effortlessly hoisted her onto his shoulder.

“Oh my God, Eric, put me down. Right now! What the hell is wrong with you?” But she was laughing.

“Come on, Hollywood. Devil on my shoulder.” He adjusted the weight so that one arm was holding both of her legs to keep her from moving.

“I get the joke! Now, put me down.”

“I don’t know about that.” He playfully smacked her ass. “I have a pretty awesome view right now.”

“I’m going to kill you.”

“I don’t think you’re exactly in a position to say that,” he teased.

“You just wait.”

He laughed and righted her once more. “You’re so feisty.”

“Damn right I am,” she snapped.

He grabbed her face, and ignoring her protest about the lipstick, he kissed her long and hard. The world slipped away, and she remembered all too well why she and Eric were a perfect match.

He released her and wiped his mouth off with a laugh. “You were right about the lipstick.”

She leaned into him. “I can think of a time you would want it on you.”

“Oh, yeah?” he asked, intrigued.

“When it makes a circle around your cock.” She winked.

“How about we skip the party, and you show me exactly what you mean?”

Bryna giggled again. “You can’t get out of going out with me, but I promise to be a very bad girl later.”

Eric drove them over to the Slutfest party in his Jeep with the promise to stay sober enough to drive them home. Lauren had ensured everyone that there were a ton of rooms for her friends to stay the night if they got drunk, but neither of them wanted to do that when they had a big comfortable bed at Eric’s house.

True to Lauren’s word, the house was already slammed with people when they arrived. They fought their way through the crowd. A couple of kegs were out back, and there were coolers full of Hunch Punch. Eric scooped Bryna out a glass and grabbed a beer for himself before they ventured back inside to find their friends.

Music was blaring from the surround-sound speakers. Bryna caught the eye of the DJ, and he waved. It was the guy from the radio station that she had used for her party last semester. She thought his name was Damon or Damien or something. She waved back before leaving that room behind.

They ran right into Stacia and Trihn as they entered the house.

“There you are!” Bryna cried.

Stacia looked hot in a slutty referee costume, but Trihn had surprised them all with her outfit. She had gone all out in a cheerleading uniform. She was wearing Stacia’s black-and-gold Gamblers top and a tiny little skirt with plain white shoes. Her ombre hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, and a huge gold-and-silver bow took over her head. She looked gorgeous. It was also crazy to see Trihn in a cheerleading uniform. She was model tall and filled out the uniform like a champ, but it was so not her normal edgy look.

Eric even laughed when he saw her. “I get it,” he joked.

Trihn shrugged and uncertainly looked back at Neal. Bryna knew that Trihn and Neal had had another argument about the party. She was sure that he wasn’t pleased that, on top of the party, he also had to deal with her looking like a cheerleader. Bryna truly thought it was only a matter of days before Neal would be kicked to the curb, but Trihn had insisted that this was the only problem in their relationship.

“What are you dressed up as?” Bryna asked Neal.

His eyes met hers with disdain, and Bryna plastered a fake smile on her face.

“I don’t dress up for Halloween,” he told her.

“Let me guess. It’s supposed to be a sacred night for the dead to walk the earth again. All Hallows’ Eve and Dia de los Muertos and all that,” she said.

“No,” he said dryly. “It’s just dumb.”

“Did you have a childhood?” she asked. It was pretty sad when she was the one asking that question.

“Do you consider this childhood?”

“There’s candy.”

“Hey, man, I get it,” Eric said, breaking the tension. “I’m not dressed up either. It’s better to just have the women dress up anyway.”

Neal smiled at Eric, but Bryna wasn’t sure he agreed with that either.

“Why don’t we go get a drink?” Trihn suggested. She practically dragged Neal away from them.

“God, what a buzzkill,” Stacia said. “I mean, I’m sad, but he drains the life out of her.”

“And the rest of the room,” Bryna agreed.

“Oh, shit!” Stacia squeaked.

Bryna’s eyes followed hers, and she saw Pace walking into the room.

“Um…” Stacia mumbled. She grabbed the closest jock to her and ground her body on him.

Bryna wasn’t even sure she knew his name, not that it mattered.

Pace looked furious and stormed toward Stacia.

Bryna cut him off before he reached her. “No.”

“Get out of the way, Bri.”

“No. You need to let her be.”

Pace glared down at her. “Look, I didn’t know that shit with Cam was going to happen, and I fucking took care of it.”

“What do you mean, you took care of it?” Bryna asked in confusion.

“I returned the favor from Eric.” He pointed at his eye where the bruising was still healing from where Eric had punched him.

“You beat him up?”

“Roughed him up a bit.”

“Why?” she asked, confused.

“You drive me nuts, Bryna. Our family is fucked up. You put me through hell in high school. Being around you makes me want to tear my hair out, but…” He grumbled under his breath, looking away.

“Wait, what did you say?”

“You’re still technically my family, I guess, if only by marriage. I can fuck with you. No one else can fuck with you.”

Bryna stared up at him, perplexed. “You have a conscience?”

“Fuck no!” He glared down at her. “I just want you to talk to Stacia for me.”

“Are you kidding me?” Bryna asked. “After everything you’ve done, beating up Cam doesn’t change this shit. You threatened to come to school here if I didn’t sleep with you. You told Felicity about Jude. You plot to sabotage me over and over again when I have done nothing to you. You deserve what happened with Stacia, and you should stay away from her.”

He looked like he wanted to say more, but she turned and left. Eric gave her a questioning look, but she shook her head. He didn’t need to fight her battles for her.

Stacia seemed fine now that she was occupied.

Bryna downed the rest of her drink in a hurry. “Let’s go get another.”

When she threw back the second one just as fast, Eric got worried. “Maybe you should slow down.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t,” she said, pressing herself against him.

“You play dirty.” He ran his hands down her sides. “I want to get you out of this costume. People have seen us together. Can we leave now?”

She giggled and took another sip of her drink. “Maybe.”

“Eric!” Andrew called from behind them.

Bryna turned around and saw him strolling over to them with Marshall, and a few of the other guys from the team in tow.

“Hey, man,” Eric said without his normal enthusiasm.

“Dude, so this is really happening?” Andrew gestured between Bryna and Eric.

“Yep,” she said confidently.

“He laid Pace out for her, so I would say so,” Marshall said. His smile was genuine as he shook Eric’s hand. “Happy for you, man.”

“Yeah, but I just don’t understand,” Andrew said. He swung his beer around, clearly tipsy.

“Let it go, Andrew,” Marshall said.

“I mean, aren’t you all wondering how they’re actually dating when Bryna just likes to fuck?” Andrew asked.

Bryna’s eyes darkened. She was truly the devil in that instant. “You’re right, Andrew.” She held her hand up before Eric could barrel into his friend. “I do like to fuck. I just found someone better at it.”

“Oh,” all the guys said at once.

Andrew turned a deep shade of red at her comment. “Be ready for her to run scared, bro.”

Eric stepped forward. “I recommend that you leave. Bri is with me now. Anything else that you say about her will come back tenfold from me.”

“I mean…whatever, man. If you want my sloppy seconds…”

Bryna threw herself in between Eric and Andrew. “He is drunk and an idiot,” she reminded Eric. “Not to mention, jealous. Very unbelievably jealous. It is not worth your time or anger.”

Eric took a deep breath and then stepped back. “You’re right. Sober him up, and get him out of here.”

Eric grabbed her hand without a word and pulled her through the party. She finished off her third glass of Hunch Punch on the way up the stairs to the second floor. She was staggering from the booze as they veered toward an empty room.

He pulled her inside, shut the door, and locked it. “I think I want to find out what’s under that costume now.”

“You already know,” she said. She ran her hands down his front. “Don’t be upset about those guys. I know what my reputation was. It’s just me and you now, right?”

“Yes. I just want to kill everyone who talks about you like that,” he told her.

“You wouldn’t have a football team to coach. And who cares? I’m with you now.”

He smiled and kissed her all over again. He walked her backward toward the bed. She climbed up there, but he turned her around and bent her at the waist. He reached out and stroked her through the thin layer of material that covered her body. She heard his pants hit the floor, and then he was peeling back the boy shorts.

“I’ve been thinking about getting you out of this outfit all night,” he groaned.

The head touched her opening, and her body tightened in response.

“Take me then,” she told him.

And he did. He plunged inside her. From that angle, he hit her so deep, and she cried out. She hoped no one could hear her over the music, but she didn’t care.

Eric grabbed her with one hand on her shoulder and the other one on her hip, and then he pumped into her. It was exhilarating and wonderful. All the anger about what the guys had said fueled him. He drove into her over and over.

His fingers tangled into her hair, and he yanked her head backward. She moaned at the feel of it. God, I like it rough.

“God, I love when you moan and scream,” he said.

She moaned louder. He was delivering after all.

Their bodies were perfectly matched. She couldn’t stop herself. She released and felt her walls contracting around him. He grunted and jackknifed into her as he came viciously.

She lay there, panting for a minute, before cleaning up in the adjacent bathroom. Her hair was a hot mess. She finger-combed it, but anyone looking at her would know that someone had been pulling it. But she didn’t care at this point.

She turned to find Eric all put back together. The anger from earlier had dissipated. He looked euphoric.

“Want to get out of here?” he asked.

Bryna laughed. “We haven’t been here that long.”

“But I’m thinking of taking all those clothes off again already, and I’m not sure I’ll have the patience to find another room.”

She was still high off of her orgasm and maybe a little more than tipsy. All the alcohol seemed to hit her at once, and she took an unsteady step forward.

“What was in those drinks?” she murmured.

“Everclear.”

“My whole body is woozy. I can’t feel my head.”

Eric looked frightened. “In a bad way?”

“In a drunk way.” She bumped into him. “I want to dance!”

He laughed. “Okay, but no more drinks, crazy.”

She nodded her head, but she wasn’t sure if she was agreeing with him. Another drink didn’t sound that bad.

She took his hand, and he started down the stairs in front of her. She was watching her steps, so she wouldn’t slip in her heels when Eric stopped suddenly. Bryna fell into him and latched on to his arm to stay steady. Whoa! She was way drunker than she thought.

“Why’d you stop?” she slurred.

“Uh…let’s go this way.”

He tried to move her off to the right, but that was when Bryna saw what had stopped him short.

Audrey.