by Taylor Hart
Anthony grinned, thinking his own father would approve of this chat, but it also concerned him. “I’m sorry you don’t think the best of me anymore.”
“I never said that.” When Anthony’s brow furrowed, Mr. Stone put up a hand. “I still remember you taking the heat for Bucky all those years ago.”
Anthony thought about the old foreman who worked for Mr. Stone. His face heated. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Mr. Stone let out a light laugh. “Yeah, you do. My prize-winning horse, Chaser, threw that shoe, and man, I was not happy about it. I must have ripped into poor Bucky something fierce, didn’t I?”
Still, Anthony didn’t say anything.
Mr. Stone sighed. “I know you said you’d been on old Chaser when it happened. I knew you were lying.”
Anthony hesitated. “If you thought I was lying, then why did you go along with it?”
A loud laugh burst from Mr. Stone’s lips. “Boy, you were bent on taking the heat.”
Anthony thought of all the stalls he mucked out for his punishment, and then he laughed. “Well, you sure made the price of the shoe pretty high.”
Mr. Stone chuckled. Then his eyes grew serious. “Everything has a price, boy. You just better make sure you’re willing to pay it.”
Their eyes met, and something passed between them. Trust. Reassurance.
Mr. Stone slipped out of the truck to walk back to the porch. Anthony backed up, keeping his attention divided between the old man and the road. All Anthony knew was that the old guy still had it.
Chapter 6
September 9 Alabama Wildcats vs Titans Titans
Titan Fans—first game coming! Hold on to your horses: Anthony Kincaid is on the roster after, what is rumored, much cajoling from his big brother Kade Kincaid whispering in owner James Knight’s ear.
Sure, Dallas is happy to have the Kincaid dynasty back together, but we want details! How come the details of Anthony’s recovery have been cloaked in mystery? Is Anthony okay? Can he do the job? Must be nice to have Zeus telling the mortals what to do from up on Olympus.
This reporter lies in wait hoping Anthony never has to prove himself as second-string, because I think Dallas will be much disappointed with the damaged goods we got.
Cassidy Stone
Anthony stared at Cassidy Stone’s article and cracked up. Dang, the woman had fangs. He thought of how beautiful and vulnerable she’d been a couple of months ago on her father’s porch. He hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind, nor that kiss out of his dreams.
Hey, at least she was paying attention to him. He continued reading the rest of the article, which speculated again about the fight between Rennen Bradley and Ace’s sister, Ariana Sanchez. Man, the press couldn’t get enough about those two. And, wait, stop the presses—was Hailey Knight, daughter of James Knight, dating cornerback Brady Giles? This was insane.
Putting his phone down, he thought about Cassidy, remembering when they were sixteen and riding horses together, holding hands. It was dumb, to hold hands while riding horses, but he distinctly remembered how much he couldn’t get enough of her. They both wanted to wait for anything too physical, so he took the holding hands and stolen kisses as much as possible.
Again, he thought about all the dreams he’d been having about her. It was stupid, but he was actually glad she’d bludgeoned him in the press; it proved she couldn’t stop thinking about him, too. Her father had been right: a woman scorned … what was that saying? Hell hath no fury …
Ignoring the texts and calls from his brother and his father, Anthony went back to the article and thought about driving out to the ranch to see her. The past month he’d been obsessively reading all the articles she’d written in Florida covering all the elite athletes. Truth be told, she’d been spot on about some of the defensive issues she’d spotted in regards to Sam Dumont and the way he threw the ball for the Miami Surf.
He heard someone bang at his back door, then heard his brother yelling, “Anthony!”
Anthony cringed. The bad part about living next to his brother was that he couldn’t really hide. “Yeah!” he called back, coming out of his office and looking down over the loft stairs.
Kade stood in the open area next to the kitchen. “What does Cassidy think she’s doing?”
Anthony shook his head and rushed down the stairs, bypassing Kade in the kitchen and going straight to the cupboard to pull out a glass and fill it. He’d spent all morning doing drills and he was thirsty. “I have no idea.” He drank deeply.
Kade moved to the barstool in the kitchen and sat. He looked like he’d been training all morning too, still in his gym shorts, tennis shoes, and T-shirt. “You said you apologized, right?”
He nodded.
“Dude, what’s her problem?” Kade glowered. “You apologized, right?”
Anthony stared out of the window at the pool in his yard and thought about what her father had said that night. “Tone-deaf.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Kade let out a long breath. “We don’t need this kind of press about you before the first game. You know that.”
Anthony grimaced. He was well aware of it. “You’re starting to sound like Dad.”
Kade scowled at him. “That’s not fair.”
It wasn’t fair, but it was true. Anthony sighed. “The only reason the Titans took me on is because they never expect me to play.” He gestured to him. “They have Zeus, and frankly, it’s only a matter of time before they find out the truth about rehab.”
Kade stood, shaking his head. “No, no one needs to know that crap. The truth is, you dealt with a lot of stuff. It’s fine. Life is messy. That doesn’t affect the fact you still got it. Just because it’s been a rough re-entry doesn’t mean you can’t play the game.”
“You don’t have to patronize me. I know I can still play the game. If I just hadn’t gotten messed up …”
Kade pointed at him accusingly. “You took care of business and you’ve been fine, right?”
“Yes, you know I’ve been fine.” Truthfully, he really didn’t blame his brother for asking. Once an addict, always an addict.
“Don’t even let this get in your head, okay? Don’t worry about the press. They don’t need to know about everything. It’s over, it doesn’t affect anything now.”
Anthony did not need his older brother fighting all his battles, but it was nice to have his support. “Thank you.”
Kade cocked an eyebrow. “Felicity is ticked for you. Believe me, living with a pregnant wife is like walking around with a grenade with a pulled pin. Living with a pissed-off pregnant wife is like a nuclear bomb with no cancellation codes.”
Anthony snorted at the analogy.
“You think I’m kidding. She takes her role as your sister very seriously and she will mama-bear scratch the eyes out of anybody who messes with you.”
Anthony warmed, not bothering to hiding his smile. He and Felicity got along better than he ever imagined, and he was happy she and Kade were so in love and things had worked out so well for them. She would have the first Kincaid grandchild, and he was excited, too. “Tell her to work it out on the piano.”
Kade barked a laugh. “Hey, that’s good advice for you, too. I better get back to her, but don’t ignore me. And don’t be ignoring Dad, or you know he’ll helicopter across the city to annoy us the rest of the day.”
Cursing under his breath, Anthony picked up his phone and replied to his father’s text. ‘It’s fine, Dad, I have it under control.’
He fired back with, ‘You better.’
Rushing up to the shower, he thought about trying to talk to her, again. The past month he’d wanted to try again, but he didn’t know what to do say or what to do. He’d been totally consumed in football, so there was that.
Once he’d showered, he sat at his baby grand and let himself get lost in the music. At least he had the piano. It was something a lot of people didn’t know about him, this love
of the piano. It was something that he’d also had in common with Felicity. They’d spent hours together doing mash-ups.
His mother had tried to teach both Anthony and Kade, but only Anthony taken to it easily. In truth, he loved composing, too. One of his best friends he’d grown up with was Kent Sloane, country music singer in Texas Waters’s band, and they would get together and write. Sloane had more of a knack for it, but he always showed up at Anthony’s house when he was stuck.
Cassidy’s face flashed through his mind. Everything was complicated when he thought of Cassidy. Yeah, that article ticked him off, but the worst part of it all was that it was true.
Anthony moved into some classical Mozart. He reminisced on playing at his father’s house with Cassidy at his side. When she’d smelled like that cheap perfume with the exclamation point she always put on. He had loved it, too. She would doodle on her notebook as he played for long summer hours, or she would write and then tell him about her characters and what they were doing. He thought it was fascinating how she would come up with these characters in her mind and they would have these full conversations.
He’d missed spending time in her worlds.
Finishing the song, he felt refreshed. He looked at the time on his phone. Almost three. It was an anomaly he didn’t have two-a-day practices today. He decided to face the demon. He would head out to the Stone Ranch and straight back to face Cassidy’s father’s shotgun.
His phone buzzed and he saw it was James Knight calling, so he answered it.
“Glad I caught you. Look, I need you and Kade to come talk to me.”
Anthony’s nerves buzzed. “Okay. May I ask why?”
“No, just get down to the stadium.”
“It’s fine,” Kade said as they walked into the stadium and got onto the elevator leading to Mr. Knight’s offices. “No one knows anything, so don’t worry.”
Anthony grimaced. “You’re making it worse.”
As they got to Mr. Knight’s office, Kade swore under his breath. His father and his agent, Austin Burke, sat on the couches inside.
Anthony’s adrenaline spiked. Mr. Knight knew. Somehow he’d found out about the pills, and now he had reason to cancel Anthony’s contract.
“Take a seat, boys, we need to talk.” Mr. Knight nodded glumly at them.
Both of them sat. Their father, John Kincaid, leaning back in his seat, cowboy buckle bright, five-gallon hat on, looked like every bit the oil tycoon he was. “Boys,” he said with a cocked eyebrow.
Anthony wasn’t surprised his father was there. His agent, who was also Kade’s agent, would have called him, too.
Mr. Knight let out a long sigh and got up to close his door. “Gentleman, it has come to my attention that Anthony may have been addicted to pain pills and was ‘treated,’” he said, making air quotes, “at a facility last year.”
Anthony could barely breathe. No, no, no. James Knight could get rid of him, waive him on the spot if he wanted to.
Mr. Knight continued. “Obviously, I’m not happy I wasn’t informed about this.”
“How did you find out?” Kade smashed a hand onto the coffee table in front of them.
Austin put out his hand. “I thought I’d contained it, but the PA told Mr. Knight.”
Mr. Knight turned red and he glared at Austin, Anthony, then John Kincaid. “This is my team, boys, and I’ll not have mischief going on in my house without me knowing.” His voice was rough and loud. If he were a cartoon character, smoke would be coming out of his ears.
Anthony froze, paralyzed by what this could mean for himself and the impact it could have on his brother. If Mr. Knight was ticked, he could pull Kade from first-string. It would be stupid of him, but he could do it. He’d been known to do erratic things if someone ticked him off.
Anthony was quick to the draw. “This is on me. Cut me loose, and I’ll say I’m still injured,” Anthony said, without caring about the ramifications. He would not mess with Kade’s success.
Kade blanched. “Oh no you won’t.” He stood, looking ready to pound someone. “If he goes, I go.” He turned to Mr. Knight. “And where does that leave the Titans?”
At this moment Anthony thought Kade looked akin to a Greek god, and no one was going to tell him what to do.
“Simmer down.” His father was on his feet, making a calming gesture. “We have a plan, boys. It’s okay.”
Mr. Knight glared at all of them, but then blew out a breath. “I’ll not be dictated to by the Kincaid dynasty.” He pounded his desk.
Anthony worried a war would break out. He stood, putting a hand on Kade’s shoulder. “Kade, let’s listen.” They were at Mr. Knight’s mercy. He owned the team, he pulled the strings.
Their father nodded at both of them. “Sit, boys. We’ll work this out.”
Kade hesitated to sit, looking like he would take off James Knight’s head at the moment. Anthony willed him not to make things worse. He knew his brother was just being protective. Frankly, he would feel the same way if someone was coming after Kade. Under no circumstance would he let Kade take the fall for his mistakes.
A devious look filled Mr. Knight’s face. “Sit, Kade.” He was making it clear he was the alpha.
Kade glared at him, but sat.
Mr. Knight let out a long breath, then continued. “As your father and I spoke, it makes sense there’s talk about Anthony. With all of his injuries and the fact there has been no article on him, people are going to talk.” His lips pinched like he’d eaten salt, and he looked at Anthony. “We haven’t been transparent about your injury. Or your recovery.” With a swallow, he steepled his fingers. “But no one has to know about your stint in rehab.”
The way Mr. Knight said it, made Anthony feel like he’d been in jail.
Mr. Knight turned to Anthony’s agent. “So we’re taking control of this story. We’re hiring our own people.” He cocked an eyebrow at the agent. “You got someone good, right?”
Anthony turned to Austin, who looked peaked. It was an agent’s worst nightmare, not to cover the tracks properly for his players. If the Kincaid’s pulled their business, it would not be good for him.
“We have one of the best exclusive writers already hired and ready to do this story tomorrow, sir,” Austin said. “This reporter did an exclusive on Roman Young last year. And Legend James.”
Mr. Knight seemed pleased by this. “Yes, I know those articles. They were good.”
His father nodded. “Yes, good, solid articles. We can control the story, and the narrative. It’s going to be fine.”
“Yes. It will.” Mr. Knight gave Kade a menacing look, then turned to Anthony. “So I’ll expect you putting on the dog and pony show starting tomorrow.”
Kade let out a puff of breath. “We’re good at that.” His comment directed at his father, who didn’t react.
Anthony’s heart raced and the words tumbled out. “I’m only doing the exclusive with Cassidy Stone.”
Mr. Knight hesitated, then let out a derisive laugh. “The woman who raked you over the coals in her latest article? The one who started this mess? No!”
It became clearer and clearer to Anthony that she had to be the one. For her, she’d mentioned she missed her work. For him, she wrote dang good articles. And for them, it was his chance, the break in the defense to put the ball down the field. She would be forced to see him. “It has to be her, or I’ll walk.”
His father chuckled, and Anthony didn’t know if he was laughing because he really wanted this too, or because he’d thought Anthony had lost his mind. “Son, no.”
“Yes,” Kade said. “I like it.”
Anthony continued, determination rushing his words. “She’s perfect, has known us forever, her background is focused on elite athletes.” He gave Mr. Knight a stern nod. “Plus, the press won’t be skeptical she’s in our back pocket; she just made her dissatisfaction plenty clear.”
Mr. Knight let out a large laugh, the kind of laugh only men who owned people’s fate had. He sm
acked the table and shook his head, turning to their father. “Your boy acts like it’s all lollipops and sunshine.”
His father cocked an eyebrow. “The girl loved him once.”
Mr. Knight looked intrigued. He leaned back in his chair, patting his stomach, clearly feeling more relaxed. “Oh man, this is living, isn’t it? Let the boy pay for his sins by keeping the truth from a past love.” He let out another laugh. “I actually like it.”
Anthony didn’t like this take on it at all.
Kade gave Anthony a knowing nod and turned to Mr. Knight. “I can work with this plan.”
Mr. Knight exhaled. “I like it.” He wagged a finger at Kade and Anthony. “But let me be clear on this: if things go sour on us, you both go down.”
The threat was real. It had that pit-of-your-stomach gut-punch kind of feel, and everyone in the room knew a man like Mr. Knight would keep his promise.
Worry coursed through Anthony. He didn’t want to ruin anything for his brother. He couldn’t. “It will be smooth sailing,” he promised, determined to make the article great … and keep the secret he needed to keep.
Chapter 7
Cassidy stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. No words could describe how surprised she’d been when Henry Wilks had called her and told her James Knight wanted her to do an exclusive on Anthony over the course of the next two weeks. Even stranger, she found herself agreeing to it.
There had been backlash from the article that had gone out today, and she’d been monitoring the comments online most of the day. It was interesting how many fans were concerned about Anthony’s injury and how it would potentially impact the team.
Nervous butterflies fluttered in her stomach. She’d been doing some minor research on him for the past two hours. She never imagined she’d be writing a sports exclusive on him. Mr. Wilks had told her all of her focus was to be on this exclusive, no more side articles. Which she found preferable.