Hard to Catch: A Bad Boy Sports Romance (The Beasts of Baseball Book 3)

by Alice Ward

  He waited for me to open the door, carried my bags inside, then left. I looked around the enormous apartment, in awe at the city view, and slightly intimidated by the lengths that Rhett had gone to impress me.

  A small recording device was placed on the coffee table with a note beside it that said, “Play me.” I picked it up, hit the play button, and sat down on the couch as Rhett’s voice began to sound through the tiny speakers.

  “Welcome, Katrina. I hope that your flight was smooth and that you find your accommodations acceptable. Please make yourself at home. My assistant has ensured that the place is fully stocked, but if you need anything else, you’ll find a company credit card to use in the envelope left on the coffee table. Also, the codes to the building, some quick notes for you to review about the players, and key points that will be discussed during our meeting are included. I look forward to speaking with you soon.”

  I was half expecting the last part of the message to include this message will self-destruct in 5, 4, 3, 2…

  I chuckled at my James Bond reference, lifted the envelope from the table and opened it to explore the contents promised to be inside. A credit card, sure enough with my name already imprinted on it, was inside. I pulled out the folded papers, opening them to find notes that Rhett had provided for my review. I’d already done my homework on the team, so I skimmed past the part where he advised me to review each player’s social media status. Some of these players were real wild men, badasses, and troublemakers. The Beasts were known for their players' shenanigans. Rhett seemed to flock toward the players with the roughest reputations. Yes, they were some of the best in the league, but with the best you usually got over-sized egos, quick tempers, and giant cravings for self-destruction. Rhett was looked at as a glorified babysitter; some called him naïve for thinking he could tame the players he pulled in. I looked at him as revolutionary. He didn’t fear the bad publicity but used it to his advantage. Let’s face it, without all the problems that Ace, Calvin, and Luke had created during the first two seasons, who would’ve even cared what was going on with this new team? He was smart. So, why did he want me to clean it all up?

  A loud buzz sounded inside the apartment as I packed my notes into my bag. “I’m waiting out front whenever you’re ready.” The voice belonged to my driver, but I wasn’t sure where it'd come from. I looked around the room, found an intercom near the front door, and hit the button below it to let him know I was on my way down.

  I was nervous as we pulled up to the enormous stadium. The driver escorted me through the large building to a private elevator to which I didn’t have a key. Once the doors opened, he motioned for me to exit, and hit the button to close the doors without stepping out with me. The floors were so shiny they created a glare. The long glass display case offered up the complete uniforms of all the players. “Miss Delaney.” I turned to find an attractive blonde standing before me.

  “Mr. Hamilton is expecting you,” she said graciously.

  I followed her through a set of thick wooden doors to a large office overlooking the city. The tall buildings, the Long Island Sound, and the view of the city made my heart race. It was breathtaking. Rhett Hamilton stood behind his large walnut desk. His dark hair slicked back from his face, his square chin widened with the curl of his lips, and as he walked around the desk to greet me with an open hand, I felt intimidation run through my veins. He was much more handsome than I remembered, and even more so than in any of his pictures. “So glad you made it,” he said as if I’d done him a favor.

  “Of course, thank you for inviting me,” I responded.

  His hands were smooth, as if they’d never seen a day’s worth of hard work in their life. He had a strong manly scent, a mixture of pine and musk as he stepped closer to me. The blonde disappeared from the office, closing the doors behind her. “Sit.” He motioned toward the chair in front of his desk.

  I took my seat, looked around the office at all the plaques, photos, and sports memorabilia. Not just the Beasts, but the Mets, Yankees, and even some from my dad’s old team, the Braves.

  “Did you get a chance to go over my notes?” he asked, sitting back down behind his regal desk.

  “Yes. I’d already done the research on the team though,” I noted to show my professionalism and enthusiasm.

  He chuckled. “I figured.”

  “Do you have any questions for me before I dive into what I need from you?” he asked.

  “Yes. Why do you want the image cleaned up? Isn’t the publicity from the players what drove the spotlight onto your team?”

  He leaned back into his tall leather seat, his hands clamped together behind his head, and a smile curled on his lips. “You see, this is why I wanted you. You’re smart.”

  “So, you don’t want them cleaned up?”

  “This is where it gets tricky. I need a good image for my players, one that the fans can respect. But, their bad boy mentality is what keeps the fans interested, so there’s a fine line I don’t want to cross.”

  “What do you need me to do?” I asked, still confused on why I was here.

  He leaned forward, placed his elbows on the desk and gazed at me with an intense stare. “You know baseball. Hell, you were raised by one of the best players in the league, and a bad boy in his own right, I’d like to add. You wouldn’t change what makes your father who he is, but wouldn’t it be nice to create a smooth edge that allowed everyone to see what you see?” he asked.

  I was stuck on the not changing what makes my father who he is. That part, I didn’t entirely agree with. But, I did understand what he was trying to do. Many people looked at my dad as a hot head, but he was really a teddy bear. It was passion that drove him to go face to face with the umpires, passion that created the fights with other players on the field. “Okay. I think I understand what you’re trying to accomplish.”

  His grin widened, and his eyes softened as he leaned back into his chair. “Good.”

  “My players' publicity, good or bad is what got us where we are. But, now it’s time to create good PR without taming the Beasts too much. So, rein them in as much as possible without killing their spirits. For everything they do to create bad publicity, coat it with ten great things to create positive publicity.” His words sounded rational in my head, but implementing what he set out for was going to be tough, maybe even impossible.

  “I can do that,” I said confidently.

  “Does that mean you’re in?” he asked.

  There was no discussion of salary, wage, or workload. Normally I wouldn’t have cared, but now it was all that mattered. Whether or not I could do the job he wanted was irrelevant to what he was going to pay me to try. “I’d like a bit more information on my position,” I said, hoping that was enough to encourage the discussion of money. Rhett Hamilton was a business man, so he had to respect that I needed the details before signing. But he was used to getting what he wanted, that was obvious. His demeanor was cocky but kind. He was the man who spit out what he wanted and had three dozen people at his feet vowing to make it happen, no questions asked. I didn’t have that benefit anymore, thanks to my daddy. I needed details. I couldn’t afford to move to a new city for another unpaid internship.

  His smile faded as his expression turned serious. He grabbed a pen, scribbled on a piece of paper, and pushed it in my direction. “The apartment you’re in now will remain available to you for three months, until you can find a place of your own. Of course the company card is yours to use for anything you need relating to the position, and this is what the position offers,” he said, lifting his hand from the white paper.

  I slid it from the desk, looked at the generous salary with more zeros than expected, and tried not to show too much enthusiasm as I looked back up at Rhett. “And the position responsibilities?” I asked, clearing my throat to eliminate the cracks in my voice.

  “That is where Lana will have to take over. You will be answering to me, no matter what she tells you. Not everyone likes my plan to keep t
he bad boy image, so you’d be my inside girl, so to speak. You would be expected to interact with players, coordinate charity events, update social media pages, and of course, keep a close eye on all the press surrounding the team and each player individually.”

  Overwhelmed with emotion I was trying to force back, I simply nodded.

  “Do we have a deal?” he asked, standing to extend his hand to me one last time.

  I was excited; ecstatic really. Of course we had a deal. “I look forward to the challenge,” I said, reaching out for his hand. “Thank you for this incredible opportunity.”

  He shook my hand, then pushed a button on his desk. “I want you to meet Lana. She will fill you in on everything you need to know.”

  Seconds later, a tall woman with fire red hair spiked atop her head entered the office. She wore cat-eye glasses with a gold chain, bright red lipstick, and a pants suit that looked manly and unflattering on her thin frame. “Lana Lawson, PR and Marketing Director for the Beasts,” she said with authority. Her hand extended to me with a stiff arm. I wondered if her face had ever smiled.

  “Katrina Delaney,” I responded, taking her hand for a formal introduction.

  “I want you to show Katrina the ropes. Give her access to everything and everyone. She is our new social media management lead for the team and the players.” Rhett gave her a stern look. It was evident she wasn’t pleased with her orders as her lips pursed tightly together and her grip on my hand tightened.

  “Of course.” Her mouth spread open in what appeared as an attempt to smile, showing more teeth than an angry Rottweiler.

  Lana was quick to escort me from the office alone, to get her shiny white teeth into me I was certain. “Everything you do goes through me first,” she barked. I smiled and nodded, knowing that Rhett had told me otherwise.

  “Set up your Google Alerts with the team name, all the players, and anything surrounding our brand.” I’d already done what she requested but simply nodded instead of trying to prove myself worthy in the moment. I walked fast to keep up with her long legs. Her high heels made a vicious sound on the hard floor, and her long, manicured nails snapped hard against her phone as she tapped with a vengeance at the screen. “Why Rhett has given you such access to the venue, I have no idea. But be careful where you tread, this isn’t a local radio station that can handle a few mistakes. This is major league baseball, the Beasts, a New York team, a new team; it takes precision, dedication, and patience to get it right. So you do nothing without my approval, got it?” she said in a professional but cold tone, hitting the down button on the elevator with her long red dagger.

  She’d done her homework on me obviously. Her ego was huge, which made her more intimidating than Rhett had been. Was I cut out for this?

  “We’ll start with a quick tour. The guys are practicing now, but Rhett will introduce you once they’re done for the day.” She marched from the elevator and down the long, winding corridor.

  The stadium was impressive as we emerged into the open-air fan area. The concession stands, fan stores, and bar areas all lined the cobblestone walkway with city-scape fronts. It felt like walking down the streets of New York City. She pushed through two large red doors to the seating area, pointing out the various skyboxes positioned above. “That one is ours to use,” she said, pointing to the one directly above the home plate.

  It felt good to be back in a stadium. Pleasure rushed through me as I remembered what it felt like when my dad was a player. “Okay, let’s go check on the players.” She moved quickly, rushing me out of the doors so she could secure them again.

  She handed me a card with a magnetic strip on the back and my picture on the front. “This will get you anywhere in the building,” she said. “Only use it for areas I approve.”

  I struggled to keep up with her as we walked back toward a private elevator. It took us down to the lower level. Once the doors opened, I realized we were in the indoor practice arena. The chatter of the players, the sound of the balls shooting from the machines, and the clank of the bats slamming into the leather brought back so many good memories. The players acted oblivious to our presence, all continuing their practice without so much as batting an eye in our direction. I had them all memorized in my head, their numbers, their faces, and their social media histories.

  Ace Newman leaned against the wall, watching Kane Steele in the batting cage. His social media presence had been the most lengthy to remember, most of which was not good. I admired him for cleaning up his act though; to me, that took more strength than anything.

  “They’ll be heading to Florida in a few days, first the pitchers and catchers, then the rest,” she explained to me as if I didn’t already know. If she’d done her homework, she’d know I was Bobby Delaney’s daughter, and baseball scheduling was something I had flowing through my veins. I nodded, smiled, and pretended to soak in her every word.

  “Practice is about over, so we’ll meet Rhett in the locker rooms,” she said, turning quickly back toward the elevators.

  I took in the beauty of the players one last time before turning to go back up with Lana. As a girl, I’d neglected to appreciate the toned, hard bodies of the players, but as a woman, I was appreciative, very appreciative.

  “Holy shit,” I exclaimed before I could stop myself after we stepped through the double doors.

  Lana shot me a glare for my outburst. “Not your typical locker rooms.” She appeared momentarily amused by my reaction.

  The large room offered up wide-screen televisions on every wall, leather seats in front of each locker, a large sectional in the center of the room, and various seating options with drink stations, snacks, fresh fruit, and even a sushi bar. It was amazing.

  “There is a movie room to the left, a full therapeutic service area in the back, and a heated pool on the right.” Lana spoke with trained enthusiasm. Seriously, a pool?

  “Rhett didn’t skimp on the locker room luxuries, did he?” I asked, still in awe of the design.

  “Mr. Hamilton didn’t skimp on anything,” she hissed, making it clear she didn’t like me calling him Rhett.

  “Did you get the full tour?” Rhett asked, sneaking up behind us.

  “Yes. This place is impressive, to say the least,” I replied.

  He smiled with pride as he looked around the room. “Yes. I wanted only the best for the Beasts.”

  As he mentioned the team name, the chatter was growing louder as they neared the locker room entrance. They pushed through, some acknowledging Rhett, others continuing their banter as they headed to their personal space.

  Practice uniforms were quickly stripped from their hard bodies, leaving me breathless as I took in their chiseled abs and rolling shoulders. “Hey, ladies, keep it PG. I have someone I’d like you to meet,” Rhett announced loudly.

  The room grew quiet as all eyes pierced me like needles. My nerves were already rattled from the sexiness that oozed from many of the players. The scent of masculinity had brought my nipples close to the material of my thin blouse, and the humidity from testosterone in the air was beginning to dampen my panties.

  “This is Katrina Delaney, your new social media manager. She will be responsible for making you morons look good, especially those of you who have a tendency to make yourselves look bad on a regular,” Rhett said loudly but playfully.

  “Delaney, any relation?” Ace Newman called out.

  His eyes were so blue they about melted me upon contact. It was obvious now why Holly stood by his side through his addiction. He may have been one of the older players on the team, but he was still one of the sexiest.

  “Yes, Bobby ‘Spaceman’ Delaney is her father, so she knows a thing or two about dealing with a badass.”

  I didn’t even have to look to know Lana’s eyes rolled at Rhett’s words. I could feel them go up in her head.

  “How is your old man?” Blake Osborne called out. I recognized him from my dad’s old team. He was getting up there in age as well, but he still looked goo
d.

  “He’s doing well,” I lied.

  “Don’t we have enough babysitters?” The question pulled my attention to Todd Morris, notorious bad boy of the Mets. I hadn’t seen his name on the roster. This must’ve been a recent acquisition. Why would the Mets give up Morris? He was one of the best catchers in the league.

  His dark skin set off the deep blue eyes that narrowed like a cat’s. No… a tiger’s. His uniform already stripped off from the waist up gave me a spectacular view of his chiseled chest, rolling abs, and rounded shoulders. Holy shit, he was perfect!

  “Some of you need as many babysitters as I can afford,” Rhett barked back with a chuckle.

  Morris kept his eyes on me as Rhett continued to explain my position on the team. From the corner of my eye, I peeked at his high cheek bones, the light stubble that surrounded his full lips, and tried my best not to become weak-kneed from his attentions. I’d done my homework on everyone else, but not Morris. He was mysterious, sexy, and from the way he looked at me… trouble.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Todd

  I’d met Lana briefly upon signing on with the Beasts. She was a tough cookie, and Rhett warned me not to piss her off. Even though he chuckled when he spoke, I knew he was serious. I planned on doing my best to stay out of her way, but this new girl, there was nothing about her that scared me. Intrigued me, excited me, yes. Scared, no.

  Bobby "Spaceman" Delaney’s daughter. Wow, she was a looker. She looked young, and her demeanor was nervous. A slight hint of pain washed over her expression when her dad was mentioned, something I didn’t think anyone else noticed. I did.

  Her petite frame stood stiff, tense next to Lana, who was more comfortable in the men’s locker room than I was at the moment.

  My eyes lingered on her delicate hand as it pulled at the long strand of blonde hair falling from her loose bun.

  Ace was throwing out questions about Spaceman, and Katrina was cringing as Rhett answered each one of them that was directed to her.