by Alice Ward
A smile spread across his face, his hand slapped my back. “Good.”
The black shuttle pulled up behind the other, opened its doors, and Luke pushed me toward it with his hand on my back. Inside, the set up was much different than the one we used daily to get back and forth from practice. Tables with booths lined each side, one large circular sofa curled at the back of the bus, and bright blue lights lined the walkway.
“A party bus?” I asked, grinning at Luke, who I knew was a notorious party boy.
“We’ve got a day off tomorrow.” He laughed, still grinning from ear to ear.
I sat down at the first table as some of the other players came aboard. Blake sat down beside me, Kane moved toward the back with Luke, and everyone else just spread out around us. “It was good to see ole Spaceman,” Blake said.
That name wasn’t one I wanted to hear. In fact, it sickened me. Fuck Spaceman, and his daughter.
Calvin popped his head in the door of our shuttle, grinning. “Have fun fellas,” he said.
“Malone… come with us,” Luke shouted from the back of the bus.
He shook his head, chuckled, and then disappeared. Ace jumped up the stairs, let out a roar, and the guys all went wild. “Wild man, let’s go start some shit!” Luke shouted.
“Oh no, boys. My days of partying like a fool are over. You all enjoy, and don’t do anything I’d do.” He laughed, mussed Blake’s hair, and then followed Calvin to the other shuttle.
They were both happy. Their girls were waiting on them, and I was being carted off to some bar, Lord only knows where, in a damn sausage mobile.
How could I’ve been so stupid? She was good, I’d give Katrina Delaney that much. My mind spiraled out of control, wondering how I didn’t see any of the signs. Of course she was broke. She didn’t have a car, ate cheap pizza, never paid for anything, and had no apartment in New York. Her dad was loaded and had several nice places around the city. Hell, Katrina Delaney wouldn’t stay in a player’s condo if she didn’t have to. She’d be at the Ritz, ordering up room service and enjoying the day spa. Yeah, it was official, I was a fuckin’ idiot.
Was she even afraid of heights? Maybe that was just a ploy to get my attention. It was no secret I was an adrenaline junkie, so what better way to get under my skin than to act like a frightened little girl who’d never experienced anything? Yeah, right. Bobby Delaney was a wild man. No way would he raise a kid that scared of life.
The shuttle stopped in front of a bar with rounded green shutters over the windows and door. It was a relief to get a drink in my hand, but the guys just wanted to talk about Spaceman’s visit. I ordered a shot, sat at the table with Luke and Kane, who seemed more interested in the bartender’s tits than Spaceman.
“How you like the team so far?” Kane asked, eyeing the bartender over my shoulder.
“I’m looking forward to kicking the Mets’ ass during regular play,” I said, lifting the shot to my lips. That first drink was rough, and it burned like hell going down. I knew the rest would be much smoother. I was lookin’ forward to that.
“Oh shit, babysitter alert,” Luke mumbled, motioning toward the door.
“At least she’s sweet to look at,” Kane said, a smile forming slowly on his face.
I didn’t want to turn around. I didn’t want to see her.
“Yeah, maybe she’ll spank me if I’m real, real bad.” Luke laughed.
My body tightened at the memory of her red bottom during our first night together. I shifted in my seat to adjust my jeans after my dick started to swell. Fuck her, it was all just a game.
“Todd, can I talk to you?” Katrina’s voice was soft and very close.
I didn’t turn around. I sipped my beer. “I’m busy.”
She walked in front of me, standing there with her big tender eyes, red cheeks, and pouty lips. God, she was beautiful.
“I just need to talk to you,” she said softly.
“So, talk.”
“Alone?” she whispered.
I laughed. Little miss perfect didn’t want to look stupid in front of the players. The players she was supposed to be making look good? Ha. How was she gonna spin this?
“Anything you need to say, you can say right here.”
She cleared her throat, shifted her weight to her left leg, and fidgeted with her hands. I wasn’t budging, no matter how fuckin’ cute and irresistible she was.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about my dad,” she said sternly.
The table was already quieting with her presence, but now, it was silent. She stood there, nervous. Her voice was cracking as she cleared her throat.
“You mean lied. You lied to me about your dad. And you.”
The guys were staring, Kane especially. It was obvious this wasn’t work related. He winked at me over his bottle as he tipped it to take a sip. I was shocked that Katrina was outing herself in front of the players. Wasn’t she worried about her job? I knew how much she needed it now.
“I didn’t officially lie. My parents didn’t want their misfortune in the media. They didn’t want anyone to know,” she said as her eyes began to well up with tears. “He lost everything. My dad is a great man, but he’s an idiot when it comes to gambling. Always the next big payout, that’s how he lived, what he lived for. He lost it all, but it wasn’t my secret to tell,” she stammered as she gathered herself.
The woman who strived to appear perfect, who worked to hide any imperfections, not only in herself but others as well, stood here, imperfect, bearing it all freely. My heart ached for her. I wanted to reach out and hug her, pull her into me and kiss her soft lips. I needed to wipe away her tears from those beautiful reddened cheeks, lay her down, and make sweet love to her.
“What he said was out of line. I never had intentions of falling for anyone while here. I was here to do a job, that’s it.” She sniffled, wiped her tears, and waited for my reaction.
I'd felt like a fool once. I didn’t want to feel that again. It took a lot for her to do what she was doing, I knew that. I still didn’t know if I could trust her, if I should trust her. But… her words, “falling for anyone” stuck in my heart like an arrow. She’d fallen for me?
My eyes narrowed, my chin stiffened, and I reached for my beer. “You should’ve told me. I don’t know what to believe now.” I sucked the last of the alcohol from the bottle.
Kane leaned in as she walked away. A part of me wanted to run after her, to tell her it was okay. But it wasn’t okay. This could have been another tactic to get what she wanted. What if it was a sob story to get into my wallet? No, thanks.
“You two an item?” he asked, his lips curving into a crooked smile.
“Nah. Just a hookup,” I said, motioning for the bartender.
As I turned, I noticed Katrina sitting at the table with Blake. He consoled her as she wiped away her tears. Those tears looked real, but then again, so did everything else. I was a poor judge of character, that’s what my sister always told me. I always managed to get the wrong girl, hang out with the wrong friend, and even help the wrong people. Look what helping got me last time. Kicked off the only team I’d ever loved. If I’d kept to myself, picked up my bike and rode on, the media would’ve never been up my ass, and I’d still be with the Mets.
Kane was asking questions, pushy ones. “How long has this been going on?” was the last one I heard before everything turned blurry. I wasn’t sure how many shots I’d drank, or how long I’d been at the bar, but I remember Katrina over me while I was in bed.
“Help me lift him up,” she said softly. Who the fuck was she talking to? Her face was angelic, beautiful, and honest. How could she be such a liar?
Kane was grinning at me. “You had a little too much fun,” he laughed.
Fun? I didn’t remember having any fun.
“Weemon art snathes,” I slurred, and laughed at my own disability.
“You have a good one here,” he said, patting me on the shoulder as he slid me up to my pillow.
My body was limp, useless. Even trying to help raise myself up, I couldn’t do. I’d pay dearly for this in the morning. It didn’t matter. Any pain was better than what I’d felt all night.
The sound of a door pulled me back into reality. I must’ve passed out. Everyone was gone, except Kat. She placed a wet cloth on my head, gently patting it to cool my skin. “Are you okay alone, or do you want me to stay?” she asked.
“Don’t have to sneak around now,” I chuckled.
“No, I guess not.”
Her head fell to my chest. Her warmth was so comfortable, so familiar, that I wanted to snuggle up and fall asleep with her in my arms. I wanted to forget about everything. Why couldn’t I?
“I don’t need you to stay,” I managed to spit out, colder than intended.
She rose up, stared at me with tear filled eyes, and offered a soft smile. “Okay. I’m truly sorry, but I understand.”
She was gone. My bed spun, shadows swayed along my walls, and my stomach felt like I’d swallowed battery acid. I did need her. But she was gone.
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
Katrina
I made up an excuse about work in order to ditch the evening with my dad. I hated missing time with my mother, but Todd was my top priority. It sucked to spill my dirty laundry in front of the players. My professionalism flew out the door when my eyes welled up with tears, I knew that. Kane continued comforting me while I watched Todd slam down shot after shot.
That look in his eye when I told him about my dad, exposed myself, and poured out my soul made me believe there was a chance. But after he sent me from his room, it was obvious it was over. I’d messed up.
The bottle of wine I’d planned on sharing with Todd that night was chilling in the fridge. I grabbed a glass, kicked off my shoes, and fell back onto the couch before pouring it to the rim. The emptiness in the air, in my soul, was almost too much to bear. I had to do something to take my mind from the pain.
My phone went wild with alerts, mostly about Spaceman’s visit to the field. I’d posted quite a few pictures, and comments had been flooding in while I was at the bar watching Todd drink me away.
“Always a pleasure to be part of a winning team,” my dad posted.
It meant a lot to me that he was taking such an interest in my work, but I was still angry as hell. Why couldn’t he just keep his big mouth shut? I knew he meant well, even though it was extremely inappropriate and crass. I clung to my glass of wine, leaned back on the couch, and tried to forget the day.
A knock on the door brought me back to life quickly. I jumped up, rushed to the door, hoping to find Todd on the other side. Janice Delaney, my mother, stood in the hall looking so out of place with her over the top wardrobe.
“I wanted to check on you before we left,” she said.
I moved out of the way, motioned for her to enter, and grabbed the other wine glass from the counter. “Wine?” I asked.
She nodded, looking around the room with judgment in her eyes. “What? It’s probably bigger than your new place,” I snapped, hating myself for being so cold. “I’m sorry.” My eyes filled with tears as I quickly apologized and handed her the wine.
Her nails were still perfectly manicured, her makeup looked professionally applied. I wondered if she was doing it all herself now, but after my last comment was afraid to ask. Tears welled up in my eyes as I watched her expression soften on me. “Honey, I’m so very sorry about what happened,” she said softly.
Tears fell down my cheeks, burning my skin with their heat. “He’s such an asshole,” I scoffed as her arms reached out and pulled me into her full chest. The perfume was unfamiliar, probably a knockoff brand from a designer I’d never heard of. Yes, things were changing. Soon Janice Delaney would be exposed, just as I was. Her expensive makeup would run out, her clothes would become outdated, and someone would catch her walking into Great Clips to get her weekly haircut. The thought of it made my stomach turn.
“He’s not an asshole. He’s a good man, a good father. He’s just looking out for his little girl.”
Her hand brushed my hair, spreading it down my back and straightening it with her fingers. “How can you be so calm about this?” I asked.
“I love your father. It was never about money,” she replied.
“It’s not about Todd’s money, but he’ll never believe that now,” I sobbed into my mother’s arms.
“If it’s meant to be, it will be,” she said so calmly that it felt like it must be true.
She kissed me softly on the cheek, squeezed me tightly, then gave me her favorite motherly look. I hated it at that moment. It was the one that said everything would be okay. I didn’t believe that. No part of me believed that.
This wasn’t even my secret, and yet here I was, the one suffering from the lie I had to keep.
I promised to forgive my dad, kissed my mother goodbye, and fell onto my bed. It was so empty, larger than I remembered without Todd beside me. I thought about him lying alone in his room, probably sick. He needed me, but he was too stubborn, too mad, too betrayed to admit it.
When my eyes opened to a new day, I decided to put everything behind me. What my mother said was true… if it was meant to be, it would be. There was nothing I could say or do at this point to change how Todd felt. He’d have to decide if he wanted to trust me again.
My agenda pointed to Kane Steele for the next interview. He was at the bar last night, and in the light of day, I hated to face him. Suck it up, Katrina. You have a job to do.
The guys had an off day, so I knew I’d find Kane in his room. I dialed his extension, but almost hung up when his deep voice uttered, “Hello.”
“This is Katrina Delaney.” I felt foolish as I said it. Of course he knew who I was.
“Hey, Katrina. Is everything okay?”
“Yes. It’s great. I just have you set for an interview. I thought since you’re not practicing today it’d be a good time.”
“Absolutely. How about lunch by the pool around noon?” he asked.
“I’ll see you then.”
“Hey, Katrina. Are you sure you’re okay?” The concern in his voice made my eyes start to well up with tears.
“Yes. Thank you for all your help last night,” I said, quickly hanging up before I began to cry.
I shoved my knuckles into my eye sockets, pushing back the flood of tears fighting to escape. A deep breath, a sip of the wine from the glass left on the table, and I was ready to dig into everything I knew about Kane Steele.
What did I know about the man? First baseman, one hell of an arm, and a switch hitter. He was recruited personally by Rhett, fresh from the minors. He was hot, real hot. His personality oozed charm, but he was quiet most times, not a ladies' man or player like Ace Newman in his hay day.
I scrolled through the social media pages, searching for everything I could find on Kane. A younger brother, just as cute as him, parents who looked to be happily married, and a dog named Sam. He seemed to be perfect. This should be an easy interview.
He wasn’t exactly the player that Rhett needed me to micromanage, but I knew he’d want to have something edgy to show off. Players without some sort of edge just weren’t Beasts, so why did Rhett choose Kane? And what was he hiding?
Shit! It was eleven forty-five, and I wasn’t even dressed. I’d gotten lost in Kane’s pages, scrolling through his friends list looking for any skeletons that might be lurking in the shadows. I couldn’t find anything. He had a high school sweetheart, Sara. She was blonde, petite, and of course, a cheerleader. Their prom picture was adorable, and from what I could tell they were still great friends. No other women in the past that I could see, at least not anyone substantial. Hmm, guess I’d have to ask him myself.
My eyes were puffy and red, my hair still frizzed from sleeping so restlessly. I looked dreadful. I slapped on some foundation, a small amount of lipstick, and slid on a pair of shorts and tank top before running out the door. I dragged the brush through my hair as the elevator
lowered me to the lobby and dabbed on perfume as I rushed through the long corridor to the pool area.
Two women walked by me as I neared the wide glass doors leading to the patio. “I’d like to climb that tree,” one said, the other giggled.
Of course, Kane sat at a table with the umbrella drawn. He was obviously the tree the woman spoke of. He was striking. His tanned skin rolled over the ripples his muscles formed, his green eyes glistened in the sunlight, bright and full of mystery. I fussed with my hair, pressed the wrinkles from my tank top with my fingers, and headed in his direction.
He stood, tall, intimidatingly handsome with no shirt. I’d never seen him with so little clothes. I'd learned to stay out of the men’s locker rooms after practice, having caught a glimpse of Ace’s cock for a brief second during my first week. Wow.
“I remembered you liked crab cakes, so I ordered for us if that’s okay,” he said sweetly.
I’d add attentive and thoughtful to my list of things I knew about Kane Steele. “Of course. I’m starving.”
Normally I’d have found a man ordering for me pretentious, but not today, and not Kane. It was sweet he’d remembered something I’d ordered on the one occasion I’d eaten with the team. Given the fact I’d skipped breakfast, not having to wait was perfect.
“So how do we do this?” Kane asked, pulling out a chair for me to sit next to him.
“I have to admit, I stalked your pages. You have a pretty squeaky clean life.”
“Well, that’s great for you, isn’t it?”
“Sure. But there has to be something edgy going on with you,” I said as playfully as I could without sounding pushy.
“Not a lot of edges here,” he laughed, laying a hand on his stomach.
Plenty of ripples though.
“I noticed you’re still friends with your high school sweetheart.” I jumped right into it.
He laughed. A waitress with huge breasts and her top opened enough to expose her deep cleavage showed up with two plates of crab cakes and two Bloody Marys. “Hair of the dog,” Kane said with a smile.