Defending Donovan

by Jillian Quinn

  She shakes her head, helping me over to the bench. “I overheard her talking to Crystal and Dawn.”

  Still somewhat delirious, I can’t even think straight. Bex’s words don’t make any sense. Why would Jackie do this to me? I didn’t do anything to her. Not unless you count dating Drake. But he was fair game, never hers to claim. I knew dating Drake would put a target on my back. Though, I never expected my own teammates to hold grudges.

  After practice, we hit the showers. I’m exhausted from jet lag, my schedule is still out of whack even after a week back on campus. The three-hour time difference hits me every time.

  I approach Jackie’s locker, her face blocked by the metal. She’s gripping the edge of the locker, so I take this as an opportunity to pay her back for the shit she pulled on the court. Pushing on the door, I slam her fingers against the wall. She cries out in pain, stumbling backward as she grabs her hand.

  Her eyes meet mine, and a fire brews behind them. “You fucking whore,” she spits.

  I laugh in her face. “I know you tripped me because you’re jealous that I’m with Drake. News flash, Jackie, he’s mine. So, cut the shit already.”

  She snorts, a guttural laugh escaping her chapped lips. “He was with me before the break. Maybe you should ask your boyfriend where his loyalty lies.”

  Intense emotions bubble up inside me, the rage monster wanting to take over. My dad taught me martial arts as a kid to help curb my anger issues. I was bullied for the few years we lived in Texas, and after I finally confessed the truth, my dad not only got the girl’s father transferred to another duty station but also taught me how to defend myself.

  Memories of my past come flooding to me, crashing over me like breaking waves. My entire body trembles as I stare at Jackie. Luckily for Jackie, Bex is at my side, tugging me back over to my locker.

  She cups my shoulder and spins me around to face her. “Tay, don’t let her get to you, okay? She’s nobody. Drake is with you, not her. No matter what she says or does, you know she’s just making shit up to piss you off.”

  “I know… but why does it hurt so much to hear her talk about me… about him like that. I want to rip her fucking face off.”

  “It’s not worth it,” she assures me. “You could get into more trouble than just thrown off the team if you fight Jackie.”

  “Yeah, I know.” Furious, I blow out a puff of air. “She knows how to press all the right buttons with me. You know, Drake never even touched her. So, it’s not like he was all that interested in her. I don’t get why she’s so obsessed with him. That was two months ago when he sent her those pics.”

  “It’s in the past,” Bex reminds me.

  I nod. “I knew this was going to happen when I told him we could be together. That’s why I wanted to keep our relationship a secret. His life is too public. Everyone stares at me like I’m some whore, and now I have to hear it from my own teammate.”

  She taps my shoulder with her fingers and flashes a quick smile. “It will all blow over. Go hit the showers.”

  If only I could believe this will all blow over, but I have a feeling the worst is yet to come.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Drake

  After Taylor’s fight with her teammate during practice, our relationship has started to take its toll. We’re still together, I guess. But it’s hard to tell with how distant she’s been this week. I don’t blame her. I knew the risk when we first started dating. Though, that doesn’t make this situation suck any less.

  Sitting next to Preston in the cafeteria, I watch as Tucker outwardly cringes when everyone in the room’s cell phones chime at the same time. It’s a new blog post from The Queen. Who will she dethrone this month?

  “Maybe she’s moved on from us,” Tucker says with hope in his tone, his eyes pointed down at his cell phone.

  “I wouldn’t count on it,” Jamie says.

  Everyone has their cell phones in their hands, while I’m busy shoving the last bite of my sandwich into my mouth. Trent skipped dinner, most likely to meet Jemma, his new girlfriend, who accidentally hooked up with both Trent and Tucker before the break.

  “Take out your phone,” Tucker says, looking across the table at me. “You need to read what she wrote about you.”

  Fuck. What now?

  The students at Strickland University now live for the new posts from The Queen. She’s so popular there’s even a Dethroned app that dings with new notifications. Reaching into my pocket, I prepare myself for the shit she’s spewing this month. Fuck, I hope this doesn’t have anything to do with my virginity. That’s a secret no one knows but Taylor. There’s no way in hell The Queen would know about that.

  Phones are raised in the air around the cafeteria, and so many eyes are on me. Some people are laughing, while others are pointing and whispering in my direction.

  Dethroned

  December Edition

  Ahh, Christmas time, the most wonderful time of the year. And yet, at Strickland University it’s the most scandalous. While everyone is out shopping for the holidays, the spoiled brats of Strick U are up to their usual debauchery. From the looks of the dick pics Drake Donovan has been sharing with a certain someone, he has plenty of lovin’ for his mystery woman to unwrap. But who’s the lucky girl? Or should we say girls, you nasty dick-pic-sending creep?

  You, Drake Donovan, have been dethroned.

  XO,

  The Queen

  Tucker laughs so loud it shakes the table. Fucking dickhead. He’s just happy it’s not about him. Jamie follows suit, his laughter piercing my eardrum. Preston looks relieved more than anything after The Queen throwing him under the bus about his once-secret relationship with Bex.

  Nostrils flaring in anger, I feel my cheeks flush as I read her words once more. All eyes are on me when I look up. I’m used to unwanted attention. I couldn’t care less if The Queen attacks me. It’s Taylor I’m the most concerned about. She’s already taken so much heat because of me, and now this?

  “Who’s she talking about?” Tucker asks me. “Not Bex’s friend. Right?”

  “She would never go for that shit,” Preston chimes.

  “Fuck.” I clutch my phone tight enough to snap it in half. “She’s never gonna talk to me again.”

  Taylor’s interest is fading, though I know she still cares about me. How can I expect her to walk through fire with me only to end up in her own personal Hell?

  “Oh, now that she called you out, you care?” Tucker asks. He has the most to be angry about when it comes to The Queen. “It’s not like everyone on campus hasn’t seen your dick, anyway.”

  Everyone at our table laughs.

  I shrug, blowing it off like it’s nothing. This is the Drake all of them know. I still have an image to maintain. “What can I say? My dick has a life of its own.”

  “And Taylor knows that, stupid,” Preston says. “Which is why she doesn’t want anything to do with you.”

  “Nah,” I lie, shaking my head. “She likes the chase.”

  I haven’t told them much about Taylor. It’s the first relationship I’ve had since high school that means something to me. Talking about puck bunnies is one thing, but I’ll never divulge a single detail about Taylor.

  When you meet the one, you don’t want to share her with anyone. If only I can make her see that she doesn’t have to share me with the world. I know that’s how she feels, she made it clear last night when she yelled at me over the phone.

  “At least the semester is over on Friday,” Jamie says. “That will give me a little more time to work on tracking The Queen. She might have her guard down thinking no one is paying attention to her during the break.”

  I hope Jamie finds this blogger chick. She’s slowly trying to ruin each of our lives and for no good reason. We’ve all been wondering if we hooked up with her, though it’s doubtful we all messed with the same chick. Whoever is behind this blog wants blood, and if Jamie is as good as I think, he’ll get us our revenge.

  �
�Speaking of the break…” Preston says between bites of food, “… you guys coming over to my house for Christmas?”

  Trent shoves a forkful of rice into his mouth. “My dad said something about doing it at our house instead.”

  “You know how my mom feels about Christmas basketball,” Preston says. “We might not stay at your house for long.”

  My Aunt Charlotte never misses NBA basketball on Christmas day. She lives for it. We usually spend the day at Preston’s parents’ apartment on the Philadelphia waterfront, so she can kick back and watch the games. All of the kids usually take side bets while our parents place their own. Thanksgiving and Christmas with our families typically involves a lot of drinking, sports, and gambling. It’s tradition.

  “My dad bought one of those projection screens,” Tucker says. “Wait until you see the high-def on it. The players look like they’re jumping off the screen.”

  “Oh, yeah?” Preston grins. “Bex will like that, too.”

  “She can come,” Tucker offers. “You can bring Taylor, too,” he says to me, laughing. “If she’ll even look at you after reading that post.”

  My demeanor shifts, the seriousness of the situation making me sick to my stomach. Preston laughs, and I consider punching him for egging Tucker on.

  At this moment, it occurs to me that I can’t fully lower my guard with my friends. None of them know my secret. I can’t even talk to them about Taylor without getting a rash of shit. She’s the only person I can go to… and now I don’t even know where we stand.

  A text dings in my pocket—it’s Taylor telling me we need to talk. The message that follows is a screen capture of The Queen’s post with a red-faced anger emoji on it.

  Fuck, this is the end. I just know it.

  When Taylor opens the door, she barely even looks at me. She steps to the side, allowing me to enter the on-campus suite she shares with Bex. While the halls are crowded, her living room is silent. Bex was at my house with Preston. They were taking over the couches and eating the last of the chips when I left.

  I follow Taylor into her bedroom and stand in the entryway as she sits on her bed.

  “I don’t know what to think anymore, Drake.” She plays with the navy comforter, twirling her finger around it. “What is The Queen talking about? Did you send pics to any girls after we met? Because it read like you have.” A tear slips from her right eye as she meets my gaze.

  My heart slams into my chest. I hate seeing her in pain over me. I rush over and drop to my knees on the floor in front of her, taking her hand in mine. “All of this is my fault, Taylor. I’m sorry, baby.” I raise her hand to my mouth and plant soft kisses along her soft skin. “I haven’t sent pics to anyone but you since we’ve been together. Whatever she’s talking about is in the past. You know my truth. I haven’t been with anyone. Only you.”

  “I know,” she breathes. “But, Drake…”

  I wipe her tears away with my thumb and give her a quick kiss on the lips. “I promise you, Taylor, I didn’t do anything. You’re the only woman I want.”

  Ever again, I think but leave that out.

  I’m falling in love with her.

  Somehow, she made what she once thought was impossible to happen with the person she least expected. Even I had my doubts.

  Taylor kisses me back, her tears hitting my cheeks as she slips her tongue inside my mouth. She moans with each flick of my tongue. I groan as a ripple of pleasure spreads throughout my body. With Taylor, it’s more than just sex. Hell, we haven’t even had sex yet, so I know this is more than what I had with other women.

  Once our lips separate, I cup her face in my hand. “I don’t want to lose you, Taylor.”

  “Drake,” she sighs. “I don’t want to lose you either. I care about you too much to let you go. But that’s why this hurts so much. I hate the way they talk about you… about us.”

  “If I hadn’t done the stupid shit I did in the past, we wouldn’t be in this situation right now. I am so fucking sorry, baby. I never meant for this shit to blow back on you.”

  She clutches my wrist, sending a shiver down my arm. “How do we handle this? My teammates are attacking me. You’re getting it from The Queen. What if this is only the beginning?”

  I run my thumb along her bottom lip. “I love you, Taylor. I didn’t think I would ever say that to a woman after keeping myself so guarded. But I do. I love you. You changed me. Because of you, I’m a different man, and I want to be what you need.”

  A fresh set of tears fall from her eyes, this time from happiness. “You mean that? You really love me?”

  I nod. “And I’m not just saying it because I want to have sex with you. I would do anything for you, Taylor. Anything. Name it and it’s yours.”

  “I don’t need anything,” she whispers. “Only you.”

  Her words warm my heart. I feel everything at once, all of the emotions rushing through my veins. Hyped up on adrenaline and passion, I scoop her into my arms and lower her onto the bed, pressing her back on the mattress as I slip between her thighs.

  “I want to take you on a proper date,” I say against her lips. “This weekend.”

  “I have a game on Saturday.”

  “How about Friday night? I have something special in mind I know you will like.”

  Dragging her tongue along my bottom lip, she peeks up at me with those wide, blue eyes I get lost in every time. “It’s a date.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Taylor

  Drake pulled out all the stops for our first real date. We’re sitting courtside, a few chairs over from the Sixers bench at the Wells Fargo Center. My mouth hangs open as the shooting guard dribbles the ball down the court only a few feet away from me. This moment is so surreal I keep pinching myself to make sure I haven’t imagined the entire night.

  The Sixers are playing the Los Angeles Lakers, my home team. Well, with how much I’ve moved, it’s hard to choose one team. But for the last six years, my family has lived in Los Angeles County, so I guess that makes us Lakers fans now. And it doesn’t hurt that my best friend shares the same last name as one of the greatest Lakers of all-time.

  An electric pulse hangs in the air, the screaming fans around us bringing the event center to life with their cheers. I love basketball. Every time I step onto the court, I get a rush like no other. The only thing that even closely compares is how I feel when I’m with Drake.

  I cup his knee with my hand, and it looks so small in comparison. He catches me stealing a peek at his handsome face. The corner of his mouth turns up into a wicked smirk. With the pad of his thumb, he strokes the top of my hand, his skin so rough and calloused it feels good against mine.

  “How do you like our seats?” Drake asks.

  “Are you kidding? This is the best date ever, Drake.” I squeeze his knee and smile. “I love it. We’re so close I can see the sweat dripping off the players. I mean… I can’t believe you did all of this for me.”

  “I would do anything for you,” he counters, his gaze so intense and hard it sends a shiver down my spine.

  “Walk through fire?” I joke.

  He laughs. “Anything.”

  I never said I loved him back. And I wish I had because I love him so much it physically hurts sometimes. When I think about my life without him in it, I can’t breathe.

  “I hope you got a good deal on these seats,” I mutter, eyes fixed on the court.

  “I got the family discount,” he replies with laughter in his voice.

  “Do you get to come to games all the time because of your uncles?”

  “Yeah, pretty much. If the seats are open and they haven’t sold them, I can usually get them either free or for next to nothing.” He covers my hand on his knee and drags his long fingers along my skin. “These seats, in particular, belong to my Uncle Alex. Preston’s mom couldn’t make it tonight, so they had to bail on the game. She’s a diehard basketball fan.”

  “Yeah, I know who she is. Bex is obsessed with Coach. She
wants to be like her when she grows up.”

  He chuckles. “My Aunt Charlotte is probably one of the coolest women alive.”

  “I don’t disagree. I’d love to meet her sometime.”

  “Speaking of meeting my family,” he starts, chewing on his bottom lip. “My parents and sister want to meet you. I told my mom and Chloe that you read their books. They want me to bring you by the house, you know, if you want to. No pressure or anything.”

  “Of course.” My voice reaches a higher octave, the excitement radiating from me. “They’re important to you, and you’re important to me. I’d love to meet them.”

  “They’re supposed to come to my game next weekend. It’s in Boston. I know it’s a hike, but maybe you and Bex can sit with them instead of hiding all by yourselves.”

  I snort, smacking him lightly on his arm. “We don’t hide at your games. Bex just likes to sit in a particular spot along the ice. Nothing wrong with that.”

  “There’s no surprise why Preston likes her.”

  I raise my eyebrow in curiosity. “Oh, and why is that?”

  He flashes one of his boyish smirks that do unspeakable things to me. “Because he’s a pain in the ass, too.”

  “So are you,” I challenge.

  He hooks his arm around my back and hugs me against his muscular chest. It’s like having Bruce Banner wrap his arms around you when he’s in Hulk form. Drake is a wall of man, all hard lines and smooth ridges that weakens me every time. This simple touch causes my entire body to tremble. My nipples are like glass poking through my Lakers jersey.

  Drake smacks a kiss on top of my head, easing up his grip on me so I can relax my back against the chair. Then, he tugs at my jersey and whispers into my ear, “I wish this was my jersey you were wearing… and nothing else.”

  I smile so hard my cheeks hurt. “How about I try yours on after the game?”