The Game You Play: A Rixon Raiders Novel

by L A Cotton

  Thatcher’s head whipped over to her and a twisted smirk graced his deadly expression. “Screaming only makes me hotter, baby.”

  Smacking his hand away, I stepped back, pulling Mya with me. Gallen smirked, making no disguise of the fact he was blatantly eye-fucking me.

  Bile rushed up my throat. These guys were pigs. Worse than anything I’d ever witnessed from Jason and the team, and that was saying something. They didn’t look like guys who wanted to have a little fun with us. They looked like guys who wanted to humiliate us.

  To hurt us.

  “Come on,” Hailee said, her voice quiet. “We should go.”

  I pulled Mya away, trying to ignore the two sets of eyes biting into my skin. “Do I even want to know?” she asked as we abandoned hot dogs and melted into the sea of people.

  “Oh, that was Lewis Thatcher, the quarterback and alpha-jerk of the Raiders rivals, The Rixon East Eagles.”

  “I’m sorry I asked.” She half-laughed. “So when you said Rixon takes football very seriously, you really meant—”

  “As serious as a heart attack.” My lips curved in a tentative smile. “It can get kind of crazy. There is no love lost between Jason and Thatcher.”

  “And here I thought moving to some small town in the ass crack of nowhere was going to be boring.”

  “Hey,” I protested. “Rixon isn’t in the ass crack of nowhere.”

  “It isn’t the city either. But I’m glad Principal Finnigan stuck us together.” Her expression softened, something I suspected not many people got to see.

  “Me too. Come on.” Linking arms with her and Hailee, I pushed all thoughts of Thatcher out of my head.

  We had a game to win.

  “Holy crap, this is invigorating.” Mya grinned beside me as we watched our offence celebrate a touchdown. Their sixth of the game.

  “What did I tell you? Hate the players, don’t hate the game.” Flashing her a wink, I chuckled, bouncing on the balls of my feet, waving my hands in the air like a crazy person.

  Hailee was quieter, her eyes zeroed in on Cameron as he fist-bumped his teammates before jogging off field.

  It was the fourth quarter and we hadn’t seen Thatcher and his friend again. But we’d watched the Raiders kick the Falcons ass all over the field. Our fans, although four times smaller than the home fans, were louder, hungrier, and the buzz in the air was electric.

  “Almost there,” I squeaked, grabbing Hailee’s hand and squeezing.

  I knew how important it was for her to be here for Cameron after everything they had been through.

  The final whistle went and our tiny section of the bleachers erupted. Even Mya was on her feet, hooting and hollering as the high of the win settled deep in our bones.

  It was weird. Throughout high school I’d never been part of anything. I wasn’t in band or on the cheer squad. I didn’t get invited to parties or to join the debate team or compete for an athletics club. I had Hailee and our simple lives—hanging out at The Alley, gate-crashing the odd party, eating our body weight in ice cream at Ice T’s—and it was enough.

  Until I wanted more.

  Until I wanted to soak up every experience I could in senior year and experience all the things I’d never gotten to because we’d been outcast by our peers all because of Jason and his stupid grudge against Hailee. But here, cheering on the team, I felt like I belonged.

  As soon as the players disappeared off field, we all filed out of the bleachers and into the parking lot where the team buses were waiting. The second Jason appeared, leading the team out of the Falcons’ building, a huge round of cheers greeted our heroes. The guys split off, searching for their friends and families among the gathered crowd. Cameron and Asher made a beeline for the three of us, while Jase chatted to Coach Hasson and his father. I pretended to listen to Asher as he recounted every play and pass, every tackle and sack. Really, I was watching Jason. His tight expression as his father gripped his shoulder as he talked animatedly with the coach.

  “Fee, baby, what’s got your...” Asher craned his neck around, the sparkle in his eye dimming. “Oh.”

  “Sorry,” I gave him my best smile. “You were saying?”

  “Well, I was about to invite the three of you to the party at my house tomorrow...” I hated the dejection in his voice but there was no use in trying to fix it. He’d seen me looking at Jason, and I knew he knew how I felt.

  Even if I’d never told him.

  “You like to party, Mya?” Asher slung his arm around her shoulder, and I swear a small growl formed low in her throat. “Message received.” He edged away, shooting her a lazy grin. “But seriously, you should come tomorrow. My place is the only place to party. Hailee will be there, right, Hails?”

  “I guess.” She shrugged, glancing up at Cam who was too busy staring at her with such emotion I was pretty sure he hadn’t heard a single word Asher had just said.

  “I’ll go if Felicity goes.”

  My head snapped over to Mya and she lifted a brow, some indecipherable expression on her face.

  “What do you say, Fee, baby? Party at mine tomorrow?”

  A few weeks back, my immediate answer would have been yes. It was on my list, a rite of passage for kids of Rixon High. But that was before sex with Jason; before the heated looks and stolen kisses. Before Asher’s puppy-dog eyes followed me everywhere.

  God, everything seemed so complicated now.

  “Will there be dancing?”

  “There is always dancing.” His brows waggled suggestively.

  “I’m not talking about that kind of dancing, Asher.” I’d heard the stories.

  “There can be any kind of dancing you want.”

  He was flirting. Nothing he hadn’t done a hundred times before, but every time he did it, I felt more and more confused.

  “Fine, we can go.” My eyes slid to Mya who gave me a curt nod. She was hard to read. But I didn’t miss the way her eyes lingered in Asher’s direction.

  She liked him.

  He liked me. At least, I think he did.

  And I liked Jason.

  If this didn’t have disaster written all over it, I don’t know what did.

  “Yo, QB,” Asher beckoned Jase over. He strolled toward us, his eyes cool. “We heading to Bell’s later?”

  “Not tonight, my dad wants to... celebrate. But I’ll be at yours tomorrow.” His gaze found mine, narrowing. I could feel it running over my skin, burning. He looked wired. The adrenaline of the game, no doubt.

  “You good, Jase? You look a little—”

  Jason broke our connection to glare at Asher. “I’m good,” he growled. “Coach wants us on the buses stat.”

  “Guess this is goodbye, ladies. Until tomorrow?”

  Jason paused, glancing back at us. “You invited them?”

  “Well, yeah, I didn’t—”

  “Whatever.” He stomped off, and I let out a shaky breath.

  “What crawled up his ass?” Asher asked Cam.

  “I think it’s just the pressure of everything.”

  Or the fact he was a moody asshole.

  Coach Hasson and his assistants began rounding up the team to get on the buses, while a few fans lingered to wave them off. We hung back too because we were those girls now.

  Strangely, I didn’t mind.

  “Do you think we should have told them?” I asked Hailee as she made moon eyes at Cam.

  “And worry them for nothing? No.” She folded her arms around her waist and I saw the flicker of doubt in her eyes. Hailee didn’t like keeping secrets, least of all from Cameron. But we’d decided not to tell them about Thatcher being here to avoid any more trouble.

  “Come on, we should go,” Hailee started toward my car but paused when Thatcher appeared. He leaned casually against the hood, throwing a wolfish grin in our direction. I glanced back, hoping the team buses were still there, but they were already disappearing down the road.

  Crap.

  “Hmm, Hailee, what do we do?�
�

  “Just play it cool,” she said. “He won’t do anything. He just wants to use us to get to the guys.”

  Which is exactly what I was worried about.

  “He really doesn’t know when to quit it, does he?” Mya asked as we inched closer.

  “Ladies,” he drawled just as his friend and another guy stepped out of the shadows.

  There were still a few people in the parking lot, but they were all heading back to their cars, paying the three of us no attention.

  “Should we shout for—”

  “No,” Hailee said, rolling her shoulders back. She was used to Jason’s games; his cruel pranks. But this felt different. It was different. Hailee was no one to Thatcher, but she was someone to Jason and Cameron, and he knew it.

  “What do you want, Lewis?” she said as we reached them.

  “I want a lot of things.” He let his eyes run down the length of her body.

  “Yeah, well, so do I, but we can’t always get what we want. You should probably leave.”

  “Or what?” He pushed off the hood. “I saw the buses leave. Your brother and boyfriend are on their way back to Rixon and you’re here, all alone.”

  “She’s not alone.” Mya stepped forward.

  “Yeah, she has us,” I added, digging my hand in my pocket, my fingers grazing the corner of my cell.

  “Ooh, I’m scared.” The three of them burst into laughter. Until Gallen’s eyes homed in on me... and my hand.

  “What you got there, cutie?” He approached me and I backed away, my heart galloping in my chest.

  “N- nothing,” I cried, staggering back until my back hit the side of a truck. But Gallen didn’t stop. He kept coming until he’d caged me in, his hands pressed flat either side of my head.

  “You aren’t trying to call for reinforcements, are you?”

  “Fuck you,” I seethed, my defenses working overtime.

  His eyes flared, “Oh baby, I’d love nothing more than to fuck you.” He trailed a finger down my neck and between the valley of my breasts. My chest heaved with a shaky breath as I turned my head away from him. But he grabbed my face roughly, pulling me back to him.

  “Just one taste,” he groaned, grinding his hips into me, as his tongue snaked out across my lips.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  He grunted with pain, the unwelcome pressure of his body against mine disappearing as he stumbled away. “What the fuck?”

  Mya advanced on him, her fist clenched.

  “Fuck’s sake,” Thatcher grumbled. “If you want something done...” he trailed off, leaving Hailee to come up to me. “You,” He jabbed his finger at Mya, “Keep your fists to yourself.” He gave the other guy a nod and he grabbed Mya’s hands pulling them behind her back.

  “You can’t do this,” she thrashed against his body. But her fight only made the guy smirk.

  “Now where were we?” Thatcher’s eyes darkened. “What I’m trying to figure out is are you Bennet’s girl or Ford’s?”

  “W- what? I’m not...”

  Thatcher lowered his face to mine; so close I could feel his warm breath dancing over my skin. My stomach churned.

  “Bennet wants you. I’ve seen it. The way he watches you, touches you. And Ford doesn’t like it. I saw him tense just now.”

  He’d been watching us? Waiting for them to leave?

  Oh God.

  “I’m no one. I’m Hailee’s friend, that’s all.”

  “So you haven’t given it up to Bennet or Ford? Maybe both of them?” His brow rose. “Maybe under this little miss innocent act you have going, you’re nothing more than a dirty little slut.”

  I pressed my lips together, trying to swallow some of the fear and panic rushing through me. Not to mention the truth.

  Thatcher narrowed his eyes, assessing me. “You’re lying,” he said. “You’re someone all right and my money is on—”

  “Shit, Cap,” Gallen said, not so cocksure now. “Security. We need to go...”

  “Yeah, okay.” Thatcher stepped back, running a hand down his face, his eyes still fixed on me. “Until next time.” He grinned.

  Silence stretched out before us, the air turning icy cold. Then he said, “Oh, and tell Ford I’m coming for him.”

  Jason

  “Who the fuck are all these people?” I grumbled. I’d gotten to Asher’s house an hour ago and grabbed a six-pack before taking my usual chair out back, but there were people everywhere.

  “It’s a party. We’re celebrating, remember?”

  Of course I fucking remembered. We were in the play-offs. But after a disastrous dinner post-game, with my father and Denise, I wasn’t exactly in a people kind of mood.

  “Did you invite the whole fucking school?”

  Asher grinned. “Only the bright and beautiful. Who’s beautiful?” he yelled and everyone went nuts, screaming and cheering. Always the showman. I rolled my eyes.

  “Where’s Chase?” I asked.

  “Inside with Hailee, but I’d steer clear of them if I were you, seems like there might be trouble in paradise.” Asher took a long pull on his beer.

  I was already out of my chair though, stalking toward the house. The last thing we needed was our star wide receiver to lose his cool over some shit with my step-sister. The team needed Cam in the play-offs.

  I needed him.

  “Your funeral, man,” he yelled.

  Inside wasn’t much better; bodies packed into every corner of the Bennet’s huge house. They were rich—filthy rich compared to the rest of us—and they didn’t mind Asher using the place for party central given they were out of town a lot. I couldn’t figure which was worse: having parents who cared but were never around, or having a dad you didn’t see eye-to-eye with who refused to stay out of your business. It seemed like parents were a pain in the ass whichever way you looked at it.

  I searched the ground floor for Cam and Hailee before moving upstairs. Cam hadn’t always had it easy growing up, and since the Bennet’s had enough guest rooms to open a motel, they had given him his own room. He didn’t use it much anymore, but I knew if they were anywhere, that’s where they would be.

  Raised voices made me pause when I reached his door.

  “Tell him, Cameron.”

  “And then what? What do you think telling him will do except incite war?”

  I crept closer, straining to hear, the hairs along the back of my neck standing to attention.

  “So what do we do? Wait until Thatcher really hurts one of—”

  I burst into the room, my eyes narrowed to slits. “Tell me what?”

  “Jase, man, we didn’t know—”

  “Tell. Me. What?” I focused on Hailee since she was the only one who thought telling me whatever the fuck had happened was a good idea.

  “Thatcher was at the game last night.”

  “What the hell did you just say?” I saw red, my fists clenched, liquid fury coursing through my veins.

  “We saw him before the game and again after...” Hailee’s eyes slid to Cameron who was deadly still.

  “And why the fuck am I only just finding out about this?”

  “Hailee only just told me. I swear, man.”

  “It’s true,” she added. “I didn’t know what to do and Flick—”

  “What does she have to do with all this?” Hearing her name set off my pulse, my heart jack-hammering in my chest.

  “Thatcher’s friend...” She hesitated, my mood darkening by the second. “He...”

  “Hailee, spit it out or so help me—”

  “Jase, man, you need to calm down,” Cam offered, but I levelled him with a cold look.

  “They really scared her, Jason. He had her pinned to the wall and he tried to—”

  I couldn’t hear anything over the roar of blood pounding between my ears.

  “You okay, man, you look a little white?”

  “H- he touched her?” The words almost choked me.

  “Not like that, but he g
rabbed her and said some things. And his friend held Mya back after she punched him.”

  “She did what?” I rubbed my temples, this was getting worse by the second.

  Hailee nodded. “She hit him and he left Flick alone but then Thatcher—”

  My fist slammed into the wall beside me, the crack of bone against drywall reverberating through me. But I barely felt any pain, too consumed with the idea of Thatcher anywhere near Felicity.

  “He knows she’s someone, Jason.” Hailee let the words hang between us, the insinuation like a slap in the face.

  “Where is she now?” I asked, barely able to see straight.

  “At home. She didn’t want to come. I think it’s affected her more than she wants to let on. She’s been holed up at her house all day.”

  “And you? You’re okay?”

  If Hailee was surprised at my concern, she didn’t show it. “I’m okay,” she said, reaching for Cameron’s hand. “I know this gives you reason to go after Thatcher, but it’s what he wants. You’re in the play-offs now. If you put one step wrong off the field, Principal Finnigan could pull you for the rest of the season.”

  Didn’t I know it.

  “You don’t need to worry about me,” I said, “I’ll be fine. You two going to be okay if I go?” I lifted a brow at Cameron who gave me a tight nod.

  “He isn’t worth it,” he reminded me. “Don’t play into his hands.”

  “I don’t plan on it.” But Thatcher would get his, one way or another he would pay for all this.

  But right now, I had bigger things to worry about.

  Felicity’s house was steeped in darkness when I pulled up outside. Cameron and Hailee had tried to warn me about coming here, but as soon as her name left my step-sister’s lips, all rational thought went out of the window.

  I had to know she was okay.

  Maybe it was guilt over the fact she wouldn’t be in this mess if it wasn’t for me, or maybe it was because she meant more to me than I cared to admit. Whatever it was, I wasn’t leaving until I saw her with my own two eyes.

  So why had I been sitting here for the last ten minutes unable to get out of the damn car?