by Lyssa Layne
Jace closes his eyes and looks away from me to hide his tears. I lean forward and kiss his shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”
He shakes his head. “Why? I fucked it up. I ruined it for everyone—myself, my parents, Earl, Colie. No one won in this situation except Adamson, who got my girl.”
My stomach drops and I start to pull away. I’m just a Band-Aid, a fill-in for his broken heart. Jace’s hands are on my legs and he looks into my eyes. “Laurel, don’t. Stop what you’re thinking. You asked for the truth and I’m giving it to you. I loved Colie and to some degree, I always will, but that doesn’t lessen anything between us. My feelings for you are genuine and you are nothing like her at all. So just fuckin’ stop.”
His voice is demanding as he pulls me into his lap, holding on to me tightly. “Don’t leave me, Laurel. Please don’t leave me.” The authority in his tone is replaced with his pleading.
I look up into his eyes. “I know you’re a good man, Jace, my daddy was right.”
He smiles and kisses me softly. “There’s more…”
My heart drops to my feet as I brace myself.
“At spring training, I found out that I wasn’t the only guy Earl was working with. I tried to get in touch with a few of them, but of course, no one is going to rat themselves out. I asked Camila for help. If I can get the truth from Earl then the commissioner might hear me out and allow me back in the game. It’s a long shot but it doesn’t hurt to try.”
I lean my head against his chest, trying not to show my disappointment. I just got him, he said he wasn’t going anywhere, but if this works out, he’ll be gone and I’ll just be another notch on his bedpost. I nod my head, trying to show my support.
Jace doesn’t even look at my face as he holds me. “Camila set up the meeting with Earl so I can try to record him but it’s not important any more. I don’t know that I want to play pro ball any more. I’ve got you, Grey, and the team, what do I need the majors for?”
My head pops up as my heart races, I don’t want to say this but I know I have to. “Jace, you have to go to the meeting. MLB was your dream and it was cut too short. The meeting isn’t a guarantee you’ll be allowed back but you can’t pass up the opportunity to find out.” If Jace passes up this meeting for me, it’ll eventually turn to resentment down the road, just like it did for Adam when we got stuck in this town. No way do I want another relationship to falter all because of me.
He sighs. “But what about us? I promised you I’d stay.”
I give him a half smile and kiss his cheek. “We’ll figure it out. I was afraid to leave this town after high school because I had a child and no support from his father. Now that child is a young man and I’ve found someone who can help me raise him, I’m not scared any more. I have you.”
For the first time since he checked his phone, his eyes light up with excitement. Our lips touch and all my anxiety is washed away with his. Daddy said Jace Richards is a good man and I’m trusting him to make the right decision for both of us.
CHAPTER 21
Jace
Laurel’s arms are wrapped tightly around my waist, almost begging me not to go and I don’t want to. I glance at the departures screen, if I head through security right now then I’ll still make my flight, but I’m not sure that’s what I want. When Chuck told me at spring training there were other players working with Earl, I was ecstatic and made it my mission to plead my case to the MLB commissioner and take Earl Floyd down. But now, staring into the eyes of this woman, I’m torn at what I really want.
My passion has always been baseball and more than anything I would love another shot at the majors, not because of the money, but for my love of the game. Then Laurel and Grey Darbis walked into my life and suddenly, my world was tilted off its axis and playing professional ball again would probably mean losing them and I’m not ready for that any time soon.
“Call me when you land.” Her smile is soft and encouraging, but she can’t mask the anxiety in her eyes.
Without hesitating, I blurt out, “I don’t have to go.”
She laughs softly, pushing on her tippy toes to kiss me. When she pulls away, she nods toward the security line. “Yes, you do. Promise me you’ll be careful though.”
Her words and actions aren’t helping any. I’ve never had a woman that’s been concerned for my safety. With Colie, I never let her know I was vulnerable like Laurel does. Laurel’s broken down my big bad walls that I put up to protect myself. She takes care of me, worries for me, and does it in a way that doesn’t make me feel like less of a man. It makes me feel like an equal partner in our relationship, something I’ve never had before. In past relationships, I could never show any insecurities to anyone and it took its toll on me in so many ways.
Letting out a long sigh, I nod and kiss her again, slipping my tongue into her mouth and wishing we were back in bed again, replaying last night’s activities. After our first night together a week ago, I can’t seem to get enough of her, and not just sexually, it’s crazy the desire I have to just hold her in my arms.
“I get back in at midnight tonight. I’ll grab a cab, is it okay if I stop by?” Grey will be home tonight but I can imagine after this afternoon, I’ll need Laurel to calm my nerves by the time I get back in town.
“I expected it.” She drops her hands, squeezing my ass and grinning at me.
We share one more kiss then I make my way through the security line, glancing back after every turn until Laurel is out of sight. She blows me a kiss and when I walk through the metal detector, that’s when the nerves hit. I board my plane, putting on my headphones and turning on my old pre-game playlist to chill out and get hyped up at the same time. The songs start off mellow with Macklemore, Dave Matthews Band, Florida Georgia Line and by the time the plane’s landing in California, my adrenaline’s pumping thanks to the music of Eminem, Rage Against the Machine, and Kid Rock. When I’m finally in a cab, headed to Earl Floyd’s office, I’m in the zone just like when I used to take the mound. I feel fuckin’ invincible and I’m ready to face this asshole.
I know his office all too well and even though it’s been a few years since I walked through these doors, nothing’s changed. The same tacky carpet lines the hallway and framed photos of baseball legends hang on the wall, all of them crooked, not a damn one of them level. It always irritated me before, but it pisses me off now. The man can’t even show respect to the greatest players in the game by straightening out their pictures. I get to the end of the hallway and Earl’s busty secretary stares at me, her jaw almost touches the floor when we make eye contact. The woman is as fake as can be from her tits to her personality, even when she comes, it’s fuckin’ fake, but at the time, I got what I needed so I could’ve cared less about her orgasm.
“Good to see you, too, Suz.” I kiss her cheek as I move quickly around her desk before she has a chance to warn Earl of my arrival.
One deep breath and I push his door open at the same time his phone rings with Suzie’s alert. I walk in like I own the place but his back is to the door. The high back leather chair spins around and Earl’s bald head appears as he says, “Well, well, well, William Walk—” He stops when he sees me, unable to form any more words.
With a cocky grin on my face, I nod my head in his direction. “Surprise,” I say, dropping my voice low and adding a little intimidation to my words. “What’s wrong, Earl? You look like you’ve seen a ghost?”
The podgy man rises from his chair, straightening out his lapel and moving around the table to me. “Jace, it’s…it’s, well, it is a surprise to see you. How’ve you been?”
I scoff and shake my head. “How the hell have I been? I fuckin’ lost my career thanks to you. Then I had to move in with my parents who hated me even more than before because they’d lost their meal ticket and the woman I loved, that you threatened to hurt, married another man. So, how the fuck do you think I’ve been?” I clench my jaw, my teeth grinding together as I fight the urge to not sock him in the stomach.
<
br /> Earl rubs his hands together, a familiar habit of his that he does when he’s nervous or has an idea. “Look, Jace, I’m sorry about how things went down. We got sloppy but things have—” He catches himself and stops before he lets the cat out of the bag.
“Things have what? You’ve tightened it up? Tell me, who’s your work horses now?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Jace. Once you got caught, I learned my lesson. I don’t do that shit anymore.”
“Fuck you don’t! I know you, Earl, you’re addicted to the thrill of the bet as much as you are the money.” I wave my hands in a circle. “No way in hell you’ve stopped that shit. Now, tell me who’s working for you now because I’ve got shit and I have to start somewhere.”
He rubs his hands together faster before resting them on his pot belly. “You mean you want back in?”
I shrug. “I want to know details before I screw myself over again.”
Earl’s eyes twinkle and just like I said, the thrill excites him and he starts spilling everything. “I’ve got five players now working for me.” He lists off their names, telling me each of their stories and how he got involved with them. One was a kid with a bad attitude, another that was taking care of his five younger brothers and sisters, the third had a girlfriend that was pregnant, and the other two were like me, career ending injuries that only a very expensive doctor could correct. Bile burns the back of my neck as he gloats about how much he’s made off each player.
Earl Floyd is a perfect predator, knowing how to find his prey’s soft spots, the ones that I now only show Laurel, and pouncing when the time is perfect, when they’re at the weakest point and life is so bleak, there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. Earl Floyd is an expert in playing this game…illegally.
“Aside from the players, who else? I want to know exactly how many people know your secret, how many people can slip up and ruin it for us all.”
Earl continues explaining the scheme and my head throbs, absorbing all of this new information, shit I didn’t even know before. By now, he’s pacing back and forth, talking faster and rubbing his hands so hard that I’m expecting to see a spark at any moment. He stops in front of me, his hands on my forearms, which is as high as he can reach on me.
“I’d love to have you back on the team, Jace. You were always a smooth talker and great with the ladies. What do you say?”
I stare down at his hands, a brief vision of my old lifestyle flashes in my mind, but I shrug his hands off me before I let myself get too far down memory lane. “I’ll think about it,” I mutter and turn for the door.
My hand is on the doorknob when Earl calls out to me. “Jacen, you know you’ve always been like a son to me. I want to help you get back on your feet.”
Unable to contain my anger, I swing around to face him. “A son, really? Then that makes you what? Like a father? Well, a real fuckin’ ‘father’ wouldn’t put their ‘son’ in the situations you did. A real ‘father’ wouldn’t let their kid fall flat on their face and wait for them to ask for your help. A real ‘father’ wouldn’t threaten to hurt his child’s true love. A father puts their kids needs before their own.” I sigh, shaking my head and forcing myself to calm down. I didn’t come here to fight him. Clenching and unclenching my hands, I remind myself of what I have waiting for me back in Florida. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m not interested.”
My hands still shaking, I walk out of his office. When I pass by Suzie’s desk, she bats her eyes and I notice her shirt is much lower than when I walked in. “Hey, Jace, how about lunch?” I lift up my middle finger, flipping her off and continue out of this place for the last time. I waste no time hailing a cab, I want to get the fuck out of here as fast as I can. Putting my headphones back in, I unclip my phone from the carrier on my waist. When I hit play, I grin as I hear Earl’s words replaying and I know I’ve caught that son-of-a-bitch.
Laurel
My eyelids are getting very heavy and I can’t fight off the sleep much longer when the song from the throne room scene in Star Wars comes on. Opening my eyes as wide as I can, I reach for the remote, turning off the T.V. Unable to stifle my yawn, I open my mouth wide and glance over at Grey, who is now staring at me with his bottom lip sticking out. We’ve come a long way since his toddler days when his favorite movie would end and instead of a pouty lip, he’d let out bloodcurdling screams because he didn’t want it to end.
“Can we watch another one?”
From my seat on the couch, I can see the microwave in the kitchen which tells me it’s almost midnight and Jace’s flight should be landing soon, not to mention, the second my head hits the pillow, I’ll be out cold. “Sorry, bud, time to head to bed.” I stand up to let him know there’s no room for negotiating.
Reluctantly, he stands up and sulks off toward his room. “Why are you always so strict?”
Walking behind him, I squeeze his shoulders and laugh. “Me? The strict one between your father and me? Good one, Grey.”
He glances up at me. “At Dad’s, he doesn’t care what time I go to bed as long as I’m quiet and out of his way.”
The pain in his eyes breaks my heart and I hate that Adam does that shit to him. I wrap my arms around him from behind and hug him. “I’m sorry, buddy.” I’m able to give him a quick peck on the cheek before he shrugs me off and walks into the bathroom. I wait for him in his bedroom, staring at pictures that line his shelves, reminding me of the innocent little boy he once was when he didn’t notice his father’s lack of concern for him. Grey comes into his room, crawling in his bed without saying a word to me.
I walk over to his bed, sitting beside him and running my hand over his hair. “I know there’s a lot of change about to take place in our lives but we both have to be strong and stand by each other. Got my back?” I hold out my pinkie, waiting for Grey to do the same.
“Are you getting married too?” Grey sits up, hope filling his voice.
I scrunch my nose, confused. “What? No, why would you think that? I was talking about Sam maybe moving in permanently and your father’s upcoming move and marriage.”
“Oh.” His shoulders drop. “I just think since dad’s getting married, you should, too. Then maybe I’d have, like a real family. You know…a mom and dad that care about me.”
“Oh, babe, you are my world. You know that, right? I’d do anything for you and no one would ever be able to stop me.” I pull him into my arms and hug him tightly. “Greyson, I love you more than life itself,” I whisper, tears choking me up as I say those words.
Grey nods his head against my shoulder and pulls away, wiping his eyes before I can see any tears. Once he’s composed himself, he leans back on his pillow. “I know you really like Jace and so do I. He’s super cool and always hangs out with me and Sam, sometimes he even accidentally cusses in front of us.” I lift my eyebrows at this news and Grey shakes his hands. “Don’t hold it against him, Mom! I mean, we’re going to learn it somewhere, right? Better than on T.V.”
I laugh, listening to him repeat my exact words. “Yeah, okay…”
His lips slip into a grin and the worry of him dating one day with that killer smile of his hits me hard.
“Anyways, what I’m trying to say is that if you and Jace want to get married, I’m cool with that. I mean, aside from Pop, he’s like what a dad should be and I’d way rather spend time with him than Dad.”
Shocked. Stunned. Floored. Speechless. Yes, speechless, my ten-year-old just made me speechless. Grey leans forward, wrapping his arms around my neck and kissing my cheek. “Close your mouth, Mom. I’m just saying it would be fan-freaking-tastic if you did marry him…someday.”
Snapping out of it, I stand up. “Language, boy. You better not let your grandfather hear you say that and I’ll be having a little talk with Jace about his language as well.”
Grey groans but I lean over and tickle him to lighten the moment. He giggles and kicks his sheets until I stop, knowing there’s still the very real possibili
ty that I could tickle him until he pees his pants. After another hug, I turn off his light and head into the living room, busying myself with cleaning up our popcorn mess so I don’t focus on my son’s suggestion of marrying Jace Richards.
Walking into the kitchen, I’m still on autopilot as I put away our dishes. A light tap on the door startles me and I almost touch the ceiling as I jump. I set the bowls on the counter and look around the curtain to see who it is. Jace is fidgeting on the other side and I’m both relieved and anxious to see him.
Turning the lock, I open the door but before he’s even got one foot in the door, Jace’s hands move to either side of my face, pressing his lips to mine and kissing me with a sense of urgency. My body instantly awakens and I slip one hand behind his neck, pulling him closer. I know we have to be careful with Grey home, but I can’t take my mouth off him.
I take a step backwards so Jace will move into the house on the off chance that Ashley might be awake. I don’t want to hear her comments about us making out for the entire neighborhood to see. As I open my mouth to deepen the kiss, Jace leans back, his hands still on my face. His baby blue eyes look crystal clear as he stares into mine. Then out of left field, Jace Richards shakes up my entire world.
“I love you.”
Three words. The three most meaningful words in the English language and what do I do? I cry. Big fat, unflattering tears roll down my cheeks and I nod.
“I love you, too.”
CHAPTER 22
Jace
“I love your kissable lips,” Laurel says, straddling my thighs and kissing me. I lean against my headboard, my arms folded behind my head as she works her way down my body.
“I love your savory, manly scent.” She giggles and nuzzles her nose against my neck.
“I love your sensitive nipples.” A grin spreads across her face before she bows her head and takes my nipple ring in her mouth, tugging gently and evoking a deep moan from me.