Fighting For Love - A Standalone Novel (A Bad Boy Sports Romance Love Story) (Burbank Brothers, Book #5)

by Naomi Niles

  “But you’re the only I’ve ever talked to,” she said. “People with tattoos are scary.”

  “Am I scary?”

  “No, not at all. You’re just Dylan,” she said.

  I liked how she said my name. Damn. I had to remember that her father had let me into his house. I doubt he’d like me dating his daughter. “But I have tattoos.”

  “I was afraid of you when I first met you.”

  “I know.”

  “Did that bother you?”

  “No.”

  It hadn’t. I was used to it.

  “I’m sorry that I was afraid.”

  “You don’t have to be sorry about how you feel. It’s just how you feel. I appreciate that you’ve warmed up to me.”

  She nudged him with her hip. “You’re not so bad.”

  I couldn’t help smiling. This was a flirty Taylor. Her eyes twinkled. They were an odd shade of blue, but it worked on her.

  “Is your Dad picking us up?”

  “Yep. Like usual. I miss him when he’s out of town.”

  “Does he travel much?”

  “He’ll go for weeks where I don’t see him but once a week,” she said.

  I could see the sadness in her eyes. What would that be like? I had to admit that if my mother had traveled, it would have been a relief. There was always drama surrounding her – and strangers who wanted to party.

  I would often come home to all sorts of stoned people in our trailer. I had started locking my bedroom door when stuff started getting stolen.

  Sadly, that could have been my mother selling things to buy drugs. It may not have been her friends. Taylor had no such worries in her life.

  ***

  The mathletes met after school the next day, but not for long. I had some time before Taylor’s dad would pick us up. I could have gotten a ride home, but decided to hang out. School was different after hours.

  Everyone was more relaxed. Usually, I was running home because my mother wanted me there or I had to check on her because she’d had the day off. It was never a good thing to give my mother idle time. She just drank or snorted it away.

  I should probably go visit her, but not being around her had been nice. I was only responsible for myself. Someone else made meals and gave me money for food. This life was nice, but one wrong step and Mrs. Dean would kick me out.

  And, she should. They’d offered me a rare opportunity and I had to do right by them.

  I sat in the bleachers watching the various sports practicing. Okay, I was only watching the cheerleaders. And, only watching Taylor. She had command of the squad.

  Those girls listened to her. Taylor didn’t come up to see me when they took a break, which was disappointing. It shouldn’t be, but it was.

  Instead, two other cheerleaders came up to sit with me. I glanced at Taylor, who was clearly staring my way. Why? I didn’t get a read on the situation, but I had a feeling I was in dangerous waters. The two women sat on either side of me and I got the feeling I was going to be ambushed.

  They were twins. Every guy’s fantasy, right? I swallowed hard.

  “Hello, ladies.”

  Smooth. I wasn’t really. I just came across that way because I was usually quiet. Some girls thought I was dark and broody. It had gotten me a little ass here and there.

  “Hello, Dylan. I’m Bailey.”

  “I’m Barbie.”

  Barbie and Bailey. Okay. I expected porn music to start playing because this was unreal. I rubbed my hands on my pants. I’d just wanted to wait for Taylor and now, I was surrounded by women.

  “Hello. How did you know my name?”

  Bailey leaned into me, two manicured fingers dancing across my shoulder. “We were at Taylor’s house that day.”

  “Oh, right.”

  I’d forgotten. As hot as they were, they hadn’t been that memorable. I’d been so nervous about invading their space in the basement that the details were forgotten.

  “Taylor said you’ve been helping her with math,” Barbie said. “I need some help. With math.”

  Okay. “Well, I guess I could help you.”

  This really was starting to be porn-like, but who was I to turn them down?

  Except that my gaze kept straying to Taylor. When it did, either Barbie or Bailey would put a finger on my chin to bring my attention back. I could have twins, if I did this properly, both of them. I bet at the same time.

  All I could keep thinking about was what Taylor would think, though. She looked even less happy each time my gaze went to her.

  “Is practice over ladies?” I asked.

  “Yes, it is.”

  I stood. My dick didn’t want me to, but my heart had other ideas. These were Taylor’s friends. I wasn’t going to just hop into bed with them. I needed to make sure if I pursued anything with either one of them that Taylor would be okay with it. “I better go, then. Have Taylor give you my number if you still need math help.”

  They frowned at me. Barbie pouted.

  They were probably bad news, but I’d have to ask Taylor about asking one of them to the dance. I’d never had one girl after me, let alone, two. I approached Taylor.

  “You ready to go home?”

  “Are you? I wouldn’t want to interrupt you,” she said. She didn’t look at me. She was pissed.

  “What did I do Taylor?”

  Her shoulders slumped. “Nothing. Let’s go find my dad.”

  I followed her to the car. “Taylor.”

  “What?”

  “What did I do?”

  She smiled. “You didn’t do anything, Dylan. I’m being a bitch.”

  “We’re okay?”

  “Sure.”

  When we arrived home, I followed her to the kitchen. “That dance is coming up.”

  “Yeah?”

  “I wanted to ask someone. Is it okay if I ask one of your friends?”

  A bunch of emotions crossed her face. I didn’t know any of them.

  “Which friend?”

  “Well, Barbie or Bailey.”

  She put a hand on my arm, then she looked around. “Let me let you in on a little secret.”

  “What?”

  Her father had disappeared. It wasn’t dinnertime yet, and besides, tonight pizza was being delivered.

  “Barbie and Bailey are in a competition.”

  “What kind?”

  “To lose their virginity. Whoever loses it to the coolest person wins.”

  So many questions crossed my mind. “Who decides who is coolest?”

  “The rest of the cheerleading squad. Not me. I want nothing to do with it.”

  “What does this have to do with me?”

  She eyed me for a moment. “Guys really are idiots. They want to see who can lose it to you because you’re cool. You’ve got that dark and broody thing going on.”

  I took a step back. “I’m cool?”

  She sighed. “In their eyes. They are using you, Dylan. They wouldn’t give you the time of day, otherwise.”

  Now that hurt. “You don’t think they could like me?”

  “They wouldn’t. They are snobs and you don’t run in the same circles. That’s all. The problem is with them, not you.”

  “You don’t think I’m good enough for them.”

  “It isn’t that, Dylan. Don’t put words in my mouth.”

  “I’m not. You don’t think I’m good enough for your friends.”

  I was pissed. I stomped out of the kitchen, not wanting to be near her. Here I’d thought we’d become friends and now she was not being nice to me, at all.

  “Dylan.”

  I didn’t stop. I’d come down when pizza was here, but I wasn’t going to talk to Taylor. I’d been worried about her feelings, but she wasn’t worried about mine.

  Chapter Ten

  Taylor

  I tried to talk to Dylan all week, but he ignored me and managed not to be alone with me except in the car, and I didn’t want to have that conversation in front of either of my p
arents. I’d get my car back soon, but not before the dance.

  He’d asked Barbie, and she was going with him. I was going stag as I didn’t want to go with anyone. I think if Dylan had asked, I would have gone with him, but that certainly wasn’t happening.

  Men. What was I supposed to do about him? He was going to get used and I didn’t want to see his heart broken. I certainly didn’t want to see Barbie get her claws into him.

  Tonight was the dance and the night that Barbie was going to have sex with Dylan. Darn. I’d really screwed this up. I thought he wanted me to be honest with him.

  The gym was made up to look like a Winter Wonderland. Snowflakes hung from the ceiling. I hadn’t been on the decorating committee this year, but they’d done a good job. The music was too loud to talk.

  I tried not to be a stalker, but I kept my eye on Dylan and Barbie. The first time she went to the bathroom, I pounced.

  “Dylan, we need to talk.”

  “No, we don’t, Taylor. You’ve said all that I need to hear. Barbie thinks you’re jealous.”

  I took a step back. “You told Barbie what I said.”

  She hadn’t mentioned it. I knew he’d texted with her all week, but she hadn’t ignored me. Guess she assumed that I wasn’t a threat. Nice.

  He walked away, but I followed. “Dylan, listen to me.”

  He stopped. “Why? Best case scenario, you’re just being mean. Worst case, you’re jealous. Either way, you’re being a bitch, Taylor. Stop it. Is it so hard to imagine she might like me?”

  No, it wasn’t hard. Because I liked Dylan. Maybe not that way, but I could see myself liking him that way. I didn’t, but it was possible.

  I watched him walk out of the gym. I had to follow. I wasn’t letting Barbie do this to him. She’d post it everywhere. Not only would she break his heart, she’d laugh at him and the whole school would know.

  Things were turning around for him. I didn’t want him to be hurt. I didn’t want to him to have a setback. He was a good kid, and I finally understood what my dad had seen in him because I saw it, too. I knew Barbie just saw a chance to win this contest.

  Stupid contest. Girls were bitches.

  Guess I had to talk to Barbie.

  I found her in the bathroom, surrounded by some of the other cheerleaders. One look from me and they scattered. Barbie wasn’t cowed, though. She probably felt she had the upper hand. She sat on the edge of the sink where she’d been holding court.

  What I wouldn’t give to kick her off the cheerleading squad, but I didn’t have that kind of power. I’d have to go through the teacher advisor. She’s trying to have sex with a friend wouldn’t be a viable reason in the teacher’s eyes.

  I stood in front of her, my arms crossed. “Don’t do it, Barbie.”

  “Don’t do what?”

  “Don’t do what you’re planning. Don’t have sex with Dylan.”

  She leaned closer. “I think that you are jealous.”

  “I know about the contest. You couldn’t pick someone other than Dylan?”

  She laughed. “No one is more badass than him. Who else in this school has a tattoo?”

  I didn’t tell her that he had more than one. I wasn’t going to give her the impression that we were more intimate than we were. “He really likes you, and I don’t want to see you break his heart.”

  She shrugged. “He’s a guy. He’ll get past it.”

  “He has feelings, Barbie.”

  “What guy is going to turn down getting laid?”

  She was right. Probably. I didn’t know that much about boys, but I knew they were perverts. I sighed. “Barbie, please rethink this. Dylan doesn’t deserve this.”

  “Doesn’t deserve to get laid or were you saving that for you?”

  Why was everyone so sure that I was jealous? I was just looking out for Dylan.

  “I think you need to leave us alone, Taylor. I’m going to win that contest and the evidence will be on Instagram.”

  She brushed past me. I took a moment to compose myself before I left the bathroom. When I entered the gym, I didn’t see Dylan. The dance floor was crowded, but I doubted that they were there. I looked around anyway.

  I spotted Bailey. “Have you seen Dylan?”

  She crossed her arms and frowned. “I think they went outside.”

  I hurried to the outside doors. We weren’t supposed to go out this way, but I peeked anyway.

  “Taylor Dean, where are you going?” Mr. Carter said.

  Dang chaperones. “Just getting some fresh air. I’m not leaving the gym.”

  He stared at me until I closed the door. I hadn’t seen anyone outside, but the lights only lit up part of the field. Where were they?

  I returned to Bailey. “Where did Barbie say they were going?”

  “I’m only going to help you so that she doesn’t win. I think she was taking him under the bleachers. She had a blanket set up there earlier.”

  I squeezed her arm. “Thanks.”

  Now, I had to get out of the dance without a chaperone noticing. I needed to find Dylan and Barbie before anything happened.

  My phone dinged. I looked at the screen. A group text from Barbie.

  “We’re going to do the deed.”

  Shit. I hoped I wouldn’t be too late. Dylan would probably be pissed at me for butting in, but I didn’t trust Barbie. She was going to make this a big deal and I doubted that she’d even thought about birth control.

  ***

  I had never seen the football field so dark. Thankfully, I spent enough time here to know it by heart. I also knew the place under the bleachers that Barbie would pick. At least, I thought I did. Someone had tried to bring me there once.

  I had my phone, but then I was afraid that they would know I was approaching if I used the light on it to see where I was going.

  I got to what I thought was the fifty yard line, but I wasn’t sure. The whole place looked different in the dark. I pulled out my phone, suddenly creeped out by how quiet it was. I saw where I wanted to go, then turned off the flashlight.

  I hurried, trying to listen at the same time. Would they be making noise?

  I stopped. There was someone behind me. Who could that be?

  “Taylor?”

  My heart jumped out of my chest. “Bailey?”

  “Yes. I’m coming with you.”

  “Fine.”

  “Use your phone,” she said.

  “I don’t want them to see me coming.”

  “Okay, then hold my hand. This place is creepy in the dark.”

  “I know.”

  I knew Bailey was only helping me because she didn’t want Barbie to win the contest. I mean, really. Couldn’t they have picked someone other than Dylan? “Why Dylan?”

  Bailey snorted. “He has tattoos and is a bad boy.”

  “He joined the mathletes.”

  Bailey laughed. “I don’t think that Barbie knows that. That makes him less cool.”

  I thought it made him cooler, but what did I know. Everyone thought I was cool and I had no idea what cool was. I seemed to have the right clothing and attitude and I was a cheerleader. The right genes had made me cool. Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Whatever.

  Somehow, it all seemed so stupid as we were walking across a darkened football field. So stupid. And, Dylan was going to get hurt. We had to hurry. I didn’t know how long it would all take, but I hoped I got there before the deed was done.

  I stopped. Bailey ran into me. “What?”

  “I think I hear something.”

  “I know where they are,” Bailey said.

  “Then you lead.”

  She got me to the back of the bleachers. I really needed to find new friends. This was ridiculous.

  The night was chilly, and I hoped I’d find them soon.

  “What the fuck are you doing here?” Barbie said.

  I stopped in my tracks. Bailey pulled out her phone and turned on the light. She shone it on Barbie and Dylan still dressed. Dylan looked pissed �
�� he must have realized that I was there, too.

  “Taylor?”

  “Dylan, she’s just using you,” I said. “I can prove it.”

  I still had the text stream on my phone. Why she’d discussed in a series of texts, I’ll never know, but it was evidence in my favor.

  Bailey brushed past me and grabbed her sister by the hair. “You’re a slut. I’m done with this contest.”

  She dragged her sister out from under the bleachers. Barbie was screaming. Dylan was trying to separate the two.

  “Stop it,” I said.

  Barbie punched Bailey.

  I grabbed Dylan to get him away from them. “Stop. Let them fight it out.”

  He stepped away, then glared at me. I put a hand on his arm. “Look.”

  I showed him the conversation on my phone. He took it from me to get a better look.

  “She’s a bitch,” I said.

  I could only see his face from the light on my phone, but he didn’t look too happy. “I was trying to warn you, Dylan. That’s all.”

  Barbie had Bailey on the ground. I actually didn’t care what happened to them. There was so much drama around them that they tired me. I would still be a cheerleader, but I didn’t think I’d hang with them anymore.

  Helena would be ecstatic. She didn’t like any of my cheerleader friends. What had I been thinking? Their father owned the largest house in the town. Maybe I’d been thinking like my mother.

  “Are you doing this virginity thing?” Dylan said, handing the phone back to me.

  “No.”

  I wasn’t. I wanted it to be special. Not with some guy on the football field, under the bleachers as part of a bet. My father had taught me to have more self-respect than that.

  Dylan rubbed a hand down his face. “I can’t believe this.” He glanced at Bailey and Barbie, who had finally stopped pounding on each other.

  “This sucks,” he said, then ran into the darkness.

  “Dylan?”

  I ran in the direction he went, but couldn’t find him. Shit. This wasn’t good.

  “Bailey, Barbie, I can’t find Dylan. Come help me.”

  “Fuck you,” Bailey said.

  I rolled my eyes. We were going to be picked up in a half an hour. Shit. Shit. Shit.

  “Dylan?”

  I kept jogging in the direction he went, but he wasn’t there. I would cover for him. Hopefully, he’d come home tonight. I wandered over to the front of the school, hoping I didn’t look a mess. I didn’t want to have to explain to my dad what had happened.