by Ally Adams
He rose quickly and shoved me intentionally, knocking me off balance. I grabbed for the bench and missed, as adrenaline and fear coursed through me. With super-fast reflexes Lucas reached for me and caught me, his arms wrapped around my back, pressing me close to his bare chest. He steadied me on my feet.
Lucas removed his hands from my body. He licked his lower lip, looked away from me and turning, he took the stairs back to Anthea.
Chapter 14
Friday night was here and Alice was right—this was the best party we had ever been to and probably ever would go to in our entire lives. The house was packed, the music thumped, the beach front was lit and the A-list was pouring through the doors: I recognized actors, models, sports stars and even singers, and we were there!
I desperately tried with every atom in my body not to watch Lucas but I couldn’t help myself. He looked gorgeous—straight out of a designer catalogue. His dark hair sat perfectly with long pieces falling into his light blue eyes. He wore black jeans, black boots and a designer white shirt that was tapered and cut for his body. He was beautiful and just this morning I was in his arms—accidentally. I was also in his mouth, but I’m guessing swabbing doesn’t count for much on the romance stakes.
After Jase and Sarah shared their insights to Lucas last night, I could feel his vulnerability coming off him in waves. I never saw it before that, just a wall of arrogance and defiance. I felt like I knew him better now—even after a few weeks, I knew him more than most people in the room except Jase and Sarah, and Cam and Jessica, whom I hadn’t met yet. All his regular one-night-stands were present at the party, but they didn’t know him the way I did. I knew Lucas behind his eyes, why he ticked, why he was like he was.
I saw too how every female in the room—except for the spoken for—wanted to know Lucas and be a fixture in his life and in his fifteen million dollar mansion, if she could just win his ice-cold heart. His success, power, talent, looks and aloofness were a powerful aphrodisiac.
Someone opened a can of models out the front and a new batch poured in; long-legged, glamorous, flashing teeth and abundant hair. Joining them were more females, not catwalk quality but still attractive.
“Cheerleaders,” Alice said to me, raising her glass in a toast. I clinked mine with hers. I had completely forgotten about the Santa Ana Saints’ cheer squad. That explained the zesty, slim-waisted glamorous group that came in together and could definitely move; they took over the dance floor. I sighed; there was a whole new supply of chicks for Lucas to work his way through if he hadn’t already. Nearly every male set of eyes in the room was watching them. A couple of guys were part of the cheer squad too but it appeared they were distracted by the glamour around them.
But who was I kidding? Looking around this room there was no one for me and no way I could compete with half of the crowd and that’s kind of okay too. It’s not my scene and the party reminded me how much of a fish out of water I was. In a month’s time, I would go back to college, finish my last semester, score my degree and get to work in an area I loved. Maybe after this I would have had my fill of male professional sports teams too, especially if they were all like the captain. Lucas could feel safe about one thing; there were so many people around I couldn’t keep an eye on him all night, even if he did stand out in the crowd. Besides, I thought, he’s a grown man and if he wants to lose it tonight, there’s not much I can do about it but pick up the pieces.
Then there were the WAGS—the wives and girlfriends—but out of the thirty on the squad, only twelve had partners. I recognized a few from training and we chatted over the loud music. Add to the mix some of the opposing teams since they all hung together, were traded, bought and sold; relatives, friends, and friends of friends, and about every square foot of the two story mansion was filled. These were the beautiful people.
All night long, different groups of people were in the spa bath; the girls were topless, and bedroom doors were opened and closed with regularity. It was much wilder than my usual parties or maybe my crowd was just tame. Thank God Jase and Sarah’s level and my wing of the mansion remained firmly locked up or we’d have action in our bedroom and bathrooms too—eeww, gross.
I spotted Alice dancing with the team’s goalkeeper, Pez—picture Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias with a soccer ball—yeah, wow. I don’t know if that was his real name or a nickname. He was a Latin-lover type with warm golden skin, dark bedroom eyes and full lips. Well done Alice. Plus, she looked adorable—the little red dress with tassels that she bought under pressure was perfect for the dance floor and suited her coloring. I was pretty happy with my LBD too. I wore excruciatingly high strappy black sandals and left my hair down, giving it a fair fluffing so it looked full.
I had a few dances with Nik; for a big man he could bust a move and the DJ that Lucas hired had pretty much everyone’s range of music covered. I saw Lucas’s bed friends Chloe and Anthea; they had no exclusivity agreements with Lucas. I’m guessing Cassie and Miranda the actress were there too but I never met them to be able to I.D. them in a line up.
Alice was getting on really well with Pez, and he was being super attentive of her, despite the women flirting around him. I spotted Harry; he couldn’t dance but hey dancing wasn’t everything—clearly the man could play soccer. Then I caught a glimpse of Lucas again; he was having a beer with a guy I recognized from one of the opposing teams, he was in the news during the week for some reason—a trade maybe. Two gorgeous Amazon women were hanging off both of them. I saw Lucas’s hand stroking his Amazon’s back and I felt a tinge of something—okay, full on green jealousy.
Why can’t he see most of these women want him because they can take the ride with him, improve their career, look great on his arm? I wondered. They don’t care who he is or what he thinks or feels. Why can’t he form a genuine relationship as Jase has done with Sarah, or Cam with Jessica, even though I haven’t met them?
As Lucas could do with someone like me, maybe…
As soon as I thought it, he looked at me. I’m sure I flushed bright red... could he have read that thought? Don’t be ridiculous. I scurried on out of his sight. He didn’t want to see me tonight; he’d made that abundantly clear. I was nothing to him. Less than nothing.
As we all got more pissed and the DJ wanted a break, the karaoke machine came on. Safe to say it’s a good thing the guys had soccer careers. Karaoke was no stranger at our college parties and Alice and I were known to hold a reasonable tune—Joan Jett’s I Love Rock ‘N Roll was one of our specialties—but I needed a few more Chardies followed by a Martini shooter or ten before I’d be holding that microphone.
Alice raced up to me. “We have to sing,” she said.
“Are we drunk enough for that?” I grinned.
“I can fix that,” Alice said. She topped up our wine glasses and we watched the current ‘performers’. Two of the team’s personal trainers were doing a sorry rendition of the Stones’ Satisfaction and getting panned for it. It was hilarious. I imagined Lord Lucas wouldn’t take the stage—he was way too cool for that. The guys got booed off the stage and one of the leggy glamour-pusses dragged the team’s defender, Jackson, to the stage. I had got intimate with his ankle at physio this week. They selected Sonny and Cher’s I Got You Babe and did a reasonable job of it. I joined in the calls for encore. I don’t know if she really did have him but he looked as though he was certainly going to service her after the number.
Then blow me down or just blow me, Lucas got up on stage with German Nik and two other team members I only knew by their nicknames—Buzz and The Russian. If Lucas could sing too that was it—that just proved there was no fucking justice in the world when one person gets it all. But I wasn’t going to find out because he and Nik grabbed guitars from behind the DJ’s mixer, Buzz pulled a sax out of its case and The Russian, who didn’t look Russian and didn’t have an accent, grabbed the microphone. This must be one of their party acts since the gear was already there. The room went crazy chee
ring and chanting Lucas’s name. What a ham and he just lapped it up. Then he played the riff from Guns N’ Roses’ Sweet Child o' Mine and the party-goers roared again and my heart soared. I loved that song. Buzz was hot on the sax and The Russian was as delicious as Axel with his guttural version. I had to hand it to Lucas; he could play okay.
Seeing him up there gave me a chance to check him out with an excuse for doing so. He grinned with the guys and just looked so relaxed and happy—I hadn’t seen him like that since I moved in. The band did a set of four and then packed it in to a roaring ovation from the party crowd, me included. He glanced towards me and his eyes swept off me just as quickly as they found me. I don’t know whether he was checking I was there or checking I wasn’t.
As they left the stage, The Russian handed the microphone to Lucas’s bed friend from this morning, Anthea, who looked terrified, as though she had been handed a gun. She went to pass it on, but Pez grabbed her hand and dragged her to the stage. They did a very ordinary version of Madonna’s Like a Virgin which had everyone laughing except Alice, who didn’t like the way Anthea was rubbing herself against Pez every time she sang the word ‘virgin’. I whispered in Alice’s ear and she nodded her agreement. We made our way to the stage and Anthea happily passed us the microphone when she finished.
We searched for our song and accepted the wolf whistles from the audience. I didn’t dedicate our number to anyone but we invited everyone to sing along in the chorus and then the words came up on the screen and the room exploded in applause and laughter. No need to dedicate it; I think people knew who my song was for. Alice and I began our version of Carly Simon’s You’re So Vain.
“All together,” I called when we got to the chorus and everyone joined in, the words ringing out throughout the room.
I saw Lucas in my peripheral vision but didn’t make eye contact—I would pay later. Regardless, he was getting pats on the back and plenty of attention and even though there was no doubt I was singing it for him and publicly declaring him a bighead, he was loving every minute of the limelight. That’s my boy!
Chapter 15
At last, game day! The first game for the season and I had helped keep Lucas clean, well I was taking some credit for it anyway since I had to put up with his unbearable grouchiness. The Santa Ana Saints finished third on the ladder last season and unfortunately they drew last year’s premiers for their first game. It was going to be a really tough match and Lucas’s first game in the captain role. The Saints weren’t tipped to win but being underdog sometimes worked in your favor.
Club membership numbers were also up and the first match ticket sales were at fifty-eight thousand—a club record. The league was attributing it to the media hype around Lucas and his star-pulling power. Yep, no pressure. I had to perform in front of two hundred people at our end of school recital and spent the morning throwing up. I couldn’t run out in front of nearly sixty thousand. I felt nauseous thinking about it.
To say Lucas was uptight today was a major understatement. I heard him moving around upstairs from about five a.m. As soon as I was up and he heard the flush of water, he was knocking at our joint door. I pulled on my running gear and raced to answer it.
“Can you put some tape on my back?” he asked and headed upstairs before waiting for an answer.
“I’ll be there in a sec,” I called at his departing back. He could get the physios or Doc to do this at the club but maybe he wanted to get whatever he could out of the way before he went to the match. I returned to my bathroom, washed my face and tied my hair up. I grabbed my keys so I could go for a run after tending to Lord Lucas. I went upstairs to his bathroom and he was jittery, not a good sign. I had to handle this carefully; I had studied the psychology of pressure a bit in my electives at college when I took a sport psychology subject or two.
“Hey,” I said entering his bathroom where he was packing his kit.
“Hey, thanks for this,” he said, pulling his shirt off. He indicated some square patches and sat on the edge of the bath. What a great view to start the morning with. Seriously, who else got to see this? He was buffed. I sneaked glances at him in the mirror as I applied some plasters. He was almost human this morning, nice even—so disconcerting. His foot was tapping and he squinted as he thought—going through the plays of the day I guess. He was different when he was vulnerable, likeable even.
I peeled back the tape and placed several patches on raw areas of his back. I didn’t talk until he invited me to.
“Are you coming with me?” he asked.
“Aren’t you going really early?” I asked. I hoped he didn’t want me to come with him. It would be a long day and he really didn’t need me—he never had me before, so it’s not as if I was part of his pre-match routine from last season.
“I’m going at nine. What time will you be there? You’ve got the tickets and the car pass?” His eyes found mine in the mirror.
I nodded. “Yes thanks, all sorted.”
Lucas had organized two WAG tickets for Alice and me and even scored us a car parking voucher for the oval.
“I’ll be there about eleven,” I told Lucas.
“It starts at eleven-thirty! Don’t be too late. You’ll need to allow for traffic and crowds through the turnstiles, look for the Members and VIP entrance.”
“I know, I will, and thanks for taking care of it for me,” I said in the most soothing voice I could muster. It was sweet he was even thinking of me this morning given how wound up he was. There was hope for Lucas’s humanity after all. “You can call me if you need me to bring anything.”
He exhaled and nodded. Athletes were all about routines and he was establishing a new, more controlled one. I broached the subject hesitantly, remembering from my studies that controlling pressure was important.
“It will be great to see you and the team play; see you all in action.” I smiled, smoothing another patch on his back. “Bet you’re looking forward to having a kick around again.” I put the emphasis on again, since after all he was an elite player and no stranger to the ball.
“Yeah.” His lips showed just the trace of a smile. “It’ll be good to get out there again.”
“And it’ll give you the chance to check out your new young lads and see how their skills go under pressure.” I was moving the pressure off him and focusing on the fact he was there to help the kids too.
“It’s big for them; Harry’s first major league game. I remember that.” He actually smiled. “Not that my first game was in front of the crowd that will be there today. I hope Harry can keep it together.”
“All done,” I said. I backed out, hoping I’d helped just a bit. “Catch you soon, then.”
“Right, yeah, thanks,” he said returning to his packing, counting items and repacking.
I wanted to come up behind him and wrap my arms around him, kiss him, wish him luck and tell him I’d be rooting for him! But instead, I slipped out for a run.
When I returned, Lucas and his car were gone.
Chapter 16
After Lucas’s warning, Alice and I arrived at the ground an hour earlier than we’d planned and parked the car in the VIP area that Lucas had organized for us. Feeling pretty special about now! Good thing we did come earlier because the crowd was huge and moving like meandering cattle. Move along people, let’s go here.
We found the Members and VIP gate, and swanned through as though we knew someone of importance—ah yeah actually, I live with the captain. Okay fine, I’m banned to the wing of his house and told not to be seen unless I had to swab him but I’ve seen the inside of his mouth! Yeah, beat that. I was becoming a psycho.
We were directed by an aged attendant in a long blue coat and Santa Ana Saints badge to the entrance for our grandstand. Several empty seats were in the middle of the row and both ends packed. There’s a good reason to arrive early if ever there was one. Sigh. Alice and I sucked it in and squeezed past the dozen or so people to get to our seats. I looked ar
ound and all the team’s friends and families surrounded us—this was the team’s VIP allocated area. There were players’ parents, wives, kids, girlfriends, personal trainers, you name it.
I settled and subtly looked around, returning smiles and small waves to anyone I recognized from working with the doc and Andy, or from Friday night’s party. Alice and I wore jeans, T-shirts and light sweaters since we weren’t looking to party on afterwards. Some of the WAGS were dressed for after drinks but the one or two WAGS with kids were casual too. I looked to the benches and ground—no sign of any of the team or Lucas, but Andy the physio was pacing around the bench area on the field.
“I’m crazily nervous,” I said to Alice.
“Understandable,” she said. “You’re feeling his pressure.”
“He was wound pretty tight this morning,” I told her.
“Did you test him?” she asked.
“No way. He’s got enough on his plate, but I’ll have to test him after just to meet the daily quota.”
Another couple arrived beside me and I turned to smile at them. It was the coach’s wife, Elizabeth. I had met her with Johan briefly at the party—they had put in an appearance but left early. She had a young woman with her that might have been her daughter. I introduced Alice and she introduced the woman with her as a niece. Elizabeth was in her fifties and really attractive—I suspect she was a former model that nabbed the coach with her sophistication. Her hair was blond with white and gray streaks and she had a bone structure to die for.
“You’re looking after Lucas at the moment aren’t you?” she asked as she wrapped a navy and gold scarf around her neck. She explained, “Johan and I think of ourselves as the mama and papa bear of the team, and we’re a tight family. The success and pressure can be tough for the younger recruits so we keep an eye on them. We did with Lucas when he started with us a couple of years ago.”