by Nia Arthurs
Peggy made a face. “The word ‘Vinnie’ is banned from this house.”
“What happened? Did you two break up?”
“I saw him hitting on a freshman outside the cafeteria. It wasn’t the first time, but I was just too in love. It took me way too long to accept it.” She pouted. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you when you told me he was flirting with you too.”
“It’s fine.” Erin threw her arms around Peggy. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“You were busy with your bio-mom and dealing with Cooper. I didn’t want to add to that.”
Cooper fisted his hands. “Want me to beat him up?”
“And what? Get kicked out of school because of me? No thanks.”
Erin strode toward him. “Don’t listen to her. We’ll ambush him after your volleyball practice.”
“Oh, I’ve decided to drop volleyball,” he said casually.
Erin’s jaw fell. “What?”
“Why? You’re a great player! Dennis was just gushing about you last week.”
Erin’s gaze searched his. “I don’t understand.”
The toaster beeped. He bobbed his head. “Toast is ready.”
“Forget that.” Erin stood before him, her head tilted. “I thought you loved volleyball and all your teammates.”
“Apart from Ryan,” Peggy added helpfully. “That must be awkward.”
“Wait… is that why you dropped out?”
“Ryan told the team it was either me or him. Since I’m not giving you up and I don’t want to start any drama, I dropped the team.”
Erin’s expression turned stormy. “Let me talk to him. That’s ridiculous.”
“It’s fine.” He captured her wrist before she could storm out of the kitchen. “I didn’t want to join in the first place. You know that.”
“Don’t play tough. The team gave you a place to belong. I’m someone who has a little experience in that department so don’t even try me.”
“I appreciate the concern, babe, but resolving this won’t be that easy.”
Erin lifted her chin, her eyes spurting with stubbornness. “Either you talk to Ryan or I do. Your choice.”
“Ooh,” Peggy cooed, biting into her toast, “you better listen to her, Coop.”
He sighed. “Fine.”
And so, Cooper found himself confronting Ryan in the middle of the gym after his last class. He had no idea how he was supposed to work this out, but he figured Erin would skin him alive if he didn’t at least attempt it.
“What do you want, Lawson?” Ryan checked his watch. “Erin should be here any minute.”
“Erin’s not coming. It was a set up so we could talk.”
Ryan frowned. “If Erin’s not coming, then I don’t need to be here either.”
“Look, man.” Cooper stepped into his path. “Can’t we put the past behind us and move on.”
“You can say that because you got the girl. Imagine if you were in my shoes.”
Cooper understood that completely, but Erin didn’t want to hear those types of excuses. “Think about the team.”
“You know something, Lawson? I don’t wanna do that.”
“Come on, man. You love volleyball as much as I do. Would you really give that up because Erin broke up with you?”
“She was stolen from me,” Ryan snapped.
“Erin is a person not an object. She chose you at first. Just like she chose me in the end.” He saw that he wasn’t getting through and rubbed the back of his neck. “I can’t apologize for loving her, but I hope you don’t hold it against us. Erin was really concerned about you.”
“I’ll admit,” Ryan stared at the ceiling, “I started dating Erin because you liked her, but eventually, she won me over. She means a lot to me.”
Cooper nodded.
Ryan cleared his throat. “If you hurt her, I’ll ruin you.”
“Got it.” He offered his hand for a slap. “We cool?”
Ryan pushed his arm away. “We’re not that cool.”
Cooper chuckled.
At that moment, the door burst open and the other members of the team strolled in. When Dennis saw them standing on the court, he rushed over. “Am I dreaming? Are you both back on the team?”
Ryan scuffed his tennis shoes on the floor. “I guess so.”
“Yeah!” Dennis scooped Ryan up.
“Go Team!” Rolando yelled. He tried to lift Cooper but when he didn’t budge, he slunk away.
Dennis set Ryan down and thrust his fist in the air. “Alright, team. We’ve got a game this Friday. Together, we can’t lose!”
The men thundered their agreement and dove into their drills. Cooper realized Ryan was a good player. His entire attitude changed which reflected in his sets.
On Friday, the team headed to their first game. They had reached a professional understanding that allowed them to play well.
“You nervous?” Erin asked as they parked in front of the Belize City gym. They’d chosen to drive up separately while the rest of the team and supporters from their school came in a bus.
“Not really.”
Erin smiled. She took his hand and held it up to the light. “Then why are you shaking?”
“Because I can’t handle how beautiful you are.”
“Nice try.” She smacked her lips against his knuckles and stared at him. “Don’t get hurt tonight.”
He kissed her forehead. “I love you.”
She smiled.
Cooper’s phone rang as he was about to leave his vehicle. He pointed to it and watched as Erin nodded and made her way into the gym. Cooper glanced at the screen and was surprised to see his father’s number.
The familiar numbness swept over him. “Hello, Dad.”
“Cooper. I heard you were playing a game down here tonight.”
“Did Josiah tell you?”
“He did.” Brandon Lawson cleared his throat.
There was a long pause and then Cooper said, “Dad, I have to go. The game’s starting soon.”
“I just… wanted to wish you luck.”
Cooper froze. “W-what?”
“Good luck, son.” His father ended the call.
Cooper pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it. The desire to call back and ask if his father had some life-threatening disease overwhelmed him. Cooper denied the impulse and headed inside to get ready for his game.
He was grateful for something else to focus on and played his heart out. Erin cheered from the stands. He heard her voice above the crowd’s. It picked him up, kept him going during the long, exhausting sets.
In the end, their team won. Ryan offered him a high five. He slapped his hand and grinned. Their crowd of supporters bled out of the bleachers and surrounded them on the court.
Cooper looked for Erin. A moment later, she collided into his arms. He held her close, riding the high of his adrenaline and having her in his arms.
As the crowd’s screams became intolerable, he pulled Erin away and headed for the chairs near Dennis.
“Great game, man.” Dennis nodded at Erin. “They played to win tonight.”
“They had some help.” Erin winked at him.
Cooper growled. “Don’t flirt with my woman, Dennis.”
“She started it,” his friend fired back.
“Coopa!” He recognized Josiah’s voice and spun. He ran to them, a huge grin on his face. “Good job, man.”
Cooper wiped his face with a towel. “Thanks.”
“Can I talk to yuh? Privately?” Josiah glanced at Erin.
“Go on.” She waved him away and sat beside Dennis.
Cooper gave Dennis a hard stare. “I’ll be right back.”
“We might be here,” Dennis joked.
The glare Cooper shot his way made Erin laugh. “Relax, babe. I’ll be fine.”
Josiah led him to a quiet corner and stopped. “Dat your woman?”
“She’s my girlfriend.” Cooper breathed in. “What’s up?”
; “Dah bout your father.” Josiah looked both ways and shuffled closer. “I was cleaning his office and I find some things about the Santinos gang.”
Cooper groaned. “Did he instigate them more? Are they coming back for me?”
He wasn’t surprised. And before Erin, he wouldn’t be concerned with whether he lived or died. But loving someone kind of changed his priorities. He definitely wanted to spend the rest of his life with Erin Marshall. Which would be hard to do if a gang chopped him to pieces.
“That’s the ting. Your father paid them off.”
Cooper blinked. “I don’t understand.”
“It’s in the contract. They get their money and they’re not supposed to touch you or your father will expose everything and turn them both in.”
His eyes widened. “Are you sure?”
“See.” Josiah fished his phone from his pocket. “I knew yuh wouldn’t believe me so I took a photo myself.”
Cooper increased the size of the picture on the screen. As he read the words, his face turned paler and paler. His father had chosen to protect him.
“Why now? Why after all this time?”
“Your father loves you, Coopa. Even if he don’t know how to show it. Both times you get kidnapped, he work close with the police till you were found. It’s the truth.”
Cooper sank, his back against the wall. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Maybe… one of these days, you can stop by and visit the house? Your father’s a lonely man, you know. He have all that money and nobody to share it with. You can bring Erin.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Josiah helped him to his feet and clasped his shoulder. “You’re a good man, Mista Lawson. Go back to yuh friends and enjoy yuh night.”
Cooper watched Josiah walk out, still shell-shocked. When he returned to the court, he was stunned to find Erin sitting alone. He fell beside her. “Where is everyone?”
“The team went to the club to celebrate.”
“Do you want to go?”
“Not really. Do you?”
He shook his head.
“What did Josiah say?” she asked.
“To give my father a chance.”
Erin scrunched her nose. “To do what?”
“Love me.”
A small smile played with your lips. “Will you?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well,” she slipped her hand into his, “whatever you decide, I’ll be right here.”
“I love you, Erin Marshall.”
She rested her head against his shoulder. “You’re everything to me, Cooper Lawson. I love you too.”
He squeezed her hand. “It only took you seven years.”
“Do you always have to mention that?”
“Technically I told you how I felt first. During that play. The one you spent half your life resenting me for.”
Erin shook him off and hopped to her feet. “Here we go again.”
“Wait! Erin! Come back!” He grinned as he grabbed his duffel bag and chased her. “How’s your script for Sleeping C.E.O. coming?”
“I swear Cooper, if you say one more thing…!”
Cooper laughed, his love for Erin bubbling over. He’d spend the rest of his life teasing, loving and kissing her.
That was a promise.
THE END
A Word From The Author
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Other Books by this Author
The Taming Series
Taming Mr. Jerkface
Taming Mr. Charming
Taming Mr. Know-it-all
Taming Mr. Darcy
The Seven Realms Series
Genesis
Revelations
The Tree of Knowledge (coming soon)
Love & Reggae
Amid the Noise
Count Me In
Buffalo Soldier
Confessions of A Church Girl
Glass Houses
Fitting In
Standing Out
Standalone
Whiter Than Snow
Married By Science
Tsea
Fool Me Never
Audrey’s Choice
Scarlet
From the Stars
River’s Journey
That Was Then
Energy
Becoming Rachel
Desperate for a Date
Something New
Love In Many Shades Series
Cece & David
Cece & David 2
Cece & David 3
Cece & David 4
Boyfriend By Series
Boyfriend By Blackmail
Boyfriend By Midnight
Boyfriend By Design
Lovesick Series
Play
Dance
Trust
Sneak Peek
THE BODYGUARD: A BWAM NOVEL
Meghan Slade was just a job.
All I had to do was guard her body.
I didn't know that would include her heart.
Daughter of the Prime Minister. Breakout singer. My biggest headache. When Sarge assigns me to act as Meghan's bodyguard, I can't hide my distaste.
But Meghan's more than her fancy pedigree or her flashy past. Every time those big brown eyes snap my way, it's hard to remember she's just a client.
There's someone after her. I can't afford to be distracted. And she can't afford to disregard my commands.
Too bad Meghan has a thing for pushing her luck.
Read on for an excerpt.
Chapter 1
Belize City, Belize
“Deke, I just came from evidence, but I didn’t see the—” Jerry Lang stopped short when he noticed the rookie’s eyes glued to his lap. He inched closer, his footsteps concealed by the noise in the precinct.
His shadow cast over the table, but Deke was so engrossed he didn’t so much as blink.
Is that paperwork?
He doubted it. Writing reports made him want to reassess his career choices—not smirk at his lap.
Jerry clamped his fingers on the back of Deke’s chair and leaned over carefully. His assessment was swift and silent.
The rookie held a tablet in his hands. The screen revealed a scantily dressed woman dancing on a bright stage. Fireworks exploded from the machines behind her. Slender fingers clutched a microphone. She thrust her hips to a noiseless beat.
Jerry’s eyes flickered over her. Brown skin. Long hair. Nice body exposed in a men’s shirt with top three buttons undone. Tight black leather shorts. Tall, black heels.
She could be any stripper turned singer-superstar in Hollywood.
Jerry didn’t care.
What he did care about was his trainee apparently taking his own off time.
Jerry neared Deke’s ear and hissed, “What are you watching?”
“Holy…!” Deke rocketed out of his seat and almost smacked the ceiling. His chair went skittering back. The documents on the end of his desk fluttered to the floor.
The officers passing by chuckled at the kid’s expense.
Corporal McKinley cupped his hands over his mouth and yelled, “You got caught, Rookie.”
Jerry ignored his friend and folded his arms over his chest. “Settle down, kid.”
Deke slammed his tablet facedown on the table. Brown skin glistened with nervous sweat. “Sir?”
“Am I int
errupting?”
“Um…”
“I know how stressful all that writing can be.” Jerry waved his fingers as if swatting a fly. “Don’t mind me. Go ahead and finish watching your video. I can wait.”
“Sorry, sir.” The rookie hung his head. A pattern of waves gleamed in his short black hair. “It won’t ever happen again, sir.”
McKinley swaggered up to their desk, a grin splitting his round face. He grabbed the tablet. “Let me see that.”
Deke continued staring at the floor.
Jerry tapped the trainee’s shoulder. “Head to evidence and file that bag again. It needs to be tagged properly or someone will walk off scotch free because we didn’t do our jobs right the first time.”
“Yes, sir.” Deke scrambled away.
“That one is giving me a headache,” Jerry grumbled, massaging his temples.
“Ah, don’t be so hard on him.” McKinley tapped Deke’s tablet with his knuckles. “Half of Belize is watching this concert live.”
“What is it?” Jerry asked, only mildly interested. He stooped to pick up the documents Deke had scattered on the floor and tried not to feel resentful.
During last week’s meeting, he drew the short straw and got saddled with the title of FTO—field training officer.
Jerry had prepared himself for a babysitting job. Now he was cleaning up after the new recruits too.
Wonderful.
McKinley dropped beside him and shoved the screen in his face. The light glowed brighter in the shadows beneath the table. “She’s Meghan Slade.”
“So what? She’s like Beyoncé or something?”
“Beyoncé?” McKinley seemed insulted. “Dude, no way. She’s just starting out. She’s got a heck of a way to go before she’s the Queen’s status.”
“That’s nice.” Jerry reached for another file.
“Meghan Slade. Doesn’t that name ring a bell?”
“I don’t listen to…” Jerry popped an eyebrow, “that genre of music. And are you planning on helping me?”