The laugh that came out of me was a little choked. “No. You want to get under my father’s skin. I will not be a pawn in your game.”
He closed the distance between us until I was pinned up against a sliver of wall between the doorjamb and my dresser. “Haven, you’re by no means a pawn.” He lowered his head until I could feel his alcohol-infused breath breezing over my lips. “You’re going to be my queen.”
I thought I’d just died and gone to heaven.
“Think about it.” He kept his dark-gray eyes on my mouth. “You’ll be doing this for charity, but who knows, maybe your participation will help your old man’s election.” Then he brushed his arm over my chest as he walked out of my room.
When he was gone, I slid down the wall.
The only thing I could do at that moment was address the pulsing need I had in between my legs like I’d done every other night since I’d met him.
17
Ryker
Eleven days had flown by since I’d brought home Leigh’s box that Principal Holland had given me. I hadn’t opened the box, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to. Each day that had passed since the funeral seemed to be getting better albeit slowly, which was why I didn’t want to go down memory lane again.
So I’d tried to piece my life back together. I’d talked to Coach Chapman, gotten my ass back into the gym, practiced with the team, did four hours of my campus community service, and met with my advisor and then with my tutor to catch up on my classes. Not one drop of alcohol had entered my system during that time until the night I’d visited Haven in her dorm room. Before I’d gone over, Lucas and I had been sitting in our kitchen, discussing the fundraiser, when I’d gotten a call from the funeral director letting me know the headstones were ready. As soon as I’d hung up, I started drinking, and the last three days hadn’t been any different.
I lay on the weight bench in the gym, staring up at the lights. I’d worked out hard for the last two hours, trying to sweat out the alcohol from the night before. I wasn’t sure I was ready to play in the home game that day. My stomach was queasy, and my head spun a bit.
The door to the weight room creaked. “Ryker,” Lucas called before he loomed over me. “There you are. I got your note. Why didn’t you wake me up? I would’ve come down here with you.”
I sat up, shoving my fingers through my sweaty hair. “I needed to be alone.”
He went over to the stationary bike across from me. “You look like shit.”
Thank you, booze. “I feel like crap.”
He angled his head of blond curls. “You sure you can play today?”
I’d busted my ass in practice. My arm was ready, but my head wasn’t, and neither was my stomach. “I guess we’ll see.” I was more afraid my head would get in the way of playing. Home games drew a crowd, and that had always meant that Leigh and my brother, Randal, would be watching me. Plus, the fans were expecting perfection. I wasn’t sure I could give them perfection.
Lucas got on the bike, fiddling with the tension before he began pedaling. “Win or lose, man, the game will be good for you.”
I grabbed my towel from the floor and wiped the sweat off my face, hoping he was right, hoping the energy and the team would light a fire under me and give me that high I always got on the football field.
Lucas straightened on the bike, holding onto his hips while pedaling away. “Any word from Haven on the fundraiser? I need to get the program printed, update the website, and I need her bio.”
“She won’t budge.” The damn woman was stubborn. At first, I was using her. Actually, playing with her was a better way to put it. But all the guys who were participating agreed with Lucas. Having both sexes involved would make the fundraiser more interesting and give us the potential to bring in more money.
“Why limit it to us guys?” Erik had asked. “I would pay high dollar for a hot blonde.”
The rules were that we couldn’t bid on anyone if we were participating. Still, there were tons of guys on campus who would support a good cause, especially if a gorgeous woman was up for grabs.
“Maybe you should talk to her,” I said.
“We can find another girl,” Lucas added, breathing heavily as he continued to pedal. “Although I think she could bring in the most money, not only because she’s a senator’s daughter, but she does stand out above all the women who are on the list.” He sounded sad. “Were you nice to Haven when you asked her?”
My best bud was more disappointed than me that Haven didn’t want to be part of the charity event. But Haven was right. We didn’t need her. We could raise the twenty thousand dollars with the list of people we had so far. I was sure I could command at least two thousand like Haven had said. And maybe if she weren’t in the lineup, she would bid on me. Now there was an idea.
I chuckled. “I was the perfect gentleman.”
Lucas stopped pedaling. “You’re lying. What did you do?”
I raised my hands. “Truth. I went over there, talked to her, and left without so much as touching her. Look, forget about Haven. We’ll raise our goal.” The charity was also near and dear to Lucas’s heart. He had a cousin who had fallen into a bad situation with a guy.
He harrumphed. “You’re probably right. I’m sure you’ll bring in a hefty dollar amount.”
“As will you, dude,” I added.
He didn’t react. “I’ll talk to Haven, though, and if it’s a final no, I’ll ask her roommate, Vicki. She’s quite hot herself. But we need to finalize the names this weekend. The programs will take at least a week before they’re ready, and I still have to get a few more bios.”
We had a good month before the fundraiser. So Lucas had time, but I knew him. He had OCD when it came to planning things, which was why he’d been elected to organize our fundraisers every year.
Lucas started in on something else, but I tuned him out, wondering if Haven would bid on me. I knew she wanted me. I would bet my entire trust fund that her panties had been soaked that night I’d had her up against the wall in her dorm room.
Man, I would give my throwing arm just to taste her.
Think of something else, dude, or else your hard-on will be poking out at any second.
That didn’t matter. Lucas had seen me with an erection more times than I was sure he cared to. I’d seen him in the same predicament too.
But my mind was still stuck on Haven as Lucas continued talking in the background. Seeing her relaxed in her dorm room with a revealing tank and extremely short pajama bottoms had been a sight to behold. I’d done everything I could to keep my dick from getting hard. I loved how her body reacted to me, though. I loved that she’d been breathing heavy when our bodies were so close. I would have sworn I could feel her tits against my chest.
Lucas snapped his fingers.
I blinked.
“You didn’t hear a fucking word I said. Did you?”
I hadn’t even heard him come over. “I was thinking.”
“Of a redhead.”
I shrugged. “So sue me.”
Lucas wiped the towel he had in his hands over his face. “You need to get laid, bro.”
Fuck yeah, I did. But I didn’t want just any girl. My dick was throbbing just thinking about Haven. “Not by her.” You’re so full of shit. “I hate her old man. And she and I would be a disaster. She’s stubborn, not a quality I like in my women.”
He rolled his neck around before picking up two free weights. “Stubborn is just what you need. If you ask me, you two would be a match made in heaven.”
Heaven? He did have to pick that word.
“Can we just concentrate on football right now?” I said more than asked. Otherwise, I would need to jack off before the game.
“Ryker, are you in here?” Coach Chapman raised his voice before he emerged from around the wall that stood in between the weight room and the door. He was dressed in Lakemont colors—a red golf shirt with the Lakemont logo stitched on the chest in gold, a ball cap, and khakis. “The security
guard said you were here.” He tucked his hands into his pants pockets. “Good to see you here early. How are you feeling?”
Coach Chapman had given me my space even though he wanted me back on the field.
I still had my butt planted on the weight bench. “I’m good.”
He regarded me with his blue gaze, studying me hard. “Look, if you’re not, I understand.”
“He’s good, Coach,” Lucas said. “If he weren’t, he wouldn’t play.”
In part, Lucas was right. I prayed, though, that once I was out on the field, I would forget everything except football.
Coach nodded, still studying me. “See the trainer. He’ll loosen you up.” His lips thinned out. “We need a win today, Ryker.”
I rose and gave him one of my cocky grins. “We’ll win. I’m ready. The team is ready.” I had to be confident.
He raised a bushy eyebrow. “You’ve been through hell. So I’ll understand if you’re not feeling the game.”
I hated seeing the worry on his face. “I’ve got this.”
Hopefully, Lucas was right, and football would be good for me.
18
Haven
The football stadium was overflowing with fans of all ages and sizes, but mainly the students of Lakemont University—the marching band, those with painted faces, and everyone decked out in the school colors of rose and gold. The atmosphere was crazy, electric, and exciting.
“Come on. They’ve got to win,” Vicki said at my side, biting her nail.
I was a little nervous as well, more for Ryker than anything. I wasn’t a big fan of football. I’d been to an NFL game with my mom and dad many years ago. I didn’t remember much of the Cowboys game except that my father had lost five thousand dollars betting against the Cowboys.
Nevertheless, I wanted to see Ryker do well.
“Come on, Ryker,” Zack said on the other side of me. “You’ve got to get this touchdown.”
I chewed on my lip, almost holding my breath along with every other fan. We were losing by five points. With one minute to go in the game and the ball on the ten-yard line, Ryker needed to throw a touchdown.
He’d been shaky a good majority of the game. My heart went out to him. I couldn’t imagine what had been going through his head on the field, but it was evident he hadn’t been concentrating.
“He’s rusty,” a guy behind me had said.
“Wow,” another man had said. “Ryker has never been sacked until today.”
I didn’t know Ryker’s football history, but listening to the fans around me, I’d learned that Ryker James had been number one in passing and touchdowns and had hardly thrown an interception until last year when he’d thrown three in one game.
Still, the entire stadium was pulling for him. I would even bet the rival fans were too. I would imagine that this game wasn’t so much about getting a win as it was seeing Ryker do well after what he’d been through.
Lakemont took a time-out, and both teams huddled around their coach.
The fans began chanting Ryker’s name.
Both teams jogged out onto the field.
Ryker huddled with his men one last time before getting into position.
The fans jumped to their feet, still chanting Ryker’s name. I even joined in.
Vicki took my hand. “He’s going to do it.”
Before I could even blink, the center snapped the ball to Ryker. He barely had the ball in his hands before he threw it to Lucas, who was in the end zone.
The stadium went quiet.
Lucas jumped up just as a Regal defenseman dove in front of him. The ball hit the tips of the Regal defenseman’s fingers before Lucas grabbed the ball and tucked it into him for a touchdown.
The fans went crazy. The decibel level inside the stadium was off the charts. Vicki and I exchanged a hug, as did Zack and me.
“He needed that win so badly,” Zack said. “Leigh is flipping out right now.” He glanced up at the blue sky.
I’d learned at the start of the game that Zack had been dating Leigh. Mr. Bridges had said Zack and Leigh were tight, but he hadn’t mentioned that they were boyfriend and girlfriend.
“She is,” I said to him.
The marching band played as reporters gathered down on the field, trying to get to Ryker, who was being mauled by his teammates.
“Haven, thanks again,” Zack said. “If you’re ever up to it, you can come to one of our football games.” He wagged a finger between him and his friend, Chris.
The pimple-faced blond smiled. “Your friend can come too.”
Vicki was staring at the field, oblivious to the high schoolers. I had no doubt she was focused on Lucas.
I thanked them for the offer before both of them followed a horde of fans out of the stands.
Vicki nudged me. “Look.”
I scanned the field to find a reporter interviewing Ryker and Lucas. Then their voices blared through the jumbotron.
“How does it feel to be back?” the male reporter asked with his microphone in front of Ryker’s lips.
“It’s been a little surreal, but I’m happy to be playing again,” Ryker said. “I credit this win to my teammates. They were the ones who won this game. Our defense was tight, and they had my back out there.”
“But you were sacked,” the reporter said. “A first for you.”
“And a last,” Ryker added, then he glanced out at the stadium. “I want to say thank you to you guys.” He waved his hand around while he held his helmet in the other. “Thank you for being patient. Thank you for all your well wishes and sympathy messages. I can’t tell you how humble I am and what it means to me.” Then he looked up at the sky, blessing himself. “This is game is for you, Mom, Dad, Leigh, and Randal.”
Tears burned my eyes.
The remaining fans cheered.
Then Lucas leaned down toward the mic. “Cal, if I may. On behalf of the football team, we would like to remind fans that we have a fundraiser coming up. This year, we’re doing an auction, and the proceeds will go to benefit the Chelsea House for Battered Women. It will take place at the Marriott Hotel in town four weeks from today. You can find all the information at the Chelsea House website.”
“And what are you auctioning off?” Cal asked.
“A night out with your favorite football player or favorite sorority sister or senator’s daughter,” Lucas replied.
“Sounds like something that could bring in a lot of money for a great cause,” Cal added. “You mentioned a senator’s daughter?”
Ryker leaned into the mic. “Yes. Haven Hale. So I’m sure the event will be a success.”
My blood gelled.
Vicki whipped her head around to look at me. “You said no to him. Why is he announcing your name?”
I was going to kill a quarterback.
My phone went off. I didn’t have to look at it to know it was my father. I let the phone ring as I clenched my fists at my sides. And as if Ryker knew I was there, he looked right at me.
It wasn’t hard to find Vicki and me. The others around us had left with the exception of a handful of women who were probably waiting for Ryker and Lucas to walk off the field.
A couple of other reporters and their cameramen followed Ryker’s line of sight.
I tapped Vicki on the arm. “We should get out of here.” A senator’s daughter was headline news, especially if the daughter was involved in an auction where she was up for grabs.
Vicki hesitated.
“I’m leaving,” I said to her.
She scurried up the steps behind me, and we managed to make it out into the parking lot without any reporters on our tail.
I was about to breathe a sigh of relief when a young lady held out her phone toward me as she pushed off from her car, which was parked in a space close to the stadium’s entrance.
“Haven Hale?” the young brunette asked. “I’m Brandi Brock, a reporter for the university newspaper. Is it true that you’re part of the lineup for the Chelsea House
event?”
Kill Ryker James.
My phone buzzed again. If I didn’t answer it, my father would send down his goons to kidnap me.
I held up my hand. “I have to take this.” I would rather hear my father yell than answer the reporter, particularly as mad as I was. I didn’t want the nice woman to endure my wrath. Not only that, she would probably post in the paper how much of a bitch I could be.
Like father, like daughter.
Vicki and Brandi started talking while I walked a good distance away from them. Cars were trying to get out of the lot while some fans were hanging out on the backs of their trucks, drinking and eating.
“Don’t start, Father,” I said harshly.
“How many times do I have to tell you that I can’t have negative media attention?” His tone was grating.
“How many times do I have to tell you? I’m not part of any fundraiser. Nor am I involved with Ryker James. And before you say anything else, I can’t control the man and the words that come out of his mouth.”
I swore I wanted to deck both Ryker and my father.
I could hear my father breathing a little heavy. “I’m down in the polls. This isn’t going to help me.”
Polls, media, and elections were the bane of my existence. Ever since my father went into politics, I’d had to watch how I acted, what I said, and give up on being a normal teenager. I was tired of it all.
“Maybe me helping out a good cause would help you,” I said. “If the media sees that I’m doing something good, then it’s in your favor. It’s not like I’m drunk at a bar or caught with my pants down or making a spectacle out of myself. Besides, I can spin this to your advantage.”
“I’m listening,” he said in a softer tone.
Wow! That was a first on two things. He was listening, and I was about to help him.
I wasn’t sure if I could do the latter. After all, my actions had nothing to do with his policies or the bills he supported, and at the end of the day, what my father could do in the senate and for the state was what mattered. However, any media attention, good or bad, did put my father in the spotlight, which could take away from the message he was trying to get out to voters.
Unforgettable Page 12