DICK-FACE DECIDED NOT TO press charges, so there was no bail. My brother and sister-in-law are on a list of people who are not speaking to me, Danny being at the top of that list.I work out Saturday morning and run into several teammates. They can barely control themselves, and laughter breaks out every few minutes. I'm not laughing. I have no idea what came over me the night before. I barely remember my fist connecting with Dick-face's face. I do remember Danny yelling at me.How many times can one guy fuck up?I'm betting on a million, so I have a long way to go.I head home and swim laps in the indoor pool. My brother and I loved this house, or at least we did until my mother died. The love for the place returned slowly for me, but, by that time, I was an adult and the only running around I did was on a rugby field.Thinking about my mother doesn't help my current state. A twenty-seven-year-old man who seriously misses his mommy is pathetic. Punching a guy in the face is pathe
I DON'T HEAR FROM Danny the whole the weekend. When I arrive at work on Monday morning, I'm in good spirits. An hour after I open our headquarters, I walk out of my office in time to see Cami carrying Lilly in one hand and a large bag in the other. Joel, holding a fake Christmas tree, is right behind her. I recognize the tree. I'd given the two of them some of Mom's decorations when Joel moved out. The tree was the one that went in the pool house, for the winter swim party we always had when we were boys. I'm guessing it's now the team's tree.I walk over and hold the door wider for Joel."Thanks," he says after he's inside. He rests the tree on the floor. "Where should it go?" he asks Cami."Here, by the window," she tells him, and places the bag on the counter. She unbundles Lilly from her pink coat and hands her off to me. I remain silent as I take my niece and give her a kiss on the cheek.Joel hefts the tree again and moves it to Cami's designated spot. Cami opens the bag that
THROUGH TEXT MESSAGES, I arrange my date with Danny. I plan to take her to a steakhouse out of town, because my brother and I own the one in town. I don't need to impress Danny with the knowledge that I'm a business owner, because she's fully aware of it. Hell, the only thing I think she's ever been impressed with is my accomplishments on the rugby field. Having a date where the end product is a kiss at the door is different altogether.Neither of us work on Friday, so I'm taking her out Thursday night. As the week progresses, the weather turns nasty. It's not much better on Thursday. It heats up about ten degrees, which brings it to the low forties. This just about guarantees that the first snow of the season is moving in.I arrive at Danny's door ten minutes early. The sun, or what there is of it, is going down, and things on the weather front aren't looking good. The forecast said the snow would hold off until tomorrow, so I'm trusting that they know what they're talking about.D
AFTER WE ARRIVE AT the restaurant, I help Danny out of the Rover and place my arm around her waist. She insisted on leaving her jacket behind, and I don't argue. We have about twenty feet to walk and it will be warm inside. Even so, I take my sport coat off and wrap it over her shoulders. It's not much, but I don't want her freezing before we get inside. She's a bit wobbly on the heels and this makes me smile. I like that she went out of her comfort zone tonight.The steakhouse is warm and Danny hands the jacket back to me. The place is decorated for Christmas and I do my best to ignore it. The restaurant isn't crowded. I reserved a nice table in the corner, but we pretty much have our choice."Do you mind if we sit at a table by the window? I love the snow," Danny says as she gazes at the tables by the windows.I know she loves the snow, but I'm not sure exactly why. I'm more of a spring-summer guy. My dislike for being cooped up is one of the reasons, and the holidays are the othe
DANNY'S IS BACK TO being uncomfortable as soon as we enter the room and have a few feet separating us. I set the wine on the table and take the cake from her."I need a few minutes," she tells me as she turns to the bathroom door.I snag her hand and she looks back over her shoulder. "Wine, dessert, and only as far as you want to take this. I'm glad you're here, but there's no pressure."The panic in her eyes fades a bit, and then she gives me a grin that goes straight to my dick. "Don't worry, lover boy; I'm putting the pressure on you."I release her hand and watch her enter the bathroom and close the door. I grab two water glasses and carry them to the table. This is how my dates usually end, but this is Danny, and there's so much more at stake. She comes out of the bathroom, minus her shoes, which she's holding by the straps in one hand.She lifts them slightly. "I couldn't it take anymore."I gaze from her lips to her bare feet and walk closer. "You look beautiful in the dre
"Are you sure, Danny girl?"She nods. That's it. She doesn't speak. I slowly lower the bra straps on each arm and watch her eyes go soft. I step back and take the bra with me. She releases her grip on the waist of my pants. I bend slightly, and move them down until I can kick them off. My boxer briefs go with them.I move one hand to her neck and slide her hair aside, while my other goes to her breast. Both places are softer than fuck. Her eyes are large and dark, and she isn't looking away from me. I lower my lips to her neck, where it meets her collarbone. It's one of the many places I've wanted to taste all night.I breathe her in before I taste. Sweet honey and the silkiest skin I've ever run my lips across. "God, Danny." I kiss the skin and tighten my other hand on her breast. At her moan, my dick hardens. A slow throb settles in my balls, pounding to the beat of my heart. Her fingers grip my arms and her nails dig in. My lips travel upward, across her jaw, and finally to her m
WHEN I CAN FINALLY move, I situate us so we're laying in the right direction on the bed, with the covers pulled over us. Danny's head is against my shoulder, and I'm playing with her hair. I'm not thinking about tomorrow or making a quick escape. I'm thinking about how to keep her.I know she's awake. I'm afraid if I say anything, I'll entirely fuck this up. I keep it simple, "You okay, Danny girl?""Mmm," she whispers.I roll. Her head slides off my shoulder, and I rise on my elbow so I'm looking down at her. "Mmm's not a good enough answer." I pick up a chunk of her hair again, and let it slide slowly through my fingers.Just the sides of her lips tilt up. "I'm not as good at this as you are, Van."I tighten my fingers around the strand, and use it to turn her face toward me. "If you were any better, I'd be comatose." For some reason, I want to talk. I've never fucking wanted to talk. Fuck some more, maybe, but not carry on a conversation. "Thank you for wearing a dress for me."
THE LODGE HAD FLUFFY white robes in the closet, and we have them on. I'm looking over the breakfast menu to place an order while Danny stands at the window, looking out at the snow.She doesn't look at me when she speaks. "The roads should be open."She looks adorable in the robe, with her hair curling around her head. I don't even remember it curly in college, so she's been disguising it for a long time. "You have someplace you need to be?"She turns her gaze from the snow and it lands on me. "No.""Then let's stay another night."She stares, and I almost give up on her answering me. Her cheeks go a bit pink and she says, "Without condoms, what are we going to do with all the time?"She's so fucking beautiful I could just look at her for the next twenty-four hours. "There's a drugstore two blocks from here. I'll take a short trip and pick us up a few things." She looks back out to the snow-covered parking lot. "I'll be back before our food gets here." I stand up and head to my c
I hid in Italy for three weeks. Greg came with me and kicked my ass on the court. He actually made a great practice partner. I was back to clean eating and drinking only water. It surprised me when Greg brought a bottle of wine to my room one night."What's this for?" I asked when he gave me one of his golly-gee smiles. Greg was cute. And, married to a lovely woman who worshipped him."I've been your coach for three months now and I have no idea what makes you tick. It's time for a come to daddy talk. Or in your case, come to coach. I figured the alcohol might make it easier.""You'll need more than one bottle," I told him. He came back to my room ten minutes later with two more bottles in his hands. "Does your wife know you're getting drunk with a slutty tennis star tonight?" I smiled to take the sting out of calling myself a slut."She suggested it. We've had many long conversations about you.""How romantic."He poured our first glasses and tilted the edge of his glass against
I never returned to the hospital, which was entirely unfair of me. My anger at my father carried over to Brack. I was horrible. The man I loved hadn't fully recovered and I left him at the hospital alone. Okay, he had his parents and his team. But, bottom lineI was horrible and a coward. I ignored the calls from Brack and my father. Again- coward.I needed complete control of my life. It took me two weeks to come up with a plan. During those two weeks, I hired a new coach and trained until I could barely walk. I trained with a purpose. I'd had my own money. Not just from tennis but from my mother. I'd never used it. That was the way I punished her and myself. Now, for the first time, I paid for my own coach.I liked him. I could actually smile over the fact that my father paid for Jerry all those years while the two of them hated each other. Greg, my new coach, kicked my ass. I had no idea if I had a chance this season. But, winning the Grand Slam was in my peripheral vision and not
Two days later, the doctors discontinued the medication that kept Brack in a coma. My father showed up the morning after surgery and made me go home, shower, and change clothes. Brack's parents were staying in shifts. His mom promised she wouldn't leave his side until I returned. I hadn't really spoken to them. We stayed relatively quiet in Brack's room. I whispered encouragement and told him I was there. They gave us privacy, too. That's when I told him I loved him. Again and again, I whispered the words.My father and Senator Jacobs were cordial. Brack's mother treated my dad like a family friend. Apparently she'd been friends with my mom. I tried not to think about the ramifications of our two families tied together through me and Brack. It was too much to take right now.Brack still had the ventilator. The doctor reviewed best and worst case scenarios with us. I refused to listen to brain damage, paralysis, learning to walk and talk again, and so on. My focus was full recovery. I
Four hours later, I was passed out against Mack's shoulder when his cell rang. My brain registered the noise and I was pulled quickly from sleep."Yeah," he answered quietly. He listened for several minutes before responding. "I have her here with me. We'll be there in a minute." He slid his phone back in his pocket and looked at me. "He's in recovery. It was touch and go, but he pulled through. They have him in a sedated coma. He has a stent in his skull to relieve swelling. The doctor told his parents he came to before surgery and demanded to see you. His mom wants you up there if you think you can handle it."I was up and walking out of the emergency room before he finished, my heart pounding a hundred miles an hour. "What floor? I'm not waiting for you to waddle behind me."Snickers came from several of the guys. "I've got her," Molly said."Second floor."The elevator took so long I almost turned to the stairs. I'd do anything to get to him. Brack asked for me and I had to se
I ran toward Brack, who had fallen to the floor. There was so much blood and I tried wiping it off his face. My hands turned dark red."You did it, baby," he whispered before his body went completely limp.Sander and a woman who must be Molly ran into the enclosure with guns drawn. I could barely hear them. Echoed gunshots continued ringing in my ears."Call an ambulance and please someone check on my father. He's in the van," I said as I held Brack's head in my lap. Blood soaked my panties and covered my legs. Head wounds bleed, I kept saying to myself. Sander practically jumped over us and went straight to Ty's body. He turned back when he had assured himself Ty was no longer a threat."Where were you?" I asked softly. I didn't want Brack to hear me yelling at his team.Sander sat down next to me and took Brack's arm checking his pulse. "The bastard used some kind of scrambler. It took us a while to figure out the van didn't leave the premises. We recovered the phones. Brack had
Kids laughed. A mother scolded a young child for attempting to go under the bar and get closer to one of the cages. Brack and I stood in the center of the primate exhibit. My phone chirped. It didn't startle me this time; I was too numb. "Yes.""Walk over to the primate exhibit sign and you'll find another cell phone behind it. Exchange it for the one you're using. Have Mr. Jacobs leave his phone behind, too."Brack followed me to the sign and I did exactly as told. The phone was there. I picked it up and lay mine down. "He said to leave yours, too." Brack took his from his jeans pocket and placed it beside mine. Thankfully, no one paid attention to us. I had no idea what we needed to do next. The phone in my hand vibrated. This time I clicked the call button without saying a word."Go to your left and keep walking on the path. Did you bring my present?" I carried a bag with the dress inside so both of Brack's arms would be free. He carried a gun in a hidden leg holster."Yes, it's
The inside of my father's home was a crime scene. We sat on the couch in the front room away from the forensic team that arrived a few minutes before. The media camped at the gates added to the growing chaos.Even knowing Ty would eventually call, I jumped when my cell phone chirped. The display read "Unknown." My fingers trembled as I picked it up and answered, "Hello, Ty, or should I call you Leo?"His husky laugh sent goose bumps across my arms. "I told you not to call the police. You wouldn't listen and you'll pay for disobedience."My voice remained steady. "It wasn't me. You killed your mother, so what exactly did you expect? She worked for my dad for over thirty years. One plus one equals two, Leo." Fuller and Brack told me not to push him too hard. I had to make him believe I hadn't gone to the police, though."My mother had cancer and it was eating away at her. I did her a favor. She didn't walk in God's light. By making her repent and then killing her God may show mercy."
My heart stopped. Dread and terror filled me. Colors danced before my eyes making it hard to see. The whoosh of blood traveling into my head made it hard to hear. I had to get control of myself. I gulped in air. "You goddamn son of a bitch. If you hurt my father I'll kill you.""He that blasphemeth the name of the LORD shall be put to death and stoned. Remember that when you feel the pain of my hand, Olivia."Brack startled me by gathering me close and placing his head against mine so we both listened. "Where's my father?" I demanded."That's better. I have instructions for you, Olivia. You will follow them to the letter. Please bring that man with you. The one you've been with lately." His voice took on an eerie quality. "If a man commits adultery with another man's wife, both the man and the woman must be put to death." He breathed heavily and then gave a sadistic laugh. "You may choose your father or lover to pay for your sins. One shall die and the other walks away.""But-"He
I don't know what I expected love to be like. Violins playing, little cupids flying around with bow and arrows, hell maybe just cuddles in bed for hours. That wasn't what happened the following morning. Brack paced across the carpet of my living room with his cell to his ear listening to one of his men on the other end. He cast a glance or two my way. I could tell before the call ended that he would try his non-communication shit with me again.I was right."What's the news?" I asked the second he lowered the phone.He came over and sat beside me. "Nothing to worry about."I gave him my I'm-about-to-slam-you-with-a-tennis-racquet look. "Bullshit." I was beginning to notice his tells. The fingers traveling through his hair was a sign that he didn't want to enlighten me. I waited.He breathed out a slow and steady breath of air. "Mack didn't see his attacker, but he heard him before he lost consciousness."My heartbeat accelerated. "Okay. Spill it.""Mack told Herman that most of