All Chapters of The Jock - The Ashford Brothers Series - Book Four: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Tatum POVThree years ago“Grace, please, I need you to put your shoes on. We’re going to be late,” I shout from the kitchen. I can hear Grace laughing in the living room while I finish getting all the dishes in the dishwasher. I hate leaving the house a mess before I go out, and I know that if things are not clean Thatcher will be upset.“Grace, I will not say it again,” I shout once more and that’s when I hear a loud bang that makes my heart beat so fast I think I might have a heart attack. I drop everything in the sink and I run out of the kitchen to find Thatcher with his hand closed in a fist and a hole in the wall. Grace’s eyes are wide and the tears are pooling in her eyes. Unfortunately, she knows not to cry.I run to Grace and pull her into my arms, lifting her from the couch as she rests her head against my shoulder as Thatcher looks at me with our daughter in my arms. My breathing is erratic and my heart rate is so fast, I think my watch will start beeping any minute now.“

Tatum POV“My eyes are up here, Mr. Ashford. I won’t tolerate anyone looking at me in a asexual way, I am here to clean up your mess, to make you look like a gentleman, and to make the fans fall back in love with you and the game, Don’t make me regret accepting this job,” I say as I scan the room and I can see all eyes on me, but there’s one set of blue eyes that keep scanning me more than the others. Frederick Ashford, the reformed playboy, is accused of rape.I read his entire file and I believe in his innocence. The team has been dealing with the lawyers and with the press, but they are doing everything wrong. They are treating him like a criminal, instead of showing him his support. I am going to change that. I am going to make him a hero for the team. The fans will all protect him and chant his name. I will associate his name with charities and causes that will make him look innocent. The innocent man that he is.“Yes ma’am,” all the players say at the same time and I can’t help

Fred POV “How are you feeling?” I ask Jude as he stands in front of the mirror, adjusting his bowtie for the thousandth time. “I am okay, I am just a little on edge, I don’t know, I feel like something is gonna go wrong,” he says and I rest one hand on his shoulder as he turns around to face me. I fiddle with his bowtie and then he looks back in the mirror. “Nothing is gonna go wrong, everything that had to happen in a bad way already happened, you two were away for ten years, she almost married a guy that is disgusting, she is pregnant with your baby and she loves you more than life, God knows how and why,” I say and Jude looks at me and I smile. “Mom wouldn’t let anything bad happen, so relax,” I say and he takes a deep breath. Dylan walks through the door holding a tray with four tumblers. “Richard is coming,” he says and I nod as he places the tray on the coffee table and Jude looks at the drinks. “I’m here,” Richard says, and we all take our glasses. “To our brother, the ma

Tatum POVFrederick drives with care and he keeps looking through the mirror to have a look at Grace who is over the moon for being in such an expensive car. “How do you know my mommy?” Grace asks suddenly breaking the silence that was in the car.“We work together,” Frederick says as he glances at me and then smiles as he looks at Grace through the mirror.“You play hockey?” She asks, and I look back over my shoulder.“Grace, stop asking questions please, that’s not polite,” I say and Frederick laughs, shaking his head.“It’s okay, you can ask as many questions as you want. I am an open book,” he says, looking at me for a split second and then at Grace through the mirror again.“Yes, I am a hockey player, well I am the best hockey player ever,” he says and Grace scrunches her nose as I look at her over my shoulder and I know what she is about to do.“My daddy is the best hockey player in the world,” she says, and then Frederick’s eyes land on me and I offer him a small smile.“Oh rea

Tatum POV“Grace?” I say as I walk into her room and she is wrapped in her robe, looking at her pajama options. I cross my arms, standing behind her and she looks up at me.“I don’t know what one to wear Mommy, do you think Fred is going to like this one?” She asks, pointing at her pink pajamas that are covered in unicorns.“I think he is going to love it, baby,” I say, kissing her on the top of the head. She smiles as she gets dressed while I put her towel hanging to dry in the bathroom we share. I look down the corridor and I can see Fred sitting on the couch. He looks lost in thought. That kiss. What was that?I place both my hands on the sink as I look at my reflection in the mirror in front of me and I can feel my heart beating fast and my breathing is erratic. My hands start to shake as I close my eyes, focusing on my breathing. The last man I kissed was Thatcher. The last man that has ever touched me was him, and now, I have a different feeling in my body. Fred’s touch complete