Don't Promise (Don't 3)

“Something funny?”

I settled us on the couch. It felt a hell of a lot better than the pool table. But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that that moment was going to go down as one of the hottest fucks of my life. My cock throbbed.

I couldn’t get enough of her.

“Just watching that play. I don’t know why they called it.”

“What should they have done?” she asked.

“Not get sacked first of all.” I scowled. “But Seattle is always going to run that defensive play when there are four receivers lined up.”

“How do you know that?”

“This is what I do. I study them. I watch the games. I read, believe it or not.” I winked at her. “And that QB should know it. If he’s got four receivers going long Seattle is going to rush him in the fastest blitz they have. They don’t ha

ve the coverage for those four guys, so it’s their only chance to shut down the play.”

“Makes sense to me.” Her eyes were on the game.

“I would have pegged you for a cheerleader in high school. I can see you wearing one of those cute little skirts.”

“Nope.” She shook her head. “Couldn’t really afford stuff like that.”

“What do you mean?” I reached my arm around her and she nuzzled against my chest as if that was where she belonged.

“I didn’t grow up with money. This is all new to me.”

“Well most people don’t grow up with this kind of money, but you seriously couldn’t afford a cheerleading uniform?”

“My parents didn’t have extra cash. I didn’t even try to do that kind of stuff.”

I tried to picture Alexa poor without her manager. No private plane. No designer boots. The two images didn’t fit. I couldn’t reconcile a penniless girl with the one in my arms who lived in a palace and had her own stylist.

“I bet your parents are proud of you now.”

She had probably bought them a place. Somewhere with lots of land. Expensive furniture and a pool. Linc and I made sure our parents were taken care of. Last year I bought my mom a new Lexus. She loved that damn car. My dad hated she had gone with cherry red.

“They aren’t around.” Her voice softened.

I was going where I never went. Asking questions. Digging deeper.

“What happened, Alexa?”

“It’s embarrassing. No one knows except Jake, and he doesn’t want the press to find out and dig up a bunch of dirt on the whole thing.”

“What is it?” I didn’t know how it was possible for people to keep many secrets anymore.

She exhaled slowly. “My dad went to jail for a long list of petty crimes. Check fraud. Tax evasion. He was just trying to find ways to pay bills.” Her expression was anguished. “He’s not a bad guy. He just did things because he was desperate. He never would have tried them if he had money. He wouldn’t. He was laid off from the plant and things spiraled.”

“And your mom?”

“She lost the house when my dad went to jail. Her car was repossessed. She was in worse shape than he was. She was an aid at the library. Do you have any idea how much she made?”

I saw Alexa wipe at her cheeks with her palms.

“No.”

“Not enough to pay bills. It got worse. Much worse.” Her voice cracked. “She was alone.”