The Game You Play (Rixon Raiders 2)

“Oh I’m hearing it and I can’t say I’m surprised.”

I groaned, spotting the bar for Cam. “But we’re too young for all that shit. We’ve got our whole lives to settle down.” It wasn’t even on my radar yet.

Girls were a commodity, something to help me unwind after a tough game or a grueling training session. Besides, I didn’t have time to worry about anyone else; not when I had to prove myself at Penn next year.

So why did you go over there, jackass? I ignored the little voice rattling round my head. I could be worried about Felicity getting caught in the crossfire without getting attached. It didn’t mean anything, except my heart wasn’t as black as everyone made it out to be. She was Hailee’s best friend, and innocent in all this shit with Thatcher.

That’s all it was.

“Hailee grounds me,” my best friend said as if it was the simplest thing in the world. “When everything was falling to shit, and stuff with Mom was at its worst, she was there. No questions asked. Not because I wear a Raiders jersey or because she sees me as a meal ticket.” He flopped back on the bench, heaving a deep breath. “I’m lucky to have her.”

Yeah, until she grew bitter and began to resent his ass for the commitment and dedication required to make something of yourself in one of the country’s top college football teams. High school football stars might have been treated like gods amongst men, but college was a whole other level of worship. Especially if you made waves, which I fully intended on doing. Penn hadn’t asked me to commit early because they thought I’d be a valuable asset to their team—they thought I had potential to be

the asset.

Even if I wanted someone by my side through it all—and I didn’t—there wasn’t enough to go around. I couldn’t be committed one hundred percent to the game and committed to some girl. Being the best required sacrifice, one I was all too willing to make.

“It’s not for me,” I said with conviction.

“No one would put up with your brooding ass anyway.” Asher grunted as he worked the free weights.

It was a joke.

He was joking.

Yet, it didn’t stop the strange tug in my chest.

“Seniors Night next week. You ready, man?” he asked changing the subject.

“Figured I’d wing it.” I shrugged, folding my arms over my chest.

“Coach will be pissed you haven’t got some motivational speech prepared.”

“Coach can suck it.”

“Try saying that to his face.” Asher smirked, his expression sobering with his next words. “You know it’s funny, I’ve waited my entire life for this. State. College. But now it’s almost here all I can think is I’m not ready to say goodbye.”

“Nawww, you gonna miss us, Bennet?” I mocked.

“We can’t all be untouchable like you, Jase. Yeah, I’ll miss you guys. You’re my best friends. Starting college, having to prove yourself all over again… I’m not going to lie, it freaks me the hell out.”

His words sank into me. I’d never really given it much thought. Not when I’d had my eyes set on playing for the Penn Quakers for pretty much my entire life. It was in my blood; my legacy. My old man had the perfect career there until an injury ripped the dream out from under him. And when I came along, his dream became my dream. I’d been working toward taking Penn by storm for as long as I could remember. Now it was almost time. So while I loved my friends like brothers, I wasn’t worried about going off to college next fall. Because I’d been counting down the days since my old man gave me my first football.

And it was almost time for my dreams to become a reality.

“So you and Felicity, huh?” Hailee breezed into the kitchen.

“Excuse me?” I played it cool, leaning back on the counter, draining the rest of my protein shake.

“She said you had a good talk Saturday night?” She gave me a suspicious look.

“We talked, yeah. I wouldn’t say it was good.”

“So nothing happened?”

“Why?” My brows furrowed, “did she say it did?”

“Nope.”