The Game You Play (Rixon Raiders 2)

Fuck, had she taken me by surprise. A dark-haired angel with no filter and crazy fashion sense. She was everything I didn’t want or need, and yet, she’d infiltrated my steel exterior before I even had time to realize what was happening.

“You’re thinking about her, aren’t you?” Cam’s voice burst my daydream.

“Who, Hailee?” I quipped.

“You know exactly who I mean.” He smirked.

“Doesn’t matter.”

“You keep saying that...”

“Because it’s true. We’re done.” We had to be.

“If you say so.”

I did.

Even if it was the biggest lie of all.

“And that’s how it’s done, ladies,” Coach yanked off his ball cap and thrust it in the air. “A damn near perfect season.” If we hadn’t have blown our last game.

It was a bitter pill to swallow, but it didn’t matter. We were in the play-offs. One step closer to the end goal.

“Get showered and get changed. I want to get out of here and back home stat.”

A chorus of ‘Yes, Coach’ rang out around me, the buzz of the win still crackling in the air.

“Hey, Cap, check it out,” Grady flashed me his cell.

@ThatcherQB1: Raiders might have made the play-offs but Ford is going down #youredone #watchyourback

“He’s just pissed the Eagles are out and we’re in,” I said, feeling my stomach knot. “Let him talk shit, we all know who’s the better team.”

“I still think we should go across the river and show him who’s boss.” Ash slung his towel over his shoulder.

“You over your tantrum?” My tone was cool.

He shrugged as we hit the showers. “I figured if anyone’s going to show to the party later, I need to make the peace.”

“Oh, so it’s like that, huh?”

Asher’s mouth curved. “What can I say, gotta give the people what they want.”

“Fucker,” I muttered under my breath.

After a quick shower, we got dressed and gathered by the buses where Hailee and some other fans hung around to congratulate us. “Great game,” she said to Cam and Asher, completely ignoring me. I edged away, hitching my bag over my shoulder. It was on the tip of my tongue to ask where Felicity was, but that would suggest I cared.

“Hey, Jase, we’re going to ride back with Hailee. You want a ride?”

My eyes slid to hers in question, and she gave a dismissive shrug.

“I’ll ride with—”

“Just get in the damn car, Jason,” she sighed.

“You heard the woman, Jason, get in the damn car.” Ash winked, and I flipped him off. He was so smug I wanted to tell him to fuck off. But I didn’t. Instead, I gritted my teeth behind my lips and got in the car.

Wondering when I became such a pussy.