The Harder You Fall (Rixon Raiders 3)

But she knew.

Her eyes flicked to mine more than once, a wicked glint there.

A warning.

She might as well have pissed up his leg and claimed her territory.

But he’s not hers, he’s yours, a little voice reminded me.

Refusing to be the girl who was intimidated by someone like her, I steeled myself and marched up to them. “Hey,” I said, my voice weaker than I wanted it to be.

“Oh, Mya, hey.” Kellie flicked her hair off her shoulder and smiled. “I was just filling Asher in on our class notes since he missed it.”

“That’s... nice of you.” I forced out the words.

Asher’s gaze burned into the side of my face, but I couldn’t look at him. Not until I’d reined in the anger and jealousy coursing through my veins. Surprising me though, he slipped his arm around my waist and kissed my cheek.

“I missed you,” he said as if Kellie wasn’t standing right there.

“Awww, you guys are the cutest. I was so surprised when my dad told me you were dating someone. I told him, ‘Asher doesn’t date, Daddy’, but then I saw you guys at the party and well, I was wrong. You’re a very lucky girl, Mya.”

I barely managed to choke out a garbled, “Yeah.”

“Thanks for the notes, Kellie. See you around,” Asher dismissed her, his eyes only for me.

“Oh yeah, sure. See you.” She trotted off.

“She’s wrong you know?” he said before I could even formulate words.

“Wrong?”

“You’re not the lucky one. I am.” Asher pressed me against the locker, hands either side of my head.

“You two look good together,” I said, the words spilling from my lips in a blast of jealousy.

“I’m not going to let you do this, Mya.”

I pressed my lips together in defiance, hating the way he saw right through me.

“It’s you I want, you I love.” He leaned in, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. “You I’ll be buried deep inside of later. Kellie Ginly is no one to me. No. One. How could I even see her when all I see is you?”

He pulled back to look at me, his expression softening. “Better?”

“A little,” I said, feeling some of the anger ebb away. “But you should probably keep going. Just to be sure.”

I was joking but challenge flared in Asher’s eyes.

A challenge I’d gladly let him win.

Asher

“Look alive, ladies,” Coach Hasson boomed as he entered the locker room. “It’s a full house out there and the Eagles are looking for blood.” A wave of grumbles rose around me. “I want a clean game, got it?”

“Yes, Sir.” Our collective response echoed off the walls.

“This marks the start of a clean slate. We go out there and win the way we know how, through hard work, teamwork, and giving it our all. Jase, Son, do you want to say a few words?”

My best friend stalked into the center of the room, helmet hanging by his side, hunger glittering in his eyes. “Being a Raider, leading this team, has been a privilege and something I will never forget. But Coach is right. This game is a chance to put all the bullshit with Rixon East behind us. A chance to show them once and for all who the better team is on and off the field. Kinnicky, I’m looking to you tonight to step up to the plate and prove you’ve got what it takes to lead after I’m gone.”