Page 138 of Forever Defiant
I looked past him to the glares of many of my teammates. “Huh. Shit. Briar, keep taking good shots!” I started to run back across the field and felt Noah pull alongside me.
“So Hadley’s done, and you’re on to the next one?”
“What? No. I was being nice to her... She has to improve my image. People don’t want to help you if they think you’re a dick.”
“Youarea dick.”
“So?” I demanded, coming to a stop. “I’m trying to have a good day. Why are you and QB10 so fucking serious? Lighten up.” I slapped him across the chest. “Let’s play fucking football and enjoy it.”
I walked over to where everyone else was, and I noticed a number of dirty looks directed my way.
I looked at the coach and felt like punching someone. “What the fuck is wrong with this team?” I asked them all. “Wewonthe national championship. Did you all forget? This field is a miserable fucking place to be right now. The spring game is coming up, so let’s remember that we’re here because we’re lucky enough bastards who get to play football every day and will one day get paid for it.”
Coach Sutherland gave me a begrudging smile. “I don’t know what her name was,” he mumbled as he passed, “but you can see her again.” He clapped his hands together. “Okay, people, you heard your wide receiver, let’s remember why you’re on my field! Formations!”
I looked at Dante and Noah, both watching me, and I shrugged. “Just play football, let all the other shit go.”
I meant it. I meant it in a way I hadn’t in weeks.
It turned out to be a good practice despite the rough start. We still ran drills, but the atmosphere was lighter. Dante stepped up to my example and led the team like he always did, but he did crack more than one genuine smile. Noah was dishing out shit with his defense, and I caught them laughing a few times.
When I caught Briar’s eye later as I walked off the field, she gave me a thumbs-up.
Even the locker room was lighter, and it almost felt normal. Nothing dark and serious hanging over our heads, even though it was. I didn’t feel guilty for not thinking about it for the last ninety minutes.
I even treated myself to a coffee from the coffee shop and a granola bar. My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out of my pocket; my mood soured.
It was an unknown number, and it was a very clear shot of me with my dick in the face of a girl with long brown hair whowas on her knees in front of me. You couldn’t tell it was Hadley, but you sure as fuck could see it was me.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” I tossed my coffee in the trash. “Fuck.” I looked around campus; there were a few stares, there always were. I clutched my backpack strap tighter and turned back the way I came.
Whoever had taken this had been there. Had been watching. Had been close enough to get that angle on both of us.
No oneshould see Hadley like that without her permission.
There was only one girl on campus I knew who was that good with a camera, and I’d just left her in the stadium, and the stadium was exactly where I was heading.
I exchanged a few barbs with teammates as they left, and I went back inside. I was going to be late for class, and I didn’t give a shit.
Briar could wait. If someone was using a photo of me as leverage, Coach needed to know first. I headed straight to the coach’s office. Coach Hembry was in the middle of the open-plan space, talking to one of the assistant coaches.
“Slater? You need something?”
“I was looking for Coach Sutherland.”
“He’s in a meeting, heading out myself, he won’t be free until four.”
Jesus, what was the meeting? To solve world hunger? “Right.”
Hembry noticed I didn’t look happy. “Can I help?”
“No, Coach.” I gave him a wave. “See you at four.”
I headed out and noticed one of the boosters walking in. Almo Gomez, ex-pro, Hall of Famer, and a damn good running back in his day. He saw me.
“Dustin Slater,” he said with a grin. “How you doing?”
We shook hands. “Yeah, I’m good,” I told him. “You?”
